Although personal selling has become a very expensive marketing tactic, it still can make sense in certain very specialized situations. Think about the last time you met face-to-face with a sales representative. Were you buying a new car? Considering a change to your life insurance? Maybe attending a jewelry party at a friend's home? In each of these situations, the availability of a sales representative to ask and answer questions or to demonstrate the features and benefits of the product or service, can add value to the interaction.

Think about a specific, recent time when you were the customer in a personal selling situation. It will be more fun if you choose a particularly good or particularly bad sales experience!

1. In your first post, address the following:

• • Describe the process of the "sales call." Think about where, when, how, and why it happened. It's especially important to comment on how the sales call was initiated (did you reach out to the sales rep, or did the rep contact you?).
  • What functions did the sales representative perform during your time together? Think about whether s/he was trying to understand your needs, build rapport, describe features/benefits, "close the sale," or other activities.
  • What were your reactions to the sales rep's efforts? Do you believe s/he added value to the transaction, and if so, how?
  • If the roles were reversed and you were the sales rep in this situation, what might you have done differently or better?