Deck 17: Personal Selling and Sales Promotion

Question 1

A major disadvantage of personal selling is that it:

A) is not remembered as well by consumers as advertising messages are.
B) cannot easily adjust the message to satisfy a customer's information needs.
C) is the most expensive element in the promotional mix.
D) does not provide immediate feedback.
E) is not compatible with other promotional activities.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Paid personal communication that attempts to inform and persuade customers to purchase products in an exchange situation is called:

A) advertising.
B) sales promotion.
C) personal selling.
D) target marketing.
E) public relations.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Describe consumer sales promotion and trade sales promotion, and then explain how they differ.

Answer 3

Consumer sales promotion methods encourage or stimulate consumers to patronize specific retail stores or try particular products. Consumer sales promotion methods initiated by retailers often aim to attract customers to specific locations, whereas those used by manufacturers generally introduce new products or promote established brands. Some of the consumer sales promotion methods are coupons, cents-off offers, money refunds and rebates, frequent-user incentives, point-of- purchase displays, demonstrations, free samples, premiums, consumer contests and games, and consumer sweepstakes.
Trade sales promotion methods attempt to persuade wholesalers and retailers to carry a producer's products and market them more aggressively. Marketers use trade sales methods for many reasons, including countering the effect of lower- priced store brands, passing along a discount to a price-sensitive market segment, boosting brand exposure among target consumers, or providing additional incentives to move excess inventory or counteract competitors. These methods include buying allowances, buy-back allowances, scan-back allowances, merchandise allowances, cooperative advertising, dealer listings, free merchandise, dealer loaders, premium or push money, and sales contests.
The difference between trade sales and consumer sales promotion methods is that consumer sales promotion methods encourage or stimulate consumers to patronize specific retail stores or try particular products, while trade sales promotion methods attempt to persuade wholesalers and retailers to carry a producer's products.

Question 4

The greatest amount of responsibility for providing customer satisfaction falls on the shoulders of:

A) chief executive officers.
B) salespeople.
C) sales managers.
D) quality control experts.
E) marketing directors.

Question 5

Explain the major issues to consider when developing a sales training program.

Question 6

What is the rationale for having sales force objectives, and how are they developed?

Question 7

Identify and describe several ways to motivate sales personnel.

Question 8

List three major types of sales force compensation methods. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Question 9

Explain how a salesperson's performance can be evaluated.

Question 10

List the three major types of salespeople and indicate how they differ.

Question 11

Discuss the purpose of coupons in sales promotion.

Question 12

Personal selling is changing in today's marketplace due to several factors. Which of the following is not a factor that impacts today's promotion through personal selling?

A) The difficulty in keeping customers because they are fickle.
B) New technology provides up-to-date information in the field.
C) The way in which customers gain information about a company or product.
D) Social CRM allows companies to discover and engage customers.
E) Electronic sales presentations through social media technology.

Question 13

Identify the major features of effective sales force compensation plans.

Question 14

Identify four consumer and four trade sales promotion techniques, and describe each one.

Question 15

Identify and discuss some of the key objectives in using sales promotion.

Question 16

Identify and discuss the general steps in the personal selling process.

Question 17

Personal selling goals include finding prospects, convincing prospects to buy, and:

A) monitoring new products being developed.
B) being aware of competitors' sales activities.
C) seeking one-sale customers.
D) avoiding repeat transactions.
E) keeping customers satisfied.

Question 18

Differentiate between team selling and relationship selling.

Question 19

How has the expenditure of promotional dollars on advertising, consumer sales promotion methods, and trade sales promotion methods changed in recent years?

Question 20

Discuss the major factors to consider when designing sales territories.

Question 21

The salesperson must attract and hold the prospect's attention, stimulate interest, and spark a desire for the product during the step.

A) closing
B) preapproach
C) follow up
D) approach
E) sales presentation

Question 22

Company sales records, commercial databases, newspaper announcements, telephone directories, and public records are all sources used for:

A) surveying.
B) screening.
C) researching.
D) preapproaching.
E) prospecting.

Question 23

Scott Bartello, a salesperson for Lamkin Golf Products, develops a list of potential customers and evaluates them on the basis of their ability, willingness, and authority to purchase copy machines. This process is called:

A) customer search.
B) preapproach.
C) customer evaluation.
D) customer pre-approval.
E) prospecting.

Question 24

After compiling a list of potential customers, a salesperson must:

A) evaluate whether each prospect is able, willing, and authorized to buy the product.
B) determine whether or not each prospect is really in his target market.
C) find and analyze information about each prospect's specific needs and current brand choices.
D) develop a presentation for each of the potential customers on his list.
E) contact each of the prospects to get an initial feel for how likely they are to purchase his products.

Question 25

Janet will be devoting more effort to in the coming weeks, as she was instructed by her manager to expand her list of potential customers.

A) approaching customers
B) preapproaching
C) closing the sale
D) following up
E) prospecting

Question 26

A salesperson will be better able to determine the prospect's specific needs by:

A) listening carefully to questions and comments, and watching reactions during the sales presentation.
B) waiting until after the sale to see how the client is enjoying the use of the product.
C) doing extensive research before the approach and making the sales presentation without adjustment.
D) using trial closings throughout the sales presentation.
E) making a very thorough and detailed sales presentation about the products and services being offered.

Question 27

When a salesperson asks the customer to buy the product several times throughout the sales presentation in an effort to uncover hidden objections, it is called:

A) preapproaching.
B) new-business selling.
C) closing.
D) prospecting.
E) following up.

Question 28

The step of the personal selling process in which a salesperson contacts a potential customer is called:

A) making the presentation.
B) following up.
C) the preapproach.
D) the approach.
E) prospecting.

Question 29

Stacey's client group has been gradually shrinking and she is looking for new prospective clients. She has decided to spend a couple of days approaching potential customers without any prior consent. Stacey's method of approach is known as:

A) referral approach.
B) ambulance chasing.
C) door-to-door selling.
D) cold canvass.
E) repeat contact.

Question 30

Tara is beginning her week as a sales representative for Logitech Technology. She decides to start the day by developing a list of potential customers, which is called:

A) preapproaching.
B) surveying.
C) scouting.
D) prospecting.
E) screening.

Question 31

Rick is a sales representative for Lucent Technologies. He has reviewed a prospect's account and credit history, identified product needs, and gathered the appropriate literature he needs. Rick feels he is ready for the step of the personal selling process.

A) objections
B) presentation
C) approach
D) preapproach
E) sales-planning

Question 32

Sean's company has launched a new product line, and he is put in charge of sales. He has to find potential customers in the company's sales records. Sean is in which of the following stages of personal selling?

A) Prospecting
B) Screening
C) Researching
D) Preapproaching
E) Surveying

Question 33

A salesperson finds and analyzes information about each prospect's specific product needs, current use of and feeling about brands, and personal characteristics during:

A) prospecting.
B) the approach.
C) presentation preparation.
D) overcoming objections.
E) the preapproach.

Question 34

Jennifer Clarkson, a sales representative for a publisher of college textbooks, had the southern half of the state as a sales territory. Last year, John Wilmen, director of marketing for the publishing company, told Gloria Shepherd, Jennifer's sales manager, to increase Jennifer's territory to the entire state. Now Jennifer's customers are less satisfied with the company. They are most likely to blame for their reduced level of customer satisfaction.

A) the textbook authors
B) John Wilmen
C) the marketing manager
D) Gloria Shepherd
E) Jennifer Clarkson

Question 35

Advertisements that encourage customers to send in reply cards for additional information aids salespeople in _____.

A) convincing prospects to buy
B) finding prospects
C) keeping customers satisfied
D) making presentations
E) following up the sale

Question 36

Creating a favorable impression and developing rapport with prospective customers is a critical part of the step of personal selling.

A) following up
B) making the presentation
C) approach
D) prospecting
E) preapproach

Question 37

The final stage of the selling process is:

A) closing.
B) trial close.
C) presentation.
D) follow-up.
E) overcoming objections.

Question 38

At the stage of the personal selling process, a salesperson asks the prospect to buy the product.

A) proposal
B) closing
C) overcoming objections
D) approach
E) trial

Question 39

Before contacting prospects, a salesperson for an industrial cleaning equipment company analyzes information about the prospects' product needs, feelings about brands, and personal characteristics. This process is called:

A) following up.
B) preapproach.
C) approaching the customer.
D) sales training.
E) sales presentation.

Question 40

Tim has just finished compiling a list of potential customers and evaluating their ability, willingness, and authority to buy. He knows his next step in the personal selling process is to:

A) approach.
B) preapproach.
C) make the presentation.
D) prospect.
E) overcome objections.

Question 41

Which of the following is least likely to be directly involved in making sales?

A) Order taker
B) Current-customer salesperson
C) Order getter
D) Field order taker
E) Support sales personnel

Question 42

The two groups of order takers in personal selling are:

A) current customer salespeople and new-business salespeople.
B) missionary salespeople and trade salespeople.
C) inside order takers and field order takers.
D) trade salespeople and technical salespeople.
E) advisory order takers and support order takers.

Question 43

A support salesperson who usually advises customers on product characteristics and application, system design, and installation procedures is a(n):

A) trade salesperson.
B) inside order taker.
C) field order taker.
D) missionary salesperson.
E) technical salesperson.

Question 44

A missionary salesperson is most likely employed by:

A) a retailer.
B) a wholesaler.
C) an order getter.
D) a manufacturer.
E) an independent intermediary.

Question 45

A sales representative of a soft drink company travels to various restaurants to determine how much syrup the customer needs for the coming period. This sales representative would be classified as a(n):

A) order getter.
B) inside order taker.
C) field order taker.
D) missionary salesperson.
E) trade salesperson.

Question 46

Michelle works for a company that sells rotisseries for chicken and other foods. She answers phone calls from customers who see infomercials on TV and call to order the product. Michelle is considered a(n):

A) order getter.
B) inside order taker.
C) support person.
D) field order taker.
E) trade salesperson.

Question 47

Dylan is a sales person for Whole Foods. In his position, he is primarily responsible for seeking repeat sales. Dylan is most likely a(n):

A) order getter.
B) technical salesperson.
C) order taker.
D) follow-up salesperson.
E) missionary salesperson.

Question 48

Cheyenne, a sales person, should call to see if her customer's new hardwood floors were installed correctly:

A) during the follow-up step.
B) immediately after the closing.
C) near the end of the sales presentation.
D) the next time she makes a sales call to that customer.
E) after she receives cash payment from that customer.

Question 49

Assisting the producer's customers in selling to their own customers is the major purpose of a(n) .

A) trade salesperson
B) technical salesperson
C) missionary salesperson
D) order getter
E) order taker

Question 50

Maria Martinez works for a cosmetics manufacturer and is responsible for ensuring that retailers have adequate quantities of products when they need them. However, she is directing much of her effort toward helping the retailers promote the products. She would be characterized as belonging to:

A) trade salespeople.
B) field order takers.
C) advisory salespeople.
D) technical salespeople.
E) order getters.

Question 51

Nick is a salesperson for a chemical company. His college degree is in engineering, with a minor in physical science. He was trained to advice customers on the unique characteristics of each product. Nick is most likely a(n):

A) trade salesperson.
B) missionary salesperson.
C) technical salesperson.
D) chemicals order taker.
E) field order taker.

Question 52

Hannah is a retail salesperson for a furniture store. She is most likely classified as:

A) an order getter.
B) support personnel.
C) trade salespeople.
D) an inside order taker.
E) a field order taker.

Question 53

Order-getting activities are divided into two categories:

A) missionary sales and technical sales.
B) current-customer sales and new-business sales.
C) order takers and trade sales.
D) current sales and support sales.
E) inside order sales and field order sales.

Question 54

Jim Zanders, a trained engineer, is a salesperson for a chemical manufacturer. He provides current customers with advice about a product's characteristics and applications. He is a(n):

A) missionary salesperson.
B) trade salesperson.
C) field order taker.
D) inside order taker.
E) technical salesperson.

Question 55

The purpose of the stage in personal selling is to determine customers' problems and questions about using the product.

A) prospecting
B) approach
C) overcoming-objections
D) follow-up
E) closing

Question 56

Daphne King of Cleborn Pharmaceuticals tells a sales management class at the state university that her job is to call on doctors and explain the benefits of new prescription drugs that her firm develops. Daphne would call herself a(n):

A) technical salesperson.
B) missionary salesperson.
C) order taker.
D) order getter.
E) trade salesperson.

Question 57

Creative selling, which requires that salespeople recognize a potential buyer's needs and then provide the prospect with the necessary information, is performed by:

A) order takers.
B) order getters.
C) missionary salespeople.
D) trade salespeople.
E) technical salespeople.

Question 58

Jana works for Hormel Foods and she frequently sets up special displays and distributes samples of Hormel products to customers in supermarkets. Jana would best be classified as a(n):

A) trade salesperson.
B) technical salesperson.
C) inside order taker.
D) field order taker.
E) missionary salesperson.

Question 59

Doug travels around to various established customers to see what new office supplies they need. His customers have come to depend on him to check their supplies. Doug is a(n):

A) field order taker.
B) current-customer order getter.
C) missionary salesperson.
D) inside order taker.
E) trade salesperson.

Question 60

Yolanda's job is to find new customers for her company's telecommunication services. She encourages existing customers to add more services and finds customers who are completely new to the company. Yolanda would best be classified as a(n):

A) order taker.
B) trade salespeople.
C) missionary salesperson.
D) technical salesperson.
E) order getter.

Question 61

All of the following are key areas of sales force management except:

A) compensating salespeople.
B) coordinating sales promotion efforts.
C) recruiting salespeople.
D) training sales personnel.
E) motivating sales personnel.

Question 62

Jose Suarez has been hired as sales manager at a new firm and is trying to come up with a sales force compensation method. He would like to have selling expenses relate directly to sales resources, an aggressive sales force, and minimization of nonselling tasks. What compensation method(s) would best fulfill his requirements?

A) Combination
B) Straight salary
C) Straight salary plus generous fringe benefits
D) Straight commission
E) Salary plus a bonus

Question 63

Sales objectives for individual salespeople can be stated in several ways. Which of the following would least likely be used for stating an individual salesperson's goal?

A) Dollar volume sales
B) Unit volume sales
C) Average order size
D) Ratio of profits relative to number of sales calls
E) Average number of calls per time period

Question 64

Sales force objectives are generally established for:

A) the organization as a whole only.
B) the total sales force and each salesperson.
C) just each salesperson but not the whole sales force.
D) for each department or division of the company.
E) long-term but not short-term salespeople.

Question 65

In designing sales territories, a sales manager considers several major factors. The territories must be constructed so that sales potential can be measured; the shape of the territories should facilitate salespeople's activities to provide the best possible coverage of customers; and:

A) territories should be designed to minimize selling costs.
B) territories should be of the same size.
C) territories should be designed in concentric circles.
D) the density of potential customers should be minimized.
E) the distribution of customers should be relatively equal.

Question 66

Which of the following best characterizes the function of recruiting and selecting a sales force?

A) It should be a continuous, systematic attempt to match applicants' characteristics to the firm's needs.
B) It is a process that should incorporate at least two steps, an interview and a written application.
C) Sources of applicants should be limited, since the recruitment process is expensive and more applicants mean greater expense.
D) After interviewing applicants, the manager should attempt to find a position that can be tailored to fit applicants' qualifications.
E) It should not be made from personnel in other departments in the firm, as this would necessitate training two people rather than one.

Question 67

Which of the following involves building mutually beneficial long-term associations with a customer usually a business customer through regular communications over prolonged periods of time?

A) Trade selling
B) Missionary selling
C) Exclusive selling
D) Team selling
E) Relationship selling

Question 68

A company may determine how many sales calls per year it needs to serve customers effectively and divide that by the average number of sales calls made by one salesperson in order to:

A) recruit appropriate salespeople.
B) set sales force calling objectives.
C) compensate salespeople fairly.
D) train its salespeople.
E) determine sales force size.

Question 69

Sales objectives can do all of the following except:

A) serving as a deterrent both to salespeople and their clients.
B) giving the sales force direction and purpose.
C) serving as a standard for evaluating salesperson performance.
D) letting the sales force know what is expected of them.
E) helping to control the sales force.

Question 70

Ryan Scott leads his company's clients through the installation procedure of their new industrial equipment. He also helps answer their questions about product characteristics and system design both before and after their purchases. Ryan is a:

A) trade salesperson.
B) missionary salesperson.
C) technical salesperson.
D) systems engineer.
E) field order taker.

Question 71

When better market conditions prevail or when company growth occurs, a company may suffer if it:

A) lowers its sales force objectives.
B) recruits additional salespeople.
C) decides to use a combination compensation plan.
D) provides additional training for its sales force.
E) cuts back the size of its sales force.

Question 72

Savanna is a sales person for Aeropostale. Her compensation is based on a set salary plus a commission based on sales. Savanna's compensation is based on a(n):

A) straight salary compensation plan.
B) combination compensation plan.
C) straight salary plus generous fringe benefits
D) straight commission compensation plan.
E) salary plus bonus program.

Question 73

Recruiting and selection of salespeople should include enough steps to yield the information needed to make accurate selection decisions. However, the stages of the process should be sequenced so that the more expensive steps are:

A) near the beginning.
B) completed before anything else.
C) near the end.
D) paid by the prospects rather than the company.
E) never reached.

Question 74

Natalie is a sales representative with Nike. In a few days, she will join with people from the firm's financial, engineering, and other functional areas to engage in the personal selling process. Natalie is engaged in:

A) trade selling.
B) missionary selling.
C) relationship selling.
D) team selling.
E) technical selling.

Question 75

Olivia is the manager of Human Resources for Zappos.com. She is currently reviewing the sales force compensation method used at Zappos.com to determine if there is a better way to manage compensation. Olivia knows that the method is easy to administer, yields more predictable selling expenses, and provides sales managers with a large degree of control over salespeople.

A) straight commission
B) salary plus bonus
C) salary and commission
D) straight commission and combination
E) straight salary

Question 76

Which of the following is the best example of a well-stated sales objective?

A) Companywide sales should increase by 25 percent.
B) Each salesperson should increase his or her client group by 10 percent.
C) Each salesperson should bring in $25,000 in new sales by November 15.
D) The sales force should increase the market share in all markets by December 1.
E) Each salesperson should increase the number of calls they make by 20 percent.

Question 77

The best advice for recruiting and selecting salespeople for one's organization would be to:

A) follow a clear set of generally-accepted job characteristics when determining an applicant's qualifications.
B) keep the expensive stages near the beginning of the recruiting process.
C) find out how long the applicant plans to stay with the company.
D) make recruitment a continuous activity aimed at seeking out the best applicants.
E) recruit primarily from educational institutions.

Question 78

Effective motivation of a sales force is best achieved through:

A) annual retreats at resort locations open to families.
B) emphasizing sales force objectives and their connection to compensation.
C) an organized set of activities performed continuously.
D) motivation meetings when sales have declined.
E) daily pep talks before the sales force makes sales calls.

Question 79

Zack Freedman is an experienced salesperson who has worked for the same company for 20 years. When he is informed that he must attend a training seminar the following Tuesday, he believes it will most likely be about:

A) the company.
B) his customers' companies.
C) basic selling methods.
D) new-product information.
E) prospecting.

Question 80

Which of the following is particularly appropriate for pricey high-tech business products, such as jet aircraft and medical equipment?

A) Team selling
B) Relationship selling
C) Trade selling
D) Technical selling
E) Missionary selling