Questions and Answers of Selling Today Partnering

Paula Shannon, introduced at the beginning of this chapter, spends part of most weeks away from her Montreal home-based office, managing a global team of 70 sales professionals for Boston-based
Deciding on a goal can be the most crucial decision of your life. It is more damaging not to have a goal than it is not to reach a goal. It is generally agreed that the major cause of failure is the
Interview someone you know who uses a planning calendar. What kind is it: pocket, desk, or some other type? How long has the person been using it? How important is the calendar to daily, weekly,
How can a salesperson use a time log to improve time management?
Time management is an important part of a successful salesperson’s job. Using your search engine, examine the Internet for information on time management. Type “time management + selling.”
Describe the records most commonly kept by salespeople.
What is stress ? What are some indicators of stress?
Assume that you are a manager of a wholesale electrical supply business. Sales have increased to a level where you need to hire another salesperson. What sources can you use to recruit a good
One of the more interesting developments in sales force management is the use of customer feedback to improve the performance of salespeople. Most of these programs are relatively new and go by a
Carefully analyze the following types of selling positions:a. A territory selling position for a national manufacturer that requires the salesperson to provide customer service to a large number of
Schedule an appointment with two sales managers.Interview each of them, using the following questions as a guide:a. What are your functions as a sales manager?b. How do the functions of a sales
You have just been hired as sales manager for the Calgary branch office of a national industrial distributor. It has been five years since you finished your education, and since that time you have
What are the best criteria for measuring a salesperson’s performance? List additional criteria that should be considered in evaluating individual performance.
WFS Ltd., introduced in the opening vignette, is one of Canada’s most respected industrial distributors.Many customers remain loyal to WFS because they value outstanding service; a broad range of
Explain why personal selling is an important auxiliary skill needed by lawyers, engineers, accountants, and other professionals.
There are many information sources on selling careers and career opportunities on the Internet. Three examples include SalesJobsCanada.com , Monster.ca, and CareerBuilder.ca. Search the Internet for
Sales managers are frequently asked what personal characteristics are most important to success in selling.Among the criteria often cited are sociability, aggressiveness, enthusiasm, empathy, verbal
Alex Homer, featured at the beginning of this chapter, works as a professional clothier for the Tom James Company ( www.tomjames.com ). Alex sells a comprehensive collection of high-quality attire:
Briefly explain why some organizations are developing strategic selling alliances.
When Brenda Fisher received her B.Ed., she thought she would like to teach. However, a pharmaceutical firm offered her a sales position that would require her to call on doctors and pharmacists to
One of the topics frequently debated among salespeople and sales managers is whether men or women are better suited to sales positions. Where do you stand on this issue? Find support for your
At the beginning of this chapter, you were given an introduction to Marcus Smith, who is employed by Liberty Mutual, a successful insurance company. Smith is responsible for introducing a very large
Carefully review Figure 3.5 , the CPSA Sales Institute Code of Ethics. Select the three standards you feel would present the greatest challenge to salespeople.Explain your choices.Figure 3.5 The CPSA
What are cooling-off laws? How do they protect consumers?
Is it ever appropriate to give gifts to customers?Explain.
Prior to the interview, T. J. McKeethe Sales Manager requests a personal resume. Your currentaverage grade in your program is 68, but it will very likelyincrease to 70 or higher at the end of the
Recently, you received an invitation to become a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a fraternity that honours students who have a record of outstanding service to the community. Very few students are invited
During the interview, T. J. McKee requests salary information about your most recent full-time position.You believe this information may influence the starting salary offer, should you be offered the
Prior to visiting his company for the interview, you receive a letter from T.J. McKee that explains that you will be reimbursed for all travel and meal expenses. You will stay in a complimentary
A large hotel and conference centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia has invited you to interview for a sales position. All expenses will be paid. You have no interest in moving to Nova Scotia, but you would
Throughout the past several weeks, you have met with a representative of Follett Corporation on several occasions. You are anxious to book a large conference that will involve over 200 Follett
After closing a sale with a very difficultcustomer (the “customer from hell”), you indicated thatyou would follow up on a special room layout requestand a minor menu substitution. During
The Park Shores Resort and Convention Centre has offered a special bonus to any salesperson who develops 10 new accounts during the current fiscal year. You need one more account to earn the bonus.
When you accepted a sales position at the Park Shores Resort and Convention Centre, you signed a noncompete agreement. This agreement states that information acquired while representing the Park
Mattress Firm ( www.mattressfirm.com ) is one of the largest and most successful specialty bedding companies in the world. It offers sleep solutions, including conventional and specialty mattresses,
How is our self-concept formed? Why is a positive selfconcept so important in personal selling?
Describe five rules of etiquette that are especially important to salespeople today.
Select four salespeople you know and ask them if they have a relationship strategy for working with customers, management personnel, secondary decision makers, and company support staff. Ask each
The partnering style of selling is emphasized throughout the book. To gain more insight into the popularity of this concept, use an Internet search engine of your choice and key in the words
Complete the following etiquette quiz. Your instructor will provide you with answers so you can check your responses.a. On what side should you wear your name tag?b. Is it appropriate to drink beer
In October, people of the Hindu religion celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. The festival of lights is one of the most important and most beautiful Indian festivals. Rick Saulle, a
Move quickly through the following list of traits. Use a check mark beside those that fit your self-image. Use an X to mark those that do not fit. If you are unsure, indicate with a question
It is pointed out in this chapter that clothing communicates strong messages. In this exercise you will become more aware of whether your clothes communicate the messages you want them to
The commercial real estate services industry is highly competitive. CBRE, the firm featured at the beginning of this chapter, offers a wide variety of services such as industrial and logistical
What suggestions would you give to a salesperson who is planning to meet a new prospect who displays the Reflective communication style?
Self-awareness is important in personal selling. As we get to know ourselves, we can identify barriers to acceptance by others. Once you have identified your most preferred communication style, you
Many salespeople, after being introduced to communication-style concepts, attempt to categorize each of their customers. They report that their relationships become mutually more enjoyable and
To assess your ability to style flex, assume you are going to make four sales calls on customers displaying each of the four communication styles. For purposes of illustration, consider your first
Myers-Briggs Personality Types and Jungian Personality Types are two very popular descriptions of the material in this chapter. Using your search engine, access the Internet sites that refer to these
Ray Ito has been employed at CanTrust Real Estate for almost two years. Prior to receiving his real estate licence, he was a property manager with a large real estate agency in another community.
Review the Lowe’s Canada statement of corporate values on page 136 and then identify the two items that you believe contribute the most to a salesperson’s career success.
Distinguish between a general benefit and a specific benefit. Why do customers respond positively to specific benefits?
Obtain, if possible, a copy of a customer-oriented product sales brochure or news release that has been prepared by a marketer. (Many salespeople receive such selling tools.) Study this information
Today many companies are automating their product configuration and proposal-writing activities. Go to the Internet and find these software providers:www.bigmachines.com/salesforce.php and
Select a product you are familiar with and know a great deal about. (This may be an item you have shopped for and purchased, such as a smartphone or an automobile.)Under each of the categories
Visit Dell Canada ( www.dell.ca ) and click on a product solution. You have decided that you want a desktop computer, and your primary needs are preparing paper assignments, spreadsheets, PowerPoint
Texas Monthly is a regional magazine covering politics, business, and culture, but focusing largely on leisure activities and events in Texas. The magazine has a large real estate advertising
Search the Internet for two competing industrial supply catalogues or two competing direct-mail catalogues.Assume one of the represented businesses is your employer. After studying the catalogues,
Several weeks ago, Joy Hong fell in love with the Scion tC coupe. After reading about the car in a magazine, she decided to visit a local Scion dealer. A test drive convinced her to place an order.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel chain illustrates the total product concept discussed in this chapter. Research value-added information on the Ritz-Carlton chain by accessing the www.ritzcarlton.com website.
Call a local financial services representative who specializes in stock, bond, or equity fund transactions.Ask what percentage of clients rely on the information given to make complex decisions on
Many of the most profitable companies have discovered that there are “riches in market niches.” They have developed products and services that meet the needs of a welldefined or a newly created
List and describe the three most common types of business-to-business buying situations.
Distinguish between emotional and rational buying motives.
Select several advertisements from a trade magazine.Analyze each one and determine which rational buying motives the advertiser is appealing to. Explain whether these advertisements also appeal to
The $40 000-plus Hyundai Genesis 3.8 GT automatic, which entered the North American market as a 2010 model (in 2009), is a far cry from the popular Elantra.Hyundai’s new flagship model was designed
J. D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm that helps businesses and consumers make better decisions through credible customer-based information. The company provides
Assume your college or university is considering buying 100 new PCs for student labs throughout the campus.Describe who you think will be involved in the buying centre (by role), and what you think
Assume your college or university is considering replacing its mainframe computer. Its current mainframe computer is now 15 years old and has been creating problems for some time. The cost of a
Describe three steps progressive marketers take to improve the quality of their prospecting effort.
Discuss how direct-response advertising and sales letters can be used to identify prospects.
Prior to getting involved in networking, it’s a good idea to prepare an elevator speech. This is a 30-second pitch that summarizes what you want people to know about you. You might think of
You are a sales representative for Xerox Canada, which has just designed a new, less expensive, and better quality copying machine. From the material in this chapter, identify the sources you would
You are in the process of interviewing for a sales position with Sun Life Financial in Toronto. In addition to filling out an application form and taking an aptitude test, one of the tasks the agency
Sales automation software is most commonly used in the prospecting phase of selling. New-product releases are continually being developed that provide additional features and benefits to salespeople.
Locating companies to work for is a form of prospecting.Assuming you are interested in changing careers, develop a list of 10 companies for which you would like to work. Assign each company a
Dave Levitt, featured at the beginning of this chapter, is a regional sales manager for Salesforce.com . The CRM solution provider is exclusively a cloud-computing vendor offering hosted
Discuss why combination approaches are considered an important consultative-selling practice. Provide one example of a combination approach.
Assume that you are a salesperson who calls on retailers.For some time, you have been attempting to get an appointment with the head buyer for one of the best retailers in the city to persuade her to
Tom Nelson has just graduated from Red River College with a major in marketing. He has three years of experience in the retail grocery business and has decided he would like to work as a salesperson
Concepts from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People can help you prepare for the social contact. Access the Dale Carnegie Training website ( www.dalecarnegie.com ) and examine the
Canadian author and sales trainer Steven J. Schwartz is internationally known for his expertise in helping salespeople get appointments. Visit his website at www.hotcoldcalls.com and hit
You are being interviewed for a sales position with a national electronics retailer. The job is very important to you as it will help pay your living expenses while you complete your studies. During
The global construction industry is a lucrative market, with customer needs ranging from measuring products to sophisticated construction solutions. Hilti, the company featured in the vignette at the
Describe the process of active listening, and explain how it can improve the listening efficiency rate.
When Deborah Karish wakes up in the morning, she does not have to worry about a long commute to work. Her office is in her home. As an Amgen ( www.amgen.com )pharmaceutical sales representative,
Develop a list of the sales tools that the salesperson should consider when planning a sales demonstration.
In many selling situations, it is difficult, if not impossible, to demonstrate the product itself. List other means that can be used to demonstrate product features and benefits.
Develop a list of sales tools you could use in a job interview.What tools could you use to demonstrate your skills and capabilities?
As noted in this chapter, demonstration software is becoming increasingly popular. Real estate salespeople are using this software to showcase homes to prospective buyers. Assume you are a
You have decided to try tutoring as a means of earning some extra money. Which sales tools would be appropriate for you to use? Which sales tools should you consider developing as you prepare
Bring a product of your choice to class and be prepared to give a presentation that will include a product demonstration.Consider how you can use telling, showing, and, most importantly, involvement.
Ecolab ( www.ecolab.com ) is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety, and infection prevention products and services. With more than 14 000 sales and service experts, Ecolab employs
List the common types of buyer concerns that might surface in a presentation.
When a customer says, “I want time to think it over,”what type of resistance is the salesperson encountering?Suggest ways to overcome this type of buyer concern.
Research for this chapter’s Adaptive Selling Today Training Video revealed that anger does surface during the sales presentation and can be very challenging to negotiate.Anger can be something the
As was shared by the doctor, it is not unusual for a customer to experience skepticism and doubt about the pricing, timing, supplier, need, and/or product solution during the sales process.
Research also reveals that the most common problem in negotiations is the price problem. Customers often want to be sure they are getting the best price possible, as well as the best product
The action of “walking away” from a potential sale is often considered a high-risk negotiations strategy. What three actions did Lana employ before she walked away from the sale?
Each year, public and private organizations send thousands of employees to meetings held at hotels, motels, convention centres, conference centres, and resorts.These meetings represent a

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