Exam 33: Personal Selling and Sales Management

Advanced Bionics Advanced Bionics is a global leader in the development of implantable, high-tech neurostimulation devices used to treat deafness and chronic pain. Just two-and-a- half years after introducing its new stimulators, the firm is doing $200 million in domestic sales. How has Advanced Bionics been so successful? Its success can be attributed to its outstanding products and to three aspects of its sales approach. First, Advanced Bionics hired the right talent for its sales force. Companies tend to use experienced sales reps-often hired away from competing companies-to sell new medical devices. This can be very expensive since experienced reps generally expect as much as $200,000 in annual income. So when Advanced Bionics brought its medical device to market, it hired people with no experience selling medical devices and turned them into sales reps. Hiring inexperienced salespeople created some problems, however, and the company experienced high turnover rates during its first two years in operation. Second, Advanced Bionics provided salespeople with a rigorous training program. Third, Advanced Bionics allowed salespeople to plan their own activities while managers monitored their progress and pushed them to improve. In short, the company has been able to succeed by selecting good people, training them well, and managing them carefully. -Refer to Advanced Bionics.District sales managers at Advanced Bionics often spend three days per week in the field coaching and monitoring sales reps.This time in the field with sales reps is an important final task in the management process known as:

A salesperson engaged in needs assessment does all of the following EXCEPT:

Sony wants to build long-lasting relationships by focusing on what satisfies and retains their customers.For example,Sony's PlayStation Web site is designed to create a community of users who can join PlayStation Underground where they will "feel like they belong to a subculture of intense gamers." Sony evidently:

All of the following are responsibilities and decisions for a sales manager EXCEPT:

List the advantages personal selling offers over other forms of promotion.

All of the following statements characterize the traditional personal selling approach EXCEPT:

When a salesperson asks for the sale,he or she is:

Personal selling becomes a more important promotional tool as product value and complexity and increase.

AutoFry is the leading manufacturer of ventless deep fryers for supermarket deli and food-service operations.It has developed a new high-capacity fryer.The company has decided to purchase a mailing list of thousands of food-service managers and to send out brochures with a detachable card that the managers can use to request more information.AutoFry is involved in:

The final selling duty for most successful salespeople is closing the sale.

Aside from the usual characteristics,sales managers look for _____ in sales recruits.

Dave is in charge of finding sponsors for the 2013 Riverbend Festival.He is meeting with marketing representatives from Wrangler jeans and First Tennessee National Bank,attempting to convince them to sponsor the event.Dave is engaged in personal selling.

With relationship selling,the objective is to build long-term branded relationships with customers,not just to sell products.

Which of the following is a common CRM marketing database application?

Kraft Foods Kraft Foods has established dedicated teams to focus on their business with many of their largest customers. With "Team Kroger," Kraft has combined with Nabisco selling organizations in order to bring more unique shopper insights to Kroger supermarkets. This helps Kroger understand their shoppers and customize their programs to grow even more. At the same time, Kraft has strengthened its relationship with Kroger by gaining a better understanding of the supermarket's needs and how it can help support Kroger's business objectives concurrently with its own. -Refer to Kraft Foods._____ is the identification of those firms and people most likely to buy Kraft products.

What is a touch point? Give two examples of touch points.

Relationship selling is more typical with selling situations for consumer goods.

Compensation planning is one of the sales manager's easiest jobs.

The first step in the selling process is:

Use the chart to indicate the relative amount of time spent in each of the key steps of the selling process for both traditional selling and relationship/consultative selling.The first step has been completed for you.