Deck 9: Personal Selling, Relationship Building, and Sales Management

Question 1

Prospecting is critical to the success of organizations in maintaining or increasing

A) advertising costs.
B) quality.
C) sales volumes.
D) company image.

Answer 1

C
Explanation: The prospecting activity is critical to the success of organizations in maintaining or increasing sales volume.

Question 2

The importance of the personal selling function depends partially on the nature of

A) advertising.
B) mass marketing.
C) public relations.
D) the product.

Answer 2

D
Explanation: The importance of the personal selling function depends partially on the nature of the product.

Question 3

Personal selling, unlike advertising or sales promotion, involves

A) customer inducements.
B) direct relationship between buyer and seller.
C) mass marketing.
D) a non-personal medium.

Answer 3

B
Explanation: Personal selling, unlike advertising or sales promotion, involves direct relationships between the seller and the prospect or customer.

Question 4

For many years, the traditional approach to selling emphasized the first-time sale of a product or service as the culmination of

A) gathering information about prospects.
B) the sales process.
C) learning about products to be sold.
D) prospecting.

Question 5

One of the main tasks of the salesperson providing after-sale service is

A) delivery or installation of the product or service that meets or exceeds customer expectations.
B) gathering information about prospects.
C) selling additional or complementary items to repeat customers.
D) converting undecided customers into first-time buyers.

Question 6

The prospecting process

A) involves locating potential customers.
B) can only be performed by the individual salesperson .
C) focuses on long term relationship-building.
D) does not include any screening activities.

Question 7

Which of the following observations concerning salespeople is incorrect?

A) They dispense knowledge about products to buyers.
B) They act as a source of marketing intelligence for management.
C) They are in the best position to act as the intermediary through whom valuable information can be passed back and forth between product providers and buyers.
D) They design and develop improved products to help serve customers better.

Question 8

Which of the following would often need significant amounts of personal selling?

A) Calculators
B) Staples
C) Insurance
D) Soft drinks

Question 9

The process of locating potential customers is called

A) database building.
B) cold calling.
C) customer knowledge.
D) prospecting.

Question 10

Which of the following is generally considered to be a salesperson's best source of prospects?

A) Editorials
B) Referrals from satisfied customers
C) Company employees
D) Financial publications

Question 11

The traditional approach to selling views the initial sale of a product or service as

A) merely the first step in a long-term relationship-building process.
B) the culmination of the sales process.
C) a long-term partnership mutually beneficial to both the buyer and seller.
D) a relationship-building process and not the end goal.

Question 12

_____ is the first stage in the sales relationship building process.

A) Gathering information about prospects
B) Planning the sales call
C) Learning about the products to be sold
D) Prospecting

Question 13

Jonathon Blake sells a new calibrated filtering system used to virtually eliminate all types of hazardous gas emissions in chemical plants. He requires the customer to send at least three employees to a two-day training course on the appropriate use and maintenance of the filtering system. Which of the following elements of the promotion mix would be most likely used to sell this filtering system?

A) Advertising
B) Public relations
C) Mass marketing
D) Personal selling

Question 14

All of the following are functions related to after-sales service except

A) delivery or installation of the product or service that meets or exceeds customer expectations.
B) immediate follow-up calls and visits to address unresolved or new concerns.
C) reassurance of product or service superiority through demonstrable actions.
D) sale of additional or complementary items to repeat customers.

Question 15

Personal selling provides the profit needed to get _____ to carry new products, increase their amount of goods purchased, and devote more effort in merchandising a product or brand.

A) middlemen
B) retailers
C) staff
D) employees

Question 16

_____ are in the best position to act as the intermediary, through whom valuable information can be passed back and forth between buyers and producers.

A) Shareholders
B) Financiers
C) Advertisers
D) Salespeople

Question 17

Behavioral scientists would most likely characterize _____ as a type of personal influence.

A) personal selling
B) marketing
C) distribution
D) advertising

Question 18

Genesis International has developed a new device for monitoring refrigerant leaks in supermarket refrigerated display cases. The devices are in compliance with recent environmental protection legislation. To find supermarkets and convenience stores interested in its new product, Genesis's sales department took out a full page in a trade publication called Grocery Equipment. The ad had a coupon which any interested store owner or manager could use to request further information. Genesis is using _____ for its prospecting.

A) selected-lead searching
B) prospect recruiting
C) mass qualifying
D) random lead generation

Question 19

Which of the following is not an objective generally assigned to the sales force for the task of personal selling?

A) Providing product or service information to customers.
B) Maximize the number of sales by persuading undecided customers into first-time buyers and converting first-time customers into repeat purchasers.
C) Designing and developing improved products to help serve customers better.
D) Providing after-sales service to the customers.

Question 20

Generating leads by simply calling on businesses or households, or by employing mass appeals (through advertising) is known as

A) random lead generation.
B) selected-lead searching.
C) endless chain lead generation.
D) canvassing.

Question 21

During the production era of the evolution of personal selling, the role of the salesperson was as a

A) persuader.
B) value creator.
C) problem solver.
D) provider.

Question 22

_____, as a source of generating leads, can be used by a salesperson by tying into a company's direct mail, telemarketing, and trade shows to secure and qualify leads.

A) Canvassing
B) Promotional activities
C) Screening
D) Center of influence

Question 23

A potential prospect that may or may not have the potential to be a true prospect is known as a(n)

A) lead.
B) marketer.
C) advertiser.
D) financier.

Question 24

Sylvia Keyes is a salesperson at Eltron International. She sells handheld bar code verifiers. The verifier interfaces with a retail store's computer and uses a point-and-shoot device to read bar codes and confirm that products are marked correctly. Today Sylvia is planning on using canvassing as a source for generating leads. This means that she will be

A) asking current and previous customers for the names of potential customers.
B) using directories of retail outlets to locate potential customers.
C) trying to generate leads by calling on stores which are totally unfamiliar to her.
D) trying to secure the name of at least one potential customer from each customer she talks to.

Question 25

Which era is characterized by the role of a salesperson as a value creator?

A) production.
B) sales.
C) partnering.
D) marketing.

Question 26

Once _____ are generated, the salesperson must determine whether the prospect is a true prospect.

A) revenues
B) leads
C) primary data
D) reports

Question 27

To find potential advertisers for Birder's World magazine, Allie Hagher attended the 2002 Birdwatch America trade show in College Park, Georgia. Which of the following methods did Hagher use to find leads?

A) Centers of influence
B) Canvassing
C) Promotional activities
D) Endless chain

Question 28

The qualifying process where the salesperson must determine whether the prospect is a true prospect is known as

A) canvassing.
B) screening.
C) telemarketing.
D) cold calling.

Question 29

During the _____ era of the evolution of personal selling, salespeople engaged in creating new alternatives and matching buyer needs with seller capabilities.

A) production
B) product
C) marketing
D) partnering

Question 30

Which of the following is not used in selected-lead searching?

A) Satisfied customers
B) Mass advertising
C) Center of influencing
D) Endless chain

Question 31

Brad Wilson sells a scanner that converts large documents to an electronic format for editing and printing items up to six feet long and four feet wide. He spent this morning showing his product to the marketing manager of a large department store, which had been identified by his sales force as a prospect. The manager is excited about the idea of being able to get multiple use of a graphic designed sign. When Brad asks the manager if she is willing to buy, she says, "No, all purchases must be made through our purchasing department." Brad now knows that the manager

A) was completely wasting his time.
B) is a qualified prospect.
C) is an unqualified lead.
D) should have been better screened.

Question 32

Allie Hagher sells ad space for Birder's World magazine. She plans to call on Nancy Cole, the co-owner of Bird Watcher Supply Company, to sell her the magazine's back cover position for its special Audubon issue. Hagher knows Cole is a likely prospect for buying this ad because her referral came from Wayne Lindberg, the president of the Wild Bird Feeding Industry Association, whom Hagher was in touch with. Which of the following methods did Hagher use to find this lead?

A) Centers of influence
B) Canvassing
C) Promotional activities
D) Lists and directories

Question 33

During the marketing era of the evolution of personal selling, the activities of salespeople were more focused towards

A) taking orders, delivering goods.
B) aggressively convincing buyers to buy products.
C) matching available offerings to buyer needs.
D) creating new alternatives, matching buyer needs with seller capabilities.

Question 34

Which of the following observations pertaining to objections during a sales presentation is true?

A) Objections are typically best handled by ignoring them.
B) Objections can arise at any time during the sales presentation.
C) A good salesperson only allows objections to be raised once the sales presentation is concluded.
D) In handling an objection, a salesperson should be willing to challenge the prospect's opinion and experience.

Question 35

Salespeople who can adapt their _____ to individual buyer's needs and styles have much stronger overall performance than less flexible counterparts.

A) selling style
B) personal style
C) leadership style
D) management style

Question 36

Using existing contacts and knowledge to generate new prospects is known as

A) random lead generation.
B) selected-lead searching.
C) promotional lead generation.
D) canvassing.

Question 37

The main activity of the salespeople in the sales era of the evolution of personal selling was

A) taking orders, delivering goods.
B) aggressively convincing buyers to buy the products.
C) matching available offerings to buyers needs.
D) creating new alternatives, matching buyers needs with seller capabilities.

Question 38

The role of the salesperson in the marketing era of the evolution of personal selling was that of a

A) value creator.
B) persuader.
C) provider.
D) problem solver.

Question 39

A sales person using canvassing as a source of lead generation would

A) try to generate leads by calling on totally unfamiliar organizations.
B) use secondary data sources to generate leads, which can be free or fee-based.
C) write personal letters to potential leads.
D) contact current and previous customers for additional business and leads.

Question 40

In seeking and qualifying leads, it is important to recognize that

A) the job of developing prospects belongs to the entire company, not just the sales force.
B) responsibility for these activities should be totally assumed by individual salespeople.
C) current and previous customers should not be contacted for additional leads.
D) the sales force should always use selected-lead searching as opposed to random lead generation.

Question 41

Successful aftermarketing efforts require that all of the following specific activities be undertaken by the salesperson and others in the organization, except

A) establishing and maintaining a customer information file.
B) monitoring order processing.
C) ensuring initial proper use of the purchased product or service.
D) disregarding customer complaints.

Question 42

In response to an objection, the salesperson should _____ the customer.

A) not challenge
B) argue with
C) listen passively to
D) actively challenge

Question 43

When a buyer and a salesperson have a close personal relationship, they both begin to rely on each other and communicate honestly. This illustrates the concept of

A) strategic alliance.
B) improved sales productivity.
C) functional relationships.
D) cross functional sales team.

Question 44

_____ support the sales staff by providing training or other technical assistance to the buyer.

A) Missionary salespeople
B) Technical sales specialists
C) Cross-functional sales teams
D) Prospects

Question 45

The goal of _____ is to build lasting relationships with customers.

A) prospecting
B) screening
C) cold calling
D) aftermarketing

Question 46

When a sales prospect raises an objection, the salesperson should

A) know that that the prospect is not ready to buy.
B) challenge the respondent.
C) not try and present more information.
D) try and attempt to secure another appointment, when hopefully the prospect will be in a better mood.

Question 47

The sales person's role was that of a provider in this marketing era.

A) Production era
B) Sales era
C) Marketing era
D) Partnering era

Question 48

AT&T and Sovintel, a Russian telephone company, joined forces to offer high speed ISDN services for digitized voices, data, and video communications between the two countries. By working together, the telecommunications companies could reach more businesses than either could do alone. The relationship between AT&T and Sovintel is an example of a

A) transactional relationship.
B) relational subsidy.
C) strategic alliance.
D) functional relationship.

Question 49

_____ have the responsibility of being thoroughly acquainted with the product, its selling features, and points of superiority and possess a sincere belief in the value of the product.

A) Salespeople
B) Prospects
C) Advertisers
D) Customers

Question 50

Which of the following is not a key reason for the increased use of cross-functional sales teams?

A) Increased customer satisfaction.
B) Superior decision making through synergy.
C) More flexibility in decision making.
D) Frequent marketing programs.

Question 51

When organizations move beyond functional relationships, they develop

A) prospect maximization.
B) strategic partnerships.
C) dissonance transformation.
D) functional alliances.

Question 52

_____ are used in certain industries such as pharmaceuticals to focus solely on promotion of existing products and introduction of new products.

A) Missionary salespeople
B) Technical sales specialists
C) Cross-functional sales teams
D) Prospects

Question 53

When the product is extremely high priced and is being sold to the whole organization, _____ are often used.

A) missionary salespeople
B) technical sales specialists
C) cross-functional sales teams
D) task approaches

Question 54

An important goal of salespersons is to

A) focus on short term profits.
B) challenge the objections made by prospects.
C) present limited information to prospects in order to swing a deal in their own favor.
D) build and maintain long-term relationships.

Question 55

Jonathon Blake sells a new calibrated filtering system used to virtually eliminate all types of hazardous gas emissions in chemical plants. He requires the buyer to send at least three employees to a two-day training course on the appropriate use and maintenance of the filtering system. Ensuring initial proper use of the purchased product is part of the company's _____ activities.

A) prospect maximization
B) aftermarketing
C) dissonance transformation
D) functional partnering

Question 56

After all objections have been resolved, the salesperson must ask for commitment. Consequently, knowing how and when to _____ a sale is one of a salesperson's most indispensable skills.

A) challenge
B) dispute
C) close
D) test

Question 57

The concept that focuses the organization's attention on providing continuing satisfaction and reinforcement to individuals or organizations that are past or current customers is known as

A) premarketing.
B) advertising.
C) aftermarketing.
D) telemarketing.

Question 58

Micah Longo sells Traction Plus Tread Safe Footwear to oil refineries, meat processors, catering companies, hospitals, and cleaning services for the use of their employees. The slip-resistant shoe is a part of these companies' safety programs. Longo keeps a list of all of his customers including when they purchased shoes, and the sizes purchased. He makes sure the order for each customer is filled correctly. He provides his customers with extra information on how to clean the shoes without damaging them. He responds quickly to complaints and has suggested a product modification on the basis of one customer's comment. This best describes Longo's _____ activities.

A) prospecting
B) aftermarketing
C) dissonance transformation
D) functional partnering

Question 59

If at the end of a sales call, commitment is not obtained, salespeople should analyze the reasons and determine whether

A) more sales calls are necessary to obtain commitment.
B) the prospects objections should have been challenged more strongly.
C) information given could have been manipulated to hide the products shortcomings.
D) the prospect decisions could be influenced by deprecating the competing product.

Question 60

Which of the following describes a reason for the increased use of cross-functional sales teams?

A) They eliminate customer complaints.
B) They lead to fewer promotional activities.
C) They require more customer feedback.
D) They improve sales productivity.

Question 61

A commonly used sales forecasting method that involves analyzing past sales data and the impact of factors that influence sales is known as

A) sales force composite method.
B) customer expectations method.
C) time-series analysis.
D) jury of executive opinion method.

Question 62

_____ do not seek the order but focus on the long-term relationship and increase the likelihood of sales in the long run.

A) Support personnel
B) Salespeople
C) Prospects
D) Buyers

Question 63

In which of the following situations would an organization most likely use a cross-functional sales team?

A) To sell $200,000 printing press for a company that publishes school directories for colleges, universities, and high schools all over the United States.
B) To convince pharmacies to promote a new cold remedy.
C) To implement an ad campaign for a local used car dealer who claims to sell at least 50 cars in a month, and at a good profit margin.
D) To replace a couple of computers in a university computer lab.

Question 64

A _____ structure provides the practical benefit of limiting the distance each salesperson must travel to see customers and prospects.

A) product
B) geographic
C) customer
D) major account management

Question 65

_____ can be the largest marketing expense component in the final price of the product.

A) Research and development
B) Product development
C) Personal selling
D) Persuasion

Question 66

A _____ structure is useful when the sales force must have special technical knowledge about products in order to sell effectively.

A) geographical
B) customer
C) product
D) competitive parity

Question 67

_____ is an estimate of how much of the company's output, either in dollars or in units, can be sold during a specified future period under a proposed marketing plan and under an assumed set of economic conditions.

A) Sales forecast
B) Advertising plan
C) Production forecast
D) Product mix

Question 68

A sales structure where a company makes use of team selling to focus on major customers to establish long-term relationships is called

A) major account management.
B) coparity support.
C) product structure.
D) geographic structure.

Question 69

A company has a technically complex product which is extremely high priced and is being sold to the whole organization. Specialized knowledge is also required by units of the buying organization. The organization is most likely to use _____ in this situation.

A) missionary salespeople
B) technical sales specialists
C) cross-functional sales teams
D) new prospects

Question 70

One of the advantages of a customer structure is that it

A) can result in large sales and satisfied customers.
B) is inexpensive.
C) evenly distributes a salesperson time among a large number of customers as opposed to being devoted to a singe customer.
D) limits the distance each salesperson must travel to see customers.

Question 71

Which of the following approaches of sales forecasting involve asking customers or product users about the quantity they expect to purchase?

A) Sales forecast composite method
B) Time-series analysis
C) Customer expectations method
D) Jury of executive opinion method

Question 72

A structure that assigns a salesperson or selling team to serve a single customer or single type of customer is a

A) geographical structure.
B) coparity structure.
C) product structure.
D) customer structure.

Question 73

A sales forecast can be used for all of the following except to

A) establish sales quotas.
B) plan personal selling efforts as well as other types of promotional activities in the marketing mix.
C) budget selling expenses.
D) design and develop products.

Question 74

All of the following are examples of people who support the sales force but do not seek the sales order, except

A) missionary salespeople.
B) technical sales specialists.
C) cross-functional sales teams.
D) sales personnel.

Question 75

Some organizations provide training to the _____ of the buying organization who are expected to sell the product to their customers.

A) financiers
B) advertisers
C) front-line staff
D) prospects

Question 76

In a _____, each salesperson is assigned to prospects and customers for a particular product or product line.

A) product structure
B) geographical structure
C) marketing structure
D) new task approach

Question 77

The distribution channel for a line of products for cleaning hazardous waste sites starts at the manufacturer, moves to the distributor, and stops at the end user. The manufacturer has _____ who call on distributors to offer suggestions on how they can better market the cleaning products and to train their sales force in product usage.

A) prospects
B) technical sales specialists
C) missionary agents
D) advertisers

Question 78

Which of the following is not considered a trait of an effective salesperson?

A) A slight lack of trust and suspicion of others.
B) Not taking any chances or risks.
C) The ability to think differently.
D) The ability to place oneself in someone else's shoes.

Question 79

Which of the following is not a trait of effective salespeople?

A) Abstract reasoning
B) Skepticism
C) Assertiveness
D) Aggressiveness

Question 80

The _____ of sales forecasting combines and averages the views of top management representing marketing, production, finance, purchasing, and administration.

A) sales force composite method
B) customer expectations method
C) correlation analysis
D) jury of executive opinion method