Salespeople coordinate the activities within their firms to solve customer problems.
When a buyer-seller relationship has reached the exploration stage, there is a stated or
implied pledge to continue the relationship.
Net present value analysis allows a buyer to compare the net value of future cash
inflows to the initial investment.
The Personal Value Equation of a buyer is the selling price minus the benefits received.
A drawback of the introduction opening is that it may not generate interest.
The first step in making a good match between what you have to offer and a company’s
position is to determine what you need.
Performance feedback is more useful to salespeople than diagnostic feedback.
Successful salespeople recognize that once their daily plan is set, they should not
deviate from it at any cost.
Kelly receives a draw each week. This best exemplifies a straight salary.
When handling customer complaints, it is always better to tell a customer what the
solution is rather than offering him/her several solutions to choose from.
When selling to a group of buyers, if one person offers an objection, the seller should
try to get a sense of whether the other buyers share the concern.
Ursula is in the middle of a serious negotiation with her customer. She is not sure what
the customer meant by his last statement. Ursula should _____ in order to verify her
customer’s intent.
A. start her presentation over from the beginning
B. quickly move to a trial close
C. restate the customer’s comment
D. call her sales manager
E. all of the above
The human resource director of a software firm arranges a weekend executive retreat
for a few employees at a resort. As he prepares to leave the resort office after paying an
advance, the resort owner says, “If your group does not check out by 9:00 a.m.
tomorrow, I’ll have to charge them for the entire day.” Which of the following
negotiating tactics does the resort owner use?
A. Trial balloons
B. Ambush negotiation
C. A flanking maneuver
D. A red herring attack
E. Browbeating
Which of the following reasons best explains why “To reduce my dependency on a
memorized sales presentation within the next six months” is not an effective personal
development goal?
A. It is extremely specific.
B. It is not derived from previous goals.
C. It has no impact on career goals.
D. It is not challenging.
E. It is not measurable.
To allow for concessions, the expectations expressed in the negotiating seller team’s
opening position should be:
A. equal to its target position.
B. higher than its target position.
C. equal to the buyer’s minimum position.
D. lower than its target position.
E. lower than its minimum position.
Sales can be very rewarding, but also very stressful. The short-term anxiety associated
with waiting in the lobby before a presentation is called _____.
A. temporary terror
B. subliminal terror
C. felt stress
D. permanent stress
E. situational stress
Management uses a combination plan typically when it wants to:
A. motivate and control the activities of salespeople.
B. emphasize that its sales force needs to concentrate on getting new and
commissionable sales.
C. ensure that the sales force can easily understand exactly how it is being financially
rewarded.
D. engage in transactional selling relationships.
E. accomplish all of the above.
When salespeople and buyers trust each other, they:
A. share ideas more willingly.
B. communicate more efficiently.
C. assume that each party will be honest with the other one.
D. assume there is no need to constantly monitor the activities of the other.
E. perform all of the above functions.
Negotiators in the accommodating mode are usually _____.
A. assertive
B. uncooperative
C. generous
D. power-oriented
E. disobedient
Opal is a salesperson for a wholesaler. There are many retailers in her territory and she
says, “No two are alike. I must adjust my way of communicating to their different
styles. Some are strictly business. Others like to talk about their families or sports
before I discuss my company’s products.” Which characteristic of a successful
salesperson is illustrated by Opal’s approach?
A. Ethical
B. Flexible
C. Creative
D. Dependable
E. Optimistic
Kalesha’s job as a field representative for a plumbing supplies manufacturer is to locate
businesses that might buy her firm’s products. This activity is called _____.
A. prospecting
B. leading
C. scoping
D. precalling
E. seeding
Which of the following statements about making a good impression on a potential
buyer is true?
A. The time spent waiting for a prospect should be used by salespeople to complete
others tasks associated with their job.
B. A negative first impression often has an enduring impact on the relationship with a
client.
C. One of the best ways of making a good impression is to prepare well for sales
appointment.
D. A salesperson should modify his/her behavior based on the prospect’s state.
E. All of the above statements about making a good impression are true.
In the United States, which of the following nonverbal communications indicates that
the customer is reacting positively to a salesperson’s presentation?
A. Leaning backwards
B. Lack of eye contact
C. Furrowed brow and pursed lips
D. Playing with items on the table or desk
E. Leaning forward
Molly works as a salesperson for a manufacturer of aquariums and other aquatic
equipment. She has promised one of her loyal customers that she will host an in-store
presentation on April 12th on how to set up a garden pond. But her supervisor informs
her that she is required to attend a trade show in Chicago on April 12th. Molly is most
likely experiencing _____.
A. role conflict
B. situational stress
C. buyer’s remorse
D. twin stress
E. cultural breakdown
For which of the following products would samples be least effective as a sales aid?
A. Paper towels
B. Oil well drilling platforms
C. Stain removers
D. Automobile seat covers
E. Bottles and aluminum cans
Which of the following statements is true about negotiation teams?
A. The selling team should be typically larger than the buying team.
B. Because of the interaction among team members, individual creativity is stifled.
C. It is always easier to reach a decision when there are a higher number of team
members.
D. It always takes lesser time to reach a decision when there are more people involved
on each side.
E. Each team member should have a defined role in the session.
Virginia sees Carl, with whom she attended high school 15 years ago, driving near her
in rush hour traffic. She honks and waves to say “hello.” Carl, who does not recognize
Virginia, thinks the stranger is honking because of the way he changed his lane.
Obviously, there is a problem in the way Carl is _____ the message.
A. controlling
B. nonverbalizing
C. sending
D. decoding
E. verbalizing
When making an appointment, it is important for a salesperson to identify an
environment conducive to doing business. So the salesperson should:
A. choose a place free of distraction for all parties.
B. ensure the buyer’s subordinates will not be present at the meeting.
C. arrange the meeting at his/her own company.
D. plan the meeting during the company’s annual review meetings.
E. all of the above.
Reginald is a reseller who is deciding which new products he will add to his gift and
card store. Which of the following elements must he consider while making this
decision?
A. Emotional needs, new task ordering, and creeping commitment
B. Annual spend, buying center dynamics, and influencers
C. Profit margin, turnover, and effort
D. JIT, automatic replenishment, and MRO
E. Gatekeepers, life-cycle costing, and lost-for-good
The proactive method of anticipating objections and answering them before the
customer has a chance to raise them is known as:
A. pulling.
B. predicting.
C. forestalling.
D. heading-off.
E. postponing.
A request for proposal (RFP):
A. is used when a customer has a firm idea of the product needed.
B. is often referred to as a payback period request.
C. is used when companies are looking at researching and designing new products.
D. is unlikely to discuss the cost and delivery schedules for a project.
E. is used when a salesperson has a firm idea of his or her company’s product.
When a large chain of stores such as Home Depot or Kmart buys items centrally from
its home office, selling companies often designate these customers as _____ accounts,
which means that their needs are handled by their corporate offices, and local
salespeople need not attempt to solicit business from any branches of these clients that
come within their territory.
A. house
B. bounce-back
C. functional
D. limited
E. generational
Conrad makes a conscious effort to control his emotions in all situations. In terms of the
social style matrix, Conrad’s way of behaving is indicative of:
A. low assertiveness.
B. high assertiveness.
C. low responsiveness.
D. high responsiveness.
E. None of the above
Jane doesn’t like conflict. In a negotiation, she rarely objects to what the other side
proposes, and she seldom agrees to anything. She acts like she does not want to be
involved in the negotiation at all. Jane is most likely to resolve conflict in negotiation in
a(n) _____ mode.
A. competing
B. accommodating
C. avoiding
D. collaborating
E. compromising
For a salesperson trying to grab the attention of a new customer, it is desirable to:
A. call the customer by a friendly nickname.
B. use the customer’s name in every second sentence of the meeting.
C. learn to pronounce the customer’s name correctly.
D. use standard language like “Sir” or “Ma’am” in order to show respect.
E. request the customer to introduce himself in the sales meeting.
To improve the likelihood of reorders, a salesperson can:
A. be present at the time of the purchase.
B. make sure the customer has access to his or her company’s catalogs.
C. provide the customer with various specialty advertising items which contain the
selling firm’s name, logo, and Web site.
D. provide the customer with periodic maintenance and repair on his or her purchase.
E. all of the above.
Susan’s Gourmet Blends is a small Massachusetts-based business that wants its products
to be marketed in the Delmonte Country Store catalog. In return for the catalog carrying
its product line, Susan Taylor, the owner of the company, is willing to give the catalog
retailer a five percent quantity discount. If that doesn’t get her product into the catalog,
she is willing to give credit terms of 5/30, n/60. If that doesn’t work, she will offer to
split the shipping costs. Which type of pre-negotiation planning is Susan engaging in?
A. Flexible implementation
B. Agenda determination
C. Adjustable implementation
D. Triple bypass preparation
E. Adaptive planning
The process of scheduling sales calls to minimize travel time is called:
A. niching.
B. outlining.
C. routing.
D. patterning.
E. scheduling.
Even though personal selling is the most expensive method of communication on a per
person reached basis, businesses continue to use personal selling because of advantages
in:
A. flexibility.
B. the number of people reached.
C. credibility.
D. efficiency.
E. control over the content of publicity.
Clark, a fellow salesperson, has become very frustrated by his inability to handle
customer complaints. “Frankly, I don’t know what to do when a customer starts telling
me about a problem,” he says. You should advise Clark to:
A. adopt an antagonistic attitude.
B. assume the problem is the customer’s fault.
C. handle the grievance in a friendly manner.
D. attempt to sell a different product to the customer.
E. do none of the above.
Which of the following statements about objections is FALSE?
A. Objections present sales opportunities.
B. Prospects who object indicate that they are showing some interest in the seller’s
presentation.
C. Salespeople should encourage buyers to voice their concerns or questions.
D. Salespeople should take every buyer’s objections personally.
E. Real objections are logical to the prospect, no matter how they seem to the sales rep.
Taylor deals in roller coasters, carousels, bumper cars, and other similar rides to
amusement parks. His manager has told him that he must find buyers for at least 6
water flume rides, 3 carousels, 2 coaster rides, and 10 kiddy rides this fiscal year.
Taylor’s manager has given him his:
A. key accounts.
B. sales quotas.
C. revenue quotas.
D. sales commission rates.
E. commission bases.
Brian is attempting to get a marketing professor to adopt his publisher’s textbook. Brian
knows that the professor has been using a competing publisher’s text and would have to
spend considerable time adjusting his syllabus and classroom strategies if she adopts
Brian’s textbook. He points out that his textbook is newly revised, which means that the
professor can use it for several years without having to make adjustments. What sales
technique is Brian using?
Describe three guidelines for making concessions.
Sales strategists have identified three basic ways to interact with a screen or barrier to a
prospect. List and briefly describe them.
Discuss a sale as defined by the UCC in relation to salespeople.
What is a stress interview? Describe some of the tactics used when conducting such
interviews.
Newbook publishing has just negotiated a contract with an important author. At the end
of the negotiations, the author, Pat Conray, makes a “nibbling” request. Create a
nibbling request that Pat is most likely to have used.
As he entered the prospect’s office, Sam stumbled and almost fell. After composing
himself, Sam mispronounced the prospect’s name. After taking a break, Sam was able to
make a great sales presentation, but he never got the prospect’s full attention during the
meeting. What concept describes the prospect’s assumption that the clumsy salesperson
would not be competent enough to provide efficient service?
Create a plausible scenario of browbeating followed by negotiation jujitsu.
Stephan knows that repeat orders are usually easier to handle and more profitable. What
can he do to generate repeat orders?
What is the difference between an introduction opening and a benefit opening?
What are the two dimensions that the social style matrix uses to understand social
behavior?
In developing a written sales proposal, one of the tasks of the salesperson is to provide a
description of the current situation in relation to the proposed solution. What is the
simplest method for quantifying this solution?
How has technology facilitated the growth of sales teams?
Why should a salesperson never apologize for a price he or she quotes a prospect?
What is a tying agreement?
Discuss the importance of ethics in long-term relationships.
Why do many organizations use integrated marketing communications?
What different types of relationships can exist between buyers and sellers?
What are the four important aspects of a job interview? Outline how a job candidate
should prepare for each.
Discuss the different roles that people may have within a buying center.