It is important for sellers to plan objectives for a call that can be accomplished within
the time allocated for that sales call.
Functional rsums reverse the content and titles of conventional rsums.
No exact formula has been devised to separate excuses from real objections.
In win-lose negotiating, the negotiator attempts to secure an agreement that satisfies
both parties.
For people categorized as “amiables” in the social style matrix, their loyalty toward
suppliers is based on their feeling that well-reasoned decisions do not need to be
reexamined.
The Robinson-Patman Act forbids product differentiation.
When an item is shipped under contract terms that call for FOB (free on board) factory,
the buyer assumes responsibility for any loss or damage incurred during transportation.
When partnering with companies from other countries, country culture differences as
well as corporate culture differences can cause difficulties.
Rather than complain about poor marketing programs, proactive salespeople and sales
managers prefer to participate in marketing decisions and keep communication lines
open.
If Mary’s Nursery Company quotes an FOB origin price to a buyer in Delaware, it
means the buyer will pay the shipping costs.
To be effective time planners, salespeople must have a good understanding of their own
work habits.
When spending from their company’s expense accounts, salespeople should act as
though they are spending their own money.
U.S. privacy laws are more stringent than those of the European Union.
Salespeople often trigger the buying process by demonstrating how their products can
improve the efficiency of the customer’s operation.
The purpose of classifying accounts through grid analysis is to determine which
accounts should receive more resources.
When Mike, a sales manager, tells Ruth that she can save at least $25 per month by
changing her long distance service to BellSouth, he is using the benefit opening.
FAB refers to features, advantages, and benefits in a sales presentation.
Salespeople should use the postponement method when a prospect is blowing off steam
and does not have a valid objection.
ECR, AR, QR, and JIT are acronyms referring to systems designed to maximize
inventory holdings.
Secretaries and receptionists in a prospect’s firm usually are a rich source of
information.
Amiable is thought to be the best social style for a sales presentation.
According to the social style matrix, prospects who are categorized as “analyticals”
expect sales interviews to proceed at a quick pace.
When leaving a voice mail message for a prospect, one should avoid asking for a
callback.
The slogan best suited to individuals classified as “drivers” is, “Let’s not make any hasty
decisions.”
“Get better acquainted with the prospect” is a measurable sales objective.
Any company that advertises a job opportunity using a blind box number is too
deceitful for an ethical person to consider working for.
A critical element in fostering good relationships is giving boundary-spanning
employees the necessary support.
For a salesperson, being on time, securing a buyer’s interest, and building rapport
suggests that the salesperson has strong impression management skills.
Interviewees should attempt to determine whether the interviewer is a sales manager or
a personnel manager once the interview is over.
Selling capital goods to manufacturers is much easier than selling cookies to
consumers.
As a part of the process of gathering precall information, salespeople must understand
the policies and procedures followed by a prospect’s firm.
Not all prospects will or should become strategic partners with a seller’s firm.
Account share is the average percentage of business received from a company’s
accounts in a particular category
Most training given by firms to their experienced salespeople is sales skills related.
If buyers present at your demonstration have used your product before, then they should
be discouraged from participating.
Which of the following statements is FALSE about negotiation teams?
A. The team leader will manage the actual negotiation session.
B. Because of team members’ different backgrounds, the group as a whole tends to be
more creative than one individual could be.
C. Negotiation preparation includes deciding who will answer what types of questions.
D. In general, the seller’s team should be larger than the buyer’s team.
E. Salespeople rather than executives on the team are often selected to serve as team
leaders since they possess intimate knowledge of the buyers and their needs.
Which of the following statements about complaints is true?
A. Handling complaints properly is most important during the commitment stage of a
partnership.
B. Complaints cannot be eliminated; they can only be reduced in frequency.
C. Complaints should be predominantly attributed to the customer’s handling or misuse
of the product.
D. Only when complaints are eliminated can a true partnership be formed.
E. All of the above.
In the United States, which of the following body language signals is most positive?
A. Prospect has arms and legs uncrossed.
B. Prospect is leaning away from the salesperson.
C. Prospect’s left hand is clenched in a fist.
D. Prospect is looking directly in to the salesperson’s eyes for 15 to 20 seconds each
time they make eye contact.
E. Prospect is fidgeting.
Rhonda is suspicious about Adam’s statement that his company cannot afford her
product. Her latest research on the firm suggests that not only do they need the new
piece of equipment but also that financing can be obtained from a local bank. In fact,
something about the tone of his voice makes her believe that this was just a(n) _____ to
hide his real objection to buying.
A. explanation
B. excuse
C. motive
D. thought
E. logic
A person who is both cooperative and assertive is in the _____ mode for resolving
conflicts.
A. competing
B. accommodating
C. avoiding
D. collaborating
E. compromising
Shaking hands should:
A. be the prospect’s choice.
B. be the first thing a salesperson does.
C. only happen the first time a salesperson meets a prospect.
D. always take place with the prospect seated.
E. all of the above.
“Do you have trouble keeping your delivery trucks running?” is an example of a(n)
_____ question in the SPIN technique.
A. situation
B. problem
C. implication
D. necessary
E. indication
When Lani meets new prospects for the first time, she opens by telling them that if they
give her just 20 minutes, she can save them at least $100 dollars per year on their home
insurance premiums. Unfortunately, her success rate of closing sales is only about 30
percent. Which of the following, if true, could explain her poor performance in closing
deals?
A. Lani spends an adequate amount of time and effort collecting precall information.
B. Lani’s prospects receive a comprehensive idea of the various features offered by her
company.
C. Lani routinely takes an hour or more to conclude her sales meetings satisfactorily.
D. Lani is often seen to make adjustments to the sales situation to incorporate the needs
of the prospect.
E. Lani does a good job of highlighting the features, advantages, and benefits of her
offer to all prospects she meets.
Which of the following is a guideline for the proper use of visual aids?
A. Selecting a few visual aids from a portfolio for each presentation
B. Looking at the visual aids throughout the presentation
C. Placing a portfolio with the visual aids between the salesperson and the customer
D. Using all the visuals in a portfolio for every presentation
E. Using detailed videos that outline a product’s features in about half an hour
Which of the following actions is still necessary after the partnering process reaches the
expansion stage?
A. Identifying additional needs
B. Monitoring order processing
C. Ensuring proper use of the product
D. Handling complaints
E. All of the above
A salesperson’s best line of defense when something goes wrong during his sales
presentation is to:
A. blame his assistant or secretary for not having prepared properly for the meeting.
B. ask the prospect if the meeting can be rescheduled for later.
C. continue in the presentation as though nothing went wrong.
D. maintain the proper perspective and a sense of humor.
E. do none of the above.
A prospective buyer says, “This is a great product you’re selling. I don’t know why
someone didn’t come up with this product years ago.” In this scenario, the salesperson is
most likely to perceive these comments as:
A. closing flags.
B. buying signals.
C. closing links.
D. spiffs.
E. purchase influencers.
Roderick sells restaurant supplies to eateries in western Kentucky. Because his clients
do much of their own business at lunch time, he discovers that they prefer to have him
call between 9:00 and 11:00 A.M. and between 1:30 and 4:30 P.M. The time he devotes
to making these sales calls is referred to as the _____.
A. sales evaluating time
B. prime selling time
C. downtime
D. target market time
E. niche time
Which of the following best describes customer service reps?
A. They are outside salespeople who are not concerned with setting up long-term
relationships with their customers.
B. They are salespeople who specialize by types of products.
C. They are salespeople who actually do the sales presentations for key account
customers.
D. They are inbound salespeople who handle customer concerns.
E. They are telemarketers who work with field salespeople to sell goods to customers.
Clara works in sales at Marylyn Cosmetics. She procures her products from the
manufacturer and goes door-to-door in suburban neighborhoods to try to sell Marylyn
products at discount rates. Clara can be described as a _____.
A. retail salesperson
B. distributor
C. missionary salesperson
D. trade salesperson
E. direct salesperson
Which of the following statements about strategic partnerships is true?
A. Strategic partnerships are not found anywhere outside the United States.
B. Members of strategic partnerships have a high level of dependence on and trust in
each other.
C. Strategic partnerships typically have a shorter time horizon than functional
relationships.
D. Strategic partnerships have lower levels of risk than functional relationships.
E. The strategic partnership can best be described as competitive.
Which of the following illustrates the correct sequence for the referral method used by
salespeople?
A. “I can see how you feel… others felt the same way… yet they found…”
B. “I often feel the same way… and others have felt the same way… yet they found…”
C. “I can see how you feel… I felt that way in the past… yet I found…”
D. “I can see how you feel… others felt the same way… and I have found…”
E. None of the above
Most of the skills required to be a successful salesperson:
A. are associated with intellectual achievement.
B. can be learned.
C. are the focus of six sigma selling programs.
D. create a value proposition.
E. are skills that people are born with and cannot be learned.
Wallace is the Nebraska territory salesperson for a firm selling kitchen appliances to
mobile home manufacturers. At a school reunion, an old friend approaches him and
says, “What a coincidence! I’m the director of purchasing for Bilt-Tite Mobile Homes in
Franklin, Georgia. Why don’t you contact me next week and let’s see if we can do
business?” Unfortunately, Wallace cannot do business with his friend because:
A. he does not need Wallace’s products in his business.
B. companies discourage the use of personal contacts to generate leads.
C. his business is not located within Wallace’s authorized territory.
D. Wallace will not be able to approach him favorably.
E. he does not have the authority to buy Wallace’s appliances.
An ethics review board:
A. discourages subordinates from taking their ethical concerns to upper management of
a company.
B. typically has no effect on the ethics of an organization.
C. should not be expected to have any lasting effect on behavioral norms within the
company.
D. can investigate allegations of unethical behavior and serve as a sounding board for
employees.
E. should be composed solely of outside experts who are in no way financially involved
with the organization.
As part of his job, Leon is required to travel from one prospective client’s location to
another, where he performs detailed analyses of the clients’ operations and helps his
company’s salespeople prepare presentations on how his company’s products will
improve the prospect’s way of doing business. The sales force of Leon’s company uses
_____ presentations.
A. memorized
B. outlined
C. standardized
D. canned
E. customized
Chandler is a new salesperson who is not sure what he should do. He is unsure about
what is expected of him, and how his work will be rewarded by his company. The term
that best describes what Chandler is experiencing is:
A. ambiguous control.
B. subliminal stress.
C. directional incoherence.
D. role ambiguity.
E. indecisive implementation.
Which of the following is an example of a secondary source of sales leads?
A. Industrial trade directories
B. Cold calls
C. Centers of influence
D. Buying communities
E. All of the above
Typically, the best place to hold a negotiation is at:
A. the buyer’s office.
B. a neutral site.
C. both the buyer’s office and the seller’s office, alternatively.
D. the seller’s office.
E. the seller’s factory.
Dawn walks into a customer’s office with her sales presentation planned and
immediately recognizes that the customer is upset about something. In this situation,
Dawn should:
A. maintain a happy and cheerful demeanor.
B. sit down immediately to start with the presentation.
C. ask if she should come back some other time for the meeting.
D. say something funny in an attempt to lighten up the customer’s mood.
E. do all of the above.
When do buyers raise objections?
A. After a sale
B. When a salesperson seeks commitment
C. When a salesperson seeks an appointment
D. During a presentation
E. At all above times
Which of the following statements about body language is true in the United States?
A. Self-touching gestures typically indicate the listener is very comfortable with what
he or she is hearing.
B. Individuals use increased arm movement when they are expressing an opinion.
C. Open and relaxed hands are a good indicator of boredom.
D. The meaning of hand gestures is consistent from one culture to another.
E. Individuals sitting with their legs crossed are sending a message of cooperation and
confidence.
Which of the following is true of inside salespeople?
A. They spend considerable time in the customer’s place of business.
B. They communicate with the customer face-to-face.
C. They are very involved in problem solving with customers.
D. They typically communicate with customers by telephone or computer.
E. None of the above.
Which of the following statements about the follow-up a salesperson performs after a
sale is true?
A. The nature of the follow-up should reflect the needs of the buying center member
being contacted.
B. Personal follow-up visits should be avoided because they are expensive and tend to
accomplish little.
C. Salespeople should follow-up with only those members of the buying center who are
directly involved in the use of the product.
D. Salespeople should ideally follow the 3-by-3 strategy to make all their follow-up
calls.
E. Telephone calls are seen as intrusive and must be avoided as a follow-up
communication channel.
Goodman Woodworks has recently purchased a new saw costing $14,000. Because of a
revolutionary new cutting blade, the new saw will not cause the veneer to splinter and
will make clean cuts. This clean cut will save the firm $1,200 each year that goes in
wastage. Calculate the payback period for the $14,000 investment.
A. 1.67 years
B. 8.6 years
C. 11.67 years
D. 86 years
E. Cannot be calculated from the information provided
Why is it usually advantageous to not place key issues of the negotiation at the very
beginning of the agenda?
A. It provides an opportunity to learn the other side’s bargaining style and concession
routines.
B. It saves time as it becomes obvious that if agreement can’t be reached on the smaller
issues then there is no point in discussing the key issues.
C. By conceding most of the smaller issues in the beginning, the selling team creates a
moral “debt,” which the buying team is likely to have to repay by conceding on the
later, key issues.
D. It allows the team setting the agenda to wear down the other side which will likely
result in them agreeing to all the key issues proposed.
E. It provides the sellers an advantage as the buyers lose interest toward the end of the
session when the key issues are discussed.
How do the voice characteristics of a salesperson affect communication?
What is the speaking-listening differential?
Other than camaraderie and public service, why would a computer salesperson belong
to a Rotary Club, participate in the local Chamber of Commerce, and volunteer at the
local library?
Which mode of negotiation is the exact opposite of the one used by people who solve
conflict in a competing mode?
Rotocast Display Products sells display accessories to be used on the sales floor and in
store windows. One popular item it sells is the Corinthian columns ranging from 16″ to
96″. A Rotocast salesperson is calling on a company that specializes in designing store
displays. Her goal is to sell the design company 3 dozen columns of various heights. If
she can’t achieve this goal, she wants to sell the design company at least 6 small
columns. Identify the two types of multiple sales objectives that the Rotocast
salesperson has set.
A salesperson for Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry is calling on an orthopedic hospital to
sell his company’s new computerized artificial limbs that can anticipate and regulate
movement by the user. The salesperson’s sales call objective is to sell 20 limbs after
convincing the buyer that the limb is superior to all other prosthesis available in the
market. The total amount involved in the deal is around $50,000. The salesperson has
been given 15 minutes to make his sales presentation. What is wrong with this
objective?
When Brett sells to Mr. Black, he is friendly and outgoing, begins the interview with
questions about Mr. Black’s family, and encourages Mr. Black to talk about business.
When Brett sells to Mr. Vincent, he gets right down to the purpose of his call, does not
engage in small talk, and uses charts and tables to support his selling points. From this
description, what kind of selling do you think Brett does?
How do salespeople engage in backdoor selling?
What do a salesperson’s conversion goals measure?
How can salespeople use the concept of life-cycle costing?
What is the difference between behavioral and attitudinal loyalty?
How can training of boundary-spanning employees help in fostering good relationships
between buyers and sellers?
Marie has been hired to sell sound systems for arenas, stadiums, and other large venues.
During her orientation, she was told that if her manager was doing something that
seemed unethical to Marie or simply made her uncomfortable, she could take her
problem to upper management. What kind of a policy is Marie’s new company using?
What are the two types of quantity discounts offered by businesses?
What is the term used for a remark such as, “We can make quick use of your software to
improve our inventory management?”