Selling Today: Partnering to Create Value, 14e (Manning/Ahearne/Reece)
Chapter 10 Approaching the Customer with Adaptive Selling
1) Raymundo is trying to develop a presentation strategy. One of the prescriptions he should
follow is:
A) prepare objectives
B) become a product expert
C) configure value-added solutions
D) discover customer needs
E) recognize closing cues
2) Which of the following prescriptions is part of the presentation strategy?
A) Build a strong prospect base by analyzing qualified customers.
B) Prepare a presale presentation plan needed to meet objectives.
C) Assume a role of mentor and associate.
D) Project a positive sales image.
E) Focus on relationships.
3) Which of the following statements is most likely true?
A) Following a tight script will help facilitate a sale in consultative selling.
B) Team selling is effective when firms sell complex or customized products.
C) Salespeople should concentrate on a single objective for each sales call.
D) The salesperson should only meet with the decision maker.
E) A receptionist is most likely to be the true decision maker.
4) Which is the first step in creating a presentation objective?
A) Obtain personal and business information to establish the customer’s file.
B) Exchange personal information with the customer to break the ice.
C) Learn about the competition’s most popular products.
D) Focus on networking in social situations.
E) Acquire information needed for a routing plan.
5) Preparing presale objectives, developing a presale presentation plan, and providing
outstanding customer service are the three parts of:
A) the customer alliance
B) the presale approach
C) the presentation plan
D) the presentation strategy
E) the follow up
6) As Sarah and Juan begin to put together the actual presentation, what should they do first?
A) Clarify the objectives for the presentation using their company’s standard form.
B) Anticipate the prospect’s needs based on the financial data gathered through public records.
C) Search the CRM system for information on purchase records of similarly-sized clients.
D) Find the correct format and graphics for the physical PowerPoint presentation.
E) List all the features of the equipment they offer in a way that’s easy for the prospect to read.
7) In the morning, the Web-Star salesperson will give a sales presentation to a current client, and
in the afternoon, the salesperson will give a sales presentation to a new prospect. How is pre-call
planning different for the two presentations?
A) It is more important for new clients, as current clients have the same needs they did when
they originally purchased the product, but new clients’ needs are unknown.
B) It is more important for new clients, as the salesperson must have a more polished, smoother
manner with new clients to earn their trust.
C) It is useful to do pre-call planning with both old and new clients if you have the time, but a
good salesperson can conduct an effective sales call without prior preparation.
D) It is equally important for both types of clients, as current clients’ needs may have changed
since the original purchase.
E) It is more important for current clients, as the stakes are higher that they will reject a proposal
once they have used the product.
8) The presentation strategy should be developed before the relationship, product, and customer
strategy in order to have an effective plan.
9) List and explain the three prescriptions to developing a good presentation strategy.
10) Which of the following is recommended when making telephone contact with a prospect?
A) Avoid giving the receptionist or secretary too much information.
B) Confirm the telephone appointment with a pre-appointment call.
C) Avoid telling the person how much time the appointment may take.
D) State the purpose of your call and explain how the prospect can benefit from a meeting.
E) Avoid developing a written presentation, which may sound too structured for a telephone call.
11) Before the salesperson plans the presentation, he or she needs to plan the:
A) implementation
B) solution
C) delivery
D) close
E) preapproach
12) Sarah has already made a brief call on the prospect. Which of the following objectives has
she most likely achieved?
A) developed trust and presented solutions
B) established rapport and asked basic needs discovery questions
C) asked basic needs discovery questions and negotiated pricing
D) negotiated pricing and closed the sale
E) closed the sale and agreed on shipping terms
13) At the trade show, Emmanuelle gives Suzanne her elevator pitch, which:
A) establishes a deep rapport between Emmanuelle and Suzanne
B) explains the product’s features, benefits, and quality guarantees
C) provides Suzanne with enough information to pique Suzanne’s interest
D) presents the benefits to Suzanne of purchasing the product for home décor retailers
E) suggests that Suzanne will receive a discount if she purchases textiles from Emmanuelle
14) Emmanuelle calls Suzanne and arranges a meeting to discuss both organizations. Before
Emmanuelle goes to the meeting, what should she most likely do?
A) Perform some visualization activities to help focus on winning the sale.
B) Break the ice with Suzanne by mentioning a mutual acquaintance.
C) Prepare a PowerPoint presentation about her firm’s history and products.
D) Send Suzanne an e-mail outlining the features of the textiles.
E) Research Suzanne’s firm on the Internet to get basic information.
15) Multi-call sales presentations are common in many areas, but not in the retail field.
16) ________, not to be confused with telemarketing, includes many of the same elements as
traditional sales.
17) Preparation for the actual sales presentation is a two-part process. Part one is referred to as
the ________, and part two is called the ________.
18) Which of the following statements concerning selling in England is true?
A) The British consider it rude to discuss business after the business day.
B) You should expect a quick decision on the part of the client.
C) The British appreciate very informal introductions.
D) Critiquing the competition’s offering is acceptable.
E) The British tend to be very expressive and casual.
19) Given that Juan and Sarah will be working as a team, which of the following is most
important for Juan to do?
A) Develop a price quote for the prospect before Sarah has the opportunity.
B) Confirm his percentage of the commission with his sales manager.
C) Develop the visual aids that will be used in the sales presentation.
D) Conduct Internet research on the prospect.
E) Clarify his role in the sales call.
20) Sarah and Juan work together to analyze the answers to the questions Sarah asked the
prospect about their needs. Based on this analysis, Juan and Sarah put together:
A) a list of questions about the prospect’s payment process
B) a pricing discount schedule that involves a value chain
C) a proposal of products that will solve the prospect’s problems
D) a plan for customer service to implement the products
E) a relationship strategy based on the prospect’s long-term needs
21) A Web-Star salesperson is giving a sales presentation to a buying committee. What should
the Web–Star salesperson most likely do in this situation?
A) Focus only on the technically knowledgeable members of the group.
B) State the adaptive selling objective for each group member.
C) Use technical specifics when speaking to silent members.
D) Utilize an elevator speech to develop rapport quickly.
E) Identify the primary decision makers in the group.
22) Team selling is ideally suited to organizations that sell complex and/or customized products
and services.
23) Sales teams can often uncover problems, solutions, and sales opportunities that no individual
salesperson could discover working alone.
24) In most situations, the involvement of technical experts on a sales team lengthens the selling
cycle.
25) The customer strategy is one of the foundations of adaptive selling because:
A) the customer may not purchase until after the salesperson presents the customer strategy
B) the customer needs to have faith that the salesperson understands the product completely
C) a salesperson has to understand the customer’s needs to be able to sell to them effectively
D) a salesperson needs to be prepared to answer any questions the customer has about the
product
E) a salesperson needs to be able to shorten the sales cycle by forming a relationship with the
customer
26) Adaptive selling requires salespeople to adjust their sales strategy based on the:
A) potential margin of each sale in the pipeline
B) relationship and product needs of each customer
C) length of time it usually takes to close a sale with each type of customer
D) sales intelligence on the customer’s competitors
E) hard data about the customer’s previous purchasing patterns
27) Using the relationship strategy effectively as part of adaptive selling requires that you:
A) study all available information on the product so you are a product expert
B) understand the needs of a specific customer for their business
C) create a standardized presentation that does not leave out any of the benefits to the customer
D) make sure that the customer understands that you will do whatever it takes to make the sale
E) pay attention to details of contact and personal presentation and use style flexing
28) Emmanuelle is able to use an adaptive selling method with the Australian buyers because she
has made an effort to understand their needs, she pays attention to the details of the contact she
makes with the buyers, and:
A) she is an expert in the products she is selling
B) she speaks to them with an Australian accent
C) she establishes rapport by mentioning her visits to Sidney and Canberra
D) she focuses on benefits, not just features of her products
E) she makes sure to present to them in person only so she can control all aspects of her
presentation
29) Adaptive selling builds on the customer strategy, the relationship strategy, and the product
strategy.
30) The relationship strategy can make up for a bad first impression between salesperson and
customer.
31) Adaptive selling is based on the relationship, product, and ________ strategies.
32) List and describe the strategies that form the basis of successful adaptive selling.
33) What are the steps in order of the six-step presentation plan?
A) rehearsing, initial contact, presenting, demonstrating, closing, and servicing the sale
B) approach, needs discovery, presentation, negotiation, close, and servicing the sale
C) custom fitting, presentation, demonstration, negotiating, communicating, and closing
D) initial contact, presentation, demonstration, communication, closing, and servicing
E) preapproach, approach, rehearsing, presentation, negotiation, and closing
34) Which step in the presentation plan involves reviewing goals and making initial contact?
A) approach
B) needs identification
C) presentation
D) negotiation
E) close
35) Which step in the presentation plan involves determining needs and selecting a product
solution?
A) approach
B) needs identification
C) presentation
D) negotiation
E) close
36) Which step in the presentation plan involves showing the product to the customer?
A) approach
B) needs identification
C) presentation
D) negotiation
E) close
37) The step in the presentation plan involving anticipating buyer concerns and using the win-
win method is the:
A) approach
B) needs identification
C) presentation
D) negotiation
E) close
38) The step in the presentation plan involving recognizing closing cues and initiating closing
methods is the:
A) approach
B) needs identification
C) presentation
D) negotiation
E) close
39) Why is understanding the Web-Star product absolutely essential for a salesperson who uses
adaptive selling to sell the teleconferencing software?
A) The salesperson must know the product completely to be able to persuade prospects to
purchase it.
B) The salesperson must know the pricing schedule for all products and volumes of sales to give
a quote instantly to an interested prospect on the phone.
C) The salesperson must understand the ins and outs of the product to be able to quickly
reevaluate the best configuration for a prospect based on new information from the prospect.
D) The salesperson must know the product to be able to point out the flaws in competitor’s
teleconferencing software to prospects.
E) The salesperson must know all about the product to be able to explain all the features during a
presentation.
40) Which question is most relevant to a Web-Star salesperson who is trying to tailor a
presentation to a prospect’s specific needs for Web conferencing software?
A) What is the prospect’s budget for the purchase?
B) How familiar is the prospect with Web conferencing software in general?
C) What level of technical expertise does the prospect have with computer software?
D) Has the prospect been using paid or free Web conferencing software for meetings?
E) How will the prospect be using Web conferencing software with its clients and employees?
41) A Web-Star salesperson is preparing a sales presentation for a British firm that is interested
in purchasing Web conferencing software. What is the best advice for the salesperson?
A) Use aggressive sales techniques because British business people appreciate aggressiveness.
B) Remind the prospect of the disadvantages of competing Web conferencing products.
C) Immediately use first names with the prospect because British business people are informal.
D) Focus on objective facts about the Web conferencing product during the sales presentation.
E) Call the prospect frequently after the sales presentation to determine if a decision has been
made.
42) Emmanuelle has made an initial approach to the largest home goods retailer in Australia and
has gained some basic information about the retailer’s buying process. She has also made contact
and established rapport with key buyers for the retailer. What is Emmanuelle’s next step in the
presentation plan to the retailer?
A) making an initial introduction so the buyers know who she is
B) talking to the buyers to determine their needs
C) asking for the sale
D) making a formal sales presentation, including presenting benefits
E) negotiating the price the retailer will pay
43) During the sales presentation to the Australian firm, Emmanuelle should most likely:
A) make adaptations based on the needs of the prospect
B) highlight features that show her firm’s superiority
C) set a price high enough to leave room for negotiation
D) raise strong reasons for not purchasing from competitors
E) create a marketing campaign that will appeal to mass audiences
44) Emmanuelle enjoys the process of helping buyers discover reasons to purchase that they
initially think are obstacles to purchasing her association’s textiles. Another name for this process
is:
A) discovery
B) marketing
C) negotiation
D) closing
E) persuasion
45) In British business settings, a hard sell is the best approach.
46) The objectives for the sales presentation are developed after completion of the presentation
plan.
47) The six parts of the presale presentation plan checklist represent new additions to the sales
training literature.
48) Approach, needs identification, presentation, negotiation, close, and servicing the sale are
steps in the six-step ________.
49) List and explain the steps in the six-step presentation plan.
50) All of the following are recommended guidelines for effectively making social contacts
EXCEPT:
A) responding to the customer’s comments
B) making nonverbal gestures of listening
C) discussing your personal experiences
D) maintaining appropriate eye contact
E) initiating the social contact
51) “The certificate of deposit represents a safe investment, but you may want to examine some
options that will give you a better return on your investment. Completion of our Financial
Planning Profile questionnaire can help us identify investment options.” These statements are
most likely an example of a(n) ________ approach.
A) observation
B) question
C) survey
D) method
E) combination
52) Juan and Sarah make a second call on the client to present the proposal. After thanking the
prospect for agreeing to a meeting, Sarah says, “I would like to accomplish three goals during the
time you’ve given us today.” Which approach is Sarah most likely using?
A) customer benefit
B) referral
C) premium
D) agenda
E) survey
53) CRM software can help salespeople plan better sales calls.
54) The major purpose of the approach step is to:
A) quantify the prospect’s interest in the product
B) encourage the prospect to buy your product
C) capture the prospect‘s full attention and build interest in the product
D) gather facts about the prospect’s authority to buy your product
E) ensure that the prospect is a qualified lead
55) Which of the following statements indicates the salesperson is using the survey approach?
A) “Would you be interested in a security system that is currently used by most major banks in
America?“
B) “Tammy Williams, buyer for the Mayfield Company, has been very pleased with our line of
drapes and suggested I arrange to show you our products.”
C) “I am anxious to show you our newest copy machine.”
D) “I want to study your traffic patterns to be sure that our product meets your needs.”
E) “Please accept this sample of our floor cleanser.”
56) The referral approach is most likely to be effective because customers:
A) appreciate prepared salespeople
B) expect to ask and answer many questions
C) tend to focus on benefits instead of features
D) usually trust a salesperson who presents statistical data
E) are impressed by product benefits presented by satisfied customers
57) The statement, “This product is convenient, priced right, and ready to use,” is an example of
which of the following approaches?
A) premium
B) survey
C) product
D) benefit
E) systems
58) One way to move from the social contact to the business contact is to thank the customer for
taking time to meet with you and then review your goals for the meeting. Which of the following
approaches is this?
A) product demonstration
B) agenda
C) social
D) referral
E) customer benefit
59) Which of the following is an effective suggestion for dealing with sales call reluctance?
A) Try to avoid feeling anxious about the initial contact because anxiety is abnormal.
B) Do not anticipate success because you may become overconfident.
C) Avoid the loss of spontaneity that comes with a well-rehearsed approach.
D) Develop a deeper commitment to your goals.
E) Employ the premium approach method.
60) An approach that involves using the goodwill of a third party to make contact with the
prospect is the:
A) referral approach
B) question approach
C) product demonstration approach
D) survey approach
E) premium approach
61) An approach that gets the prospect thinking about a problem the salesperson can solve is the:
A) referral approach
B) question approach
C) product demonstration approach
D) survey approach
E) premium approach
62) An approach that goes directly to showing the product to the prospect is the:
A) referral approach
B) question approach
C) product demonstration approach
D) survey approach
E) premium approach
63) A nonthreatening approach that allows the salesperson to gather information about the
prospect before the call is the:
A) referral approach
B) question approach
C) product demonstration approach
D) survey approach
E) premium approach
64) An approach that involves giving the customer free samples of the product is the:
A) referral approach
B) question approach
C) product demonstration approach
D) survey approach
E) premium approach
65) Which of the following is the LEAST likely cause of sales call reluctance?
A) fear of rejection
B) fear of group presentations
C) fear of taking risks
D) lack of self-confidence
E) fear of networking
66) Practicing an approach before making initial contact is most likely beneficial because:
A) optimism is crucial to successful selling efforts
B) rehearsal reduces the chances of making a mistake
C) practicing ensures that transactional sales are profitable
D) anxiety is normal for both new and experienced salespeople
E) developing a deeper commitment to sales goals is important
67) It is vital to treat secretaries, assistants, and receptionists with respect because:
A) they are a key part of the buying center
B) they usually have decision-making powers
C) they often control your access to the decision makers
D) they have final sign-off on all purchases
E) they will be the end-users of your product
68) A good way to get the prospect’s attention would be to use the customer benefit approach.
69) The transition from the preapproach to the approach is sometimes blocked by sales call
reluctance.
70) Using a combination of approaches tends to confuse prospects and rarely results in
identifying customer needs.
71) The premium approach involves giving the customer a free sample or an inexpensive gift.
72) The survey approach is generally a nonthreatening way to open a sales call.
73) A well-rehearsed approach should be avoided because it will sound too impersonal.
74) When you use the ________ approach, your opening statement should include a direct
reference to the third party.
75) Sales personnel who have adopted the consultative style use the survey and ________
approaches most frequently.