Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications 9th Edition by Terence Shimp, Craig Andrews

Exercise 11

It was Brad Wilson's first day on the job after completing his product training with National Business Machines Inc. Two months prior to this time, Brad had graduated with a 3.0 GPA with a B.S. degree in business administration from a major university. He had taken a personal selling class as part of his marketing major.
Brad believed strongly that his most positive attribute was his outgoing and enthusiastic personality. It was the reason he had chosen sales as a career. This belief was reinforced by NBM recruiters, who remarked that it was this trait that led them to hire him over other candidates around the nation with more impressive GPAs.
Brad had been assigned to the computer laptop division of NBM, working out of an office located in a medium-sized city, and he was eager to get started. His supervisor had given him a list of customers who might be prospects for the new generation of lightweight, 11-inch computer laptops NBM had just listed for sale. Brad scanned the list and noticed Harrison Brothers was located just around the corner from the NBM building. Eager to make his first sale, he picked up his demonstration model and rushed off to Ms. Johnstone, the office manager at Harrison Brothers.
Brad (to receptionist): Good morning, I'm Brad Wilson with NBM. I would like to see Ms. Johnstone, the office manager.
Receptionist: Do you have an appointment
Brad: Well, er, no, but we have this fantastic new line of computer laptops she'll want to hear about.
Receptionist: Ms. Johnstone, there's a Mr. Wilson here from NBM who would like to see you about some new laptops.
Mr. Wilson, Ms. Johnstone says she is busy right now. If you would like to make an appointment she'll be willing to talk to you.
Brad: Tell Ms. Johnstone I will only take 10 minutes of her time and I'm sure increasing office productivity while decreasing costs is something she'll want to hear about!
Receptionist: Ms. Johnstone says O.K. but no more than 10 minutes because she really is busy. Her office door is the last door on the left.
Brad: Hello, Ms. Johnstone, how are you doing I'm Brad Wilson with NBM. I know you're going to be glad you agreed to see me. (Smiling with hand extended.)
Ms. Johnstone: Well, I don't know about that. Please sit down and say what you have to say. I have some things to attend to.
Brad: This is our 11-inch lightweight computer laptop which has just been introduced. It is only 2.38 pounds, is 11.8 inches wide by 7.56 inches deep, has 128 GB of flash storage, and a 1.6-GHz dual-core Intel processor.
Ms. Johnstone: That's all very nice Mr. Wilson, but we bought some of your laptops just over a year ago for $1599 each! We can't afford to buy anymore right now.
Brad: It's more a question of can you afford not to invest in this latest model, Ms. Johnstone. What we've been able to do is simplify the design so that manufacturing and servicing costs have been significantly reduced. What this means to you is that with over $574 trade-in on each of your old laptops and a total investment of only $1199 in the new laptops, your net investment is only $625. Right now you are paying $291 per year for maintenance. Maintenance on our new model is only $108 per year, a savings of $183 per year. So, in less than four years the savings on maintenance will have covered the cost of the laptops. Isn't that impressive, Ms. Johnstone By the way, when would you like delivery of your new laptops, next week or would the end of the month be soon enough
Ms. Johnstone: Look, Mr. Wilson, I can see where the maintenance savings are substantial, but I'm going to have to think about it.
Brad: That's always a good idea, Ms. Johnstone, but our trade-in allowance on your current laptops is only in effect until the end of next month, and you would like to take advantage of that, wouldn't you
Ms. Johnstone: Why, yes, I would, but I still need to consider the deal.
Brad: Let me leave this new laptop demonstrator with you so you can see its advantages over your existing laptops, and then I'll come back next week to take care of the paperwork. Is that OK, Ms. Johnstone I promise to make an appointment with your receptionist on the way out.
Ms. Johnstone: OK, Mr. Wilson, I'll see you next week, but no promises.
Brad: Thank you for your time, Ms. Johnstone. Good-bye
How can Brad improve his overall approach and presentation to be successful on future sales calls