BMKT456-Tyre-SecA/Revision

Case 1
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 pharmaceutical sales representative employed by Pfizer, knew that one of the most important
physicians he called on was Indian and would celebrate Diwali. He also knew that it is commonplace to provide sweets to Indians who
celebrate Diwali. Saulle visited an Indian grocery store and purchased a plate of Indian sweets to celebrate Diwali. When he presented the
sweets to the physician, the response was very positive. The doctor grabbed Saulle’s hand, shook it forcefully, and sincerely thanked him for
honoring this important toward greater diversity will accelerate in the years ahead.
Reflect on the gift given by Mr. Saulle and then answer these questions.

1. Is it appropriate for a salesperson to give a gift to someone who is celebrating a religious holiday?

2. In addition to giving a gift, what are some other ways to recognize a religious festival or holiday?

3. List and describe three religious holidays or festivals celebrated by denominations other than Christian.

Case 2
At the beginning of this chapter, you were given an introduction to Marcus Smith, employed by Liberty Mutual, a successful insurance
company. Smith is responsible for introducing a very large number of products and services, and he must always keep one eye on the
competition. He must be prepared to answer questions about his own products and services and those of the competition. He must also be
ready to discuss the intricacies of the insurance terms, and possible bundles of insurance policies to offer his customers the best value.

Like every other professional salesperson, Smith is constantly involved in learning. We now know that the principles of selling can be learned
and applied by people whose personal characteristics are quite different. Most successful salespeople spend considerable time acquiring
product knowledge, keeping up to date in their industry and related industries, and learning more about their customers. Smith acquired his
formal training in professional selling from the Program in Excellence in Selling at the University of Houston. In the insurance industry, sales-
people often go through industry-related training and a formal exam to acquire a license to sell personal and property insurance. Smith also
undergoes a rigorous Liberty Mutual training pro- gram that covers courses in four concentrations: products and services, company,
competition, and quoting.

Smith realizes the importance of a relationship strategy that is built upon a win-win philosophy. In addition to building a strong relationship
with the customer, he must be able to work effectively with others who directly or indirectly influence the sale. He shares market information
with his peers periodically because a broad view of the market as a whole is crucial in the highly competitive insurance industry. The
salesperson who is honest, accountable, and sincerely concerned about the customer’s welfare brings added value to the sales.

Questions

1. Does it appear that Smith has adopted the three prescriptions of a personal selling philosophy? (See the Strategic/Consultative
Selling Model.) Explain.

2. What prescriptions of the relationship strategy (see the Strategic/Consultative Selling Model) have been adopted by Marcus Smith?
Describe why a relationship strategy is especially important in personal selling.

3. Value-added selling is defined as a series of creative improvements in the sales process that enhance the customer’s experience.
Describe the various ways that Marcus Smith can create value for his customers.

4. Why would it be important for the marketing support personnel (marketing research, product managers, advertising and sales
promotion, etc.) employed by Liberty Mutual to understand personal selling?

Key Terms
Chapter 1:
 Personal selling
 Product
 Personal selling philosophy
 Value-added selling
 Psychic income
 Inside salespeople
 Outside salespeople
 Trade selling
 Field salespeople
 Missionary salespeople
 Direct salespeople
  Customer service representatives (CSR)
 Knowledge workers

Chapter 2:
 Marketing concept
 Marketing mix
 Consultative selling
 Transactional selling
 Strategic planning
 Tactics
 Strategy
 Adaptive selling
 Relationship strategy
 Relationship selling
 Product strategy
 Customer strategy
 Presentation strategy
 Partnering
 Strategic selling alliance
 Customer relationship management (CRM)
 Information economy

Chapter 3:
 Emotional intelligence
 Empathizer
 Self-concept
 Ego drive
 Character
 Integrity
 Nonverbal messages
 Unconscious expectations
 Business casual
 Visualize
 Self-talk