Selling Building Partnerships 10th Edition Castleberry Test Bank

Selling Building Partnerships 10th
Edition Castleberry Test Bank

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Chapter 07
Planning the Sales Call
True / False Questions
1. Planning a sales call helps salespeople avoid wasting a prospect's time.
True False
2. The more information a salesperson has about a prospect, the higher the probability of meeting
the prospect's needs and developing a long-term relationship.
True False
3. Collecting information about a prospect before making a call is a waste of the salesperson's time
as this does not help him or her make a sale.
True False
4. It is important to learn and maintain current knowledge about both the prospect as an individual
and his or her firm.
True False
5. An influential adversary is a competing salesperson from another company.
True False
6. Analysis paralysis refers to a situation where a salesperson cannot extract data about a prospect
from the prospect's company's records because of the defective customer record system.
True False
7. As part of the process of gathering precall information, salespeople must understand the policies
and procedures followed by a prospect's firm.
True False
8. The Marine Corps' 70 percent solution lays down that one must act as soon as they have 70
percent of the required information.
True False
9. A buying center consists of all the people in the selling organization who participate in a selling
opportunity.
True False
7-1
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10. The first place to look for information on the Internet about a prospect company would be the
prospect company's Web page.
True False
11. When setting sales call objectives, salespeople should discover what customers value and then
find ways to improve customer value relative to their own products or services.
True False
12. One of the best sources of precall information is a prospect's own salespeople because they
empathize with the salesperson's situation.
True False
13. Call objectives should be developed while taking into account the firm's goals, the sales team's
goals, and the salesperson's goals.
True False
14. The statement "spend quality time with prospects and customers" is a measurable call objective.
True False
15. The first step in setting objectives for a sales call is to review what has been learned from the
organization's mission statement.
True False
16. A simple way to help ensure that call objectives are measurable is to set objectives that require a
buyer's response.
True False
17. To be effective, a call objective must be generic and non-measurable.
True False
18. All sales objectives should be either specific or measurable.
True False
19. It is recommended that salespeople avoid including suggested order quantities or dates for
closure of a deal in their specific objectives.
True False
20. For a sales call objective to be effective, it needs to be easy rather than specific.
True False
21. The statement "sell a minimum of 10 boxes of a product to the customer" is a specific sales
objective.
True False
7-2
22. "Get better acquainted with the prospect" is a measurable sales objective.
True False
23. Ben, a salesman, would like to sell his prospect three dozen handheld mixers. However, he would
be willing to settle for selling just six of them—that would be his minimum sales call objective.
True False
24. Multiple sales objectives reduce salespeople's fear of failure.
True False
25. It is possible to have more than one primary call objective for a single call.
True False
26. It is important for salespeople to consider the company's overall promotional campaign when
developing multiple call objectives for a prospect.
True False
27. A customer value proposition is a written statement that lists the call objectives for a
salesperson.
True False
28. After gathering precall information and setting objectives, a salesperson's next step in planning
the sales call is generally to make an appointment.
True False
29. Videoconferencing or Webcasting has lost its popularity as a result of downsizing.
True False
30. Seeding is the process of finding the key decision maker within a buying center.
True False
Multiple Choice Questions
31. As a result of failing to plan her sales call, Glenda is likely to do all of the following EXCEPT:
A. cover material in which the prospect has no interest.

B. obtain the prospect's commitment.
C. engage in seeding.
D. make a customized sales presentation.
E. seek referrals from the prospect.
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32. Which of the following statements about obtaining precall information is FALSE?
A. At some point, the amount of time and effort required to collect additional information exceeds
its value.
B. Proper planning before making sales calls leads to better territory management.
C. Collecting information about a particular prospect is usually a quick and easy process.
D. The more information the salesperson has, the more likely the prospect's needs will be met.
E. A salesperson calling on a regular customer does not need to collect additional information.
33. Which of the following statements would be of value to insurance salespeople collecting
information about prospects?
A. The prospect graduated with a marketing degree from Kennesaw State University.
B. The prospect is divorced with two children.
C. The prospect is a friendly and easygoing person.
D. The prospect is a member of the local Rotary Club.
E. All of these
34. In which of the following types of buying situations is it usually unnecessary for a salesperson to
educate a prospect about the common features of a product?
A. When the prospect is buying a smartphone for the first time

B. When the prospect is buying a new car from a famous automobile outlet
C. When the prospect is buying capital equipment to run the operations of his or her firm
D. When the prospect is buying an insurance product for his or her family
E. When the prospect is buying the same laptop he or she purchased previously with the
salesperson
35. Jason and his son Ryan supply laptop accessories to customers in their neighborhood. They
have been approached by a salesperson for a laptop manufacturing firm that wants to sell them
laptop products and accessories at a huge discount. Unfortunately, the owner of the laptop
manufacturing firm had once refused to work with Ryan because he was inexperienced. While
Jason may want to buy the products, his son will act as a(n) _____ in this situation.
A. influential adversary
B. actual competitor
C. potential competitor
D. poacher
E. bird dog
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36. A farm machinery salesperson has spent the last three weeks gathering information about a
prospective customer. He has researched the customer's existing machinery and buying
potential. However, he delays the actual meeting with the customer because he feels that he
requires a couple of weeks more to gather enough information to make the sales call. In this
scenario, the salesperson is experiencing a(n):
A. acute shortage of data about the customer.

B. phenomenon called analysis paralysis.
C. problem in meeting the client directly because of the existence of a screen.
D. obstacle in finalizing the deal because of an influential adversary.
E. problem in contacting the focus of power in the farm because of the gatekeepers.
37. Kenneth is a new salesperson in a firm. He collects all relevant data about his prospects,
including their needs, buying behavior, and ability to buy. He thinks too much about these data
points and never calls his prospects because he is never sure whether he has enough
information to initiate a sales call. Kenneth is most likely experiencing the phenomenon known
as:
A. buyer's remorse.
B. analysis paralysis.
C. boomerang.
D. wicked problem.
E. customer style flexing.
38. Brandi, a sales trainee, watched as her sales supervisor chatted with a prospect's secretary in a
very friendly manner. Brandi felt that such behavior was inappropriate in a business situation and
she did not understand why her supervisor was asking the secretary about what sports the
prospect follows closely. Brandi is unable to understand her supervisor's actions. Which of the
following statements would help her understand the functional value of such interactions in a
sales situation?
A. Brandi's supervisor has found a meaningless way to pass the time while waiting for the
appointment.
B. The prospect will see Brandi and her supervisor more quickly if they prevent the secretary from
getting any work done.
C. Secretaries are a rich source of information about a prospect and are important for successful
sales calls.
D. Salespeople should talk to secretaries in order to appear to be working.
E. Secretaries are poor sources of information about the prospect.
39. If a salesperson does not know the basics about a prospect's company, then the:
A. prospect will not meet the salesperson at all.

B. prospect's receptionist will prevent the salesperson from meeting the prospect.
C. prospect may justifiably refuse to take the deal forward.
D. salesperson may begin to experience a phenomenon called "analysis paralysis."
E. salesperson should make "getting the deal" the formal objective of the first sales call.
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40. The most important step for a salesperson in planning a sales call is to:
A. design a flexible sales presentation.

B. discover personal information about a prospect.
C. plan an after-sales service package for a prospect.
D. set objectives for the call.
E. take an appointment with the prospect.
41. Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is FALSE?
A. The primary objective of every sales call is to make a sale.

B. An objective should be established for every sales call.
C. Sales call objectives should be specific.
D. Sales call objectives should be measurable.
E. Sales call objectives should be aimed at customer action.
42. As the first step in setting sales call objectives, a salesperson should:
A. review the steps of the selling process.

B. review the customer's marketing goals.
C. determine his or her progress toward meeting the sales targets.
D. review what has been learned from the precall information gathered.
E. review the available inventory in his or her own company.
43. Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is true?
A. Sales call objectives should always be expressed in monetary terms.

B. Sales call objectives are unnecessary for missionary salespeople.
C. Sales call objectives are unnecessary when the sales rep is cold calling.
D. Sales call objectives should be limited to one objective per sales call.
E. Sales call objectives are based on strategic decisions about an account.
44. Effective call objectives must be:
A. expressed only in monetary terms.

B. specific, realistic, and measurable.
C. standardized for all sales representatives in a company.
D. independent of any cultural influences.
E. all of these.
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45. Gary, a new salesperson for a reputed cellphone manufacturer, meets the owner of a transport
company that employs 50,000 people as cab drivers. On his first meeting, he plans to sell mobile
phones to all the 50,000 cab drivers because he believes his firm's mobile phones are the best in
the market. Which of the following is a drawback of this primary call objective?
A. It is too qualitative.
B. It is unrealistic.
C. It is irrelevant.
D. It is less optimistic.
E. It cannot be measured.
46. Jonah, a salesperson, hears of a lead and decides to pursue it. He determines getting acquainted
with the client to be his call objective for the first sales call. As he reviews his notes after the sales
call, he realizes that he does not have much information about the needs and the business
potential of the lead despite having met most members of the buying center. Which of the
following drawbacks of his call objective is most likely to explain this shortage of information faced
by Jonah?
A. It puts too much emphasis on service.

B. It says nothing about the product being sold.
C. It is not measurable.
D. It is too personal.
E. It is unrelated to company goals.
47. Which of the following is a realistic sales call objective for a first call regarding a product that
would require a large capital investment?
A. To secure an order
B. To send the prospect a brochure that lists the products of the selling firm
C. To get the prospect to identify all the other members of the firm who play key roles in the firm's
decision-making process
D. To get the prospect to change over to the new product being offered
E. All of these
48. Tom, an experienced salesperson for road construction equipment, has been hired as the sales
representative for Caterpillar Tractor Corporation in the state of Ohio. Tom is aware that his
company makes products of high quality but is fairly new in the market. Which of the following
objectives for Tom's first sales call on Faulkner Paving, a key prospect, meets the criteria of being
realistic?
A. To get an appointment for a second call

B. To persuade Faulkner to switch to Caterpillar's equipment next season
C. To convince Faulkner to buy one of Caterpillar's large bulldozers for a trial run
D. To get Faulkner to watch a two-hour videotape that shows the superiority of the construction of
Caterpillar's products
E. All of these
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49. Which of the following best exemplifies a measurable sales call objective?
A. To learn more about a prospect's needs

B. To learn about a prospect's professional background
C. To improve a prospect's perception of a salesperson's company
D. To build rapport with a prospect
E. To gain a buyer's trust
50. As a salesperson, a simple way to ensure that the sales call objectives determined are
measurable is to:
A. use a canned sales presentation.

B. follow the guidelines set by your sales supervisor.
C. set long-term goals based on your sales call objectives.
D. align your objectives with the strategic objectives of your company.
E. set objectives that require a buyer's response.
51. Ivan's actual goal from his sales call is to get 10 people to buy his firm's insurance policies. Ivan
hopes to get more than 25 people to buy his insurance policies, get their relatives and friends to
buy the policies too, and develop a long-term relationship with these customers. This long-term
relationship that Ivan hopes to build in the future is an example of his:
A. minimum call objective.

B. routing quota.
C. zoning quota.
D. optimistic call objective.
E. gross margin quota.
52. While setting objectives for a sales call, the actual goal a salesperson hopes to achieve is known
as:
A. an optimistic call objective.

B. the gross margin quota.
C. the zoning target.
D. a primary call objective.
E. the routing quota.
53. Veronica's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 70 chairs to an IT company. She would be
willing to sanction an order for 30 chairs if the owner of the company is ready to make a small
investment. She is also hoping to convince the manager of the IT company for 200 chairs and to
sell them at a 15 percent discount. For Veronica, the sale of 70 chairs is her _____.
A. minimum call objective

B. routing quota
C. gross margin quota
D. primary call objective
E. optimistic call objective
7-8
54. Victor is calling on Meridian Cabinetworks. His goal is to close a deal for a customized profile
sander valued at about $3,500. He'd be willing to accept if Meridian purchases one of his firm's
ready-made sanders, which costs about $2,000. Victor wants to convince the owner of Meridian
to use the sander and to provide his company with a testimonial that would help him approach
other local wood workers. For Victor, the sale of the less expensive ready-made profile sander is
his _____.

B. strategic mission
C. sales quota
55. Norah's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 10 cases of anchovies to Darby's Diner, though
she would be willing to accept an order for just five cases, too. Additionally, she is planning to
approach the owner to enter into an agreement to purchase anchovies only from her supplier. For
Norah, setting up a straight rebuy situation with Darby's Diner is her _____ in this scenario.

C. sales quota
56. Jeff is an experienced salesperson in a firm that manufactures agricultural equipment. His goal is
to sell five tractors to farmers in a particular village. He is willing to accept orders for two tractors if
the farmers are first willing to make a small payment of 10 percent on the cost of the tractor. Jeff
would ideally like to sell more than 15 tractors and develop a long-term relationship with these
customers. Nevertheless, he accepts the order for two tractors. This sales call objective, where
Jeff is willing to adjust his actual goal, is most likely an example of his _____ call objective.
A. minimum
B. optimistic
C. primary
D. actual
E. unrealistic
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57. Andrew, who works for TeaTree, is going for his first sales call to Dynamo Motors. TeaTree leads
the market in the vending machine industry for beverages. Andrew hopes to meet the members
of the buying center first so he can estimate the demand for beverages and engage them in a
presentation regarding his products. Additionally, he would like to get permission to give a
demonstration at the MNC so its employees can taste TeaTree's beverages and provide their
feedback. Obtaining the permission to provide a demonstration of his vending machine is a(n)
_____ for Andrew's sales call.

C. sales quota
58. A salesperson who routinely accomplishes his or her _____ objectives most likely sets his or her
objectives too low.
A. strategic
B. optimum call
C. minimum call
D. primary call
E. secondary call
59. TECAmerica, Inc. sells electronic scales used for weighing meats and vegetables. A salesperson
for TECAmerica is calling on the headquarters of Kroger supermarkets. He has set his sales call
objectives to meet the members of the buying center, to have his product brochures sent to the
appropriate geographic division managers of Kroger, and to be allowed to demonstrate the
superiority of his company's scales. If he truly expects to achieve his objective of meeting the
members of the buying center, then the others would be classified as _____ call objectives.
A. ideological
B. primary
C. visionary
D. secondary
E. minimum
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60. Flora is a chief supplier of flowers to retailers in Dallas. Haley, a salesperson at Flora, is planning
to call on a supermarket chain that stocks flowers but does not buy its supplies from Flora yet.
Why would Haley set multiple call objectives including the goals of getting the company to buy its
Valentine package for $129 and convincing them to display Flora's samples in some of its stores
for her first meeting itself?
A. Multiple sales call objectives increase the fear of failure, which makes the salesperson try even
harder.
B. Multiple sales call objectives allow the salesperson to avoid focusing on any one sales call
objective for too long.
C. Multiple sales call objectives will force the salesperson to set his or her objectives too high.
D. Multiple sales call objectives are usually self-correcting in case the call objectives set are too
high or too low.
E. There is no benefit inherent in multiple sales call objectives.
61. A(n) _____ is defined as a written statement (usually one or two sentences) that clearly states
how purchasing a product or service being offered can help solve the customer's perceived
business issue.
A. optimal sales call objective

B. mission statement
C. sales presentation synopsis
D. statement of expectation
E. customer value proposition
62. A(n) _____, which salespeople can share with the CEO of a buyer's firm, focuses on what an
individual manager needs to address and resolve to be able to better contribute to overall
company objectives.

63. A safety equipment salesperson calling on a prospect for the first time should try to schedule an
appointment with the focus of _____, a person who will listen to the salesperson and provide
valuable information about the types of equipment that the company needs.
A. receptivity
B. authority
C. power
D. expertise
E. dissatisfaction
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64. Julia, a salesperson of cosmetic products, is meeting with a person who will tell her the ill effects
and problems related to the products she supplies. According to Neil Rackham, the person whom
Julia is meeting is known as the:
A. focus of receptivity.
B. focus of reciprocity.
C. focus of power.
D. focus of expertise.
E. focus of dissatisfaction.
65. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, Neil Rackham suggests that a
salesperson should initially try to call on the person who is the:
A. focus of dissatisfaction.
B. focus of receptivity.
C. focus of expertise.
D. focus of power.
E. focus of satisfaction.
66. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, Neil Rackham suggests that the
focus of dissatisfaction leads to the:
B. focus of power.
C. focus of reciprocity.
67. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, which of the following was
suggested by Neil Rackham?
A. A salesperson should initially try to contact the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction.
B. Going straight to the decision maker as quickly as possible is not necessarily effective selling.
C. A salesperson should first focus on initiating contact with the person who is the focus of
expertise.
D. A salesperson should avoid initiating a conversation with people who are not in the buying
center even though they are excellent listeners.
E. Salespeople who talk to the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction are effective
salespeople.
68. If an industrial salesperson makes her first call on an employee at a client's company who is most
likely willing to listen and provide valuable information, she is most likely calling on the _____.
A. focus of dissatisfaction
B. focus of receptivity
C. focus of expertise
D. focus of power
E. focus of satisfaction
7-12
69. In the buying center, the person who can approve, prevent, and/or influence action is called the
_____.
A. focus of receptivity
B. focus of dissatisfaction
C. focus of power
D. driver
E. gatekeeper
70. When making an appointment, it is important for a salesperson to identify an environment

conducive to doing business. So, the salesperson should:
A. choose a place free of distraction for all parties.

B. ensure the buyer's subordinates will not be present at the meeting.
C. arrange the meeting at his/her own company.
D. plan the meeting during the company's annual review meetings.
E. all of these.
71. In a buying center, a screen can take on the role of a(n) _____.
A. seller
B. decider
C. user
D. influencer
E. gatekeeper
72. As the CEO's personal assistant, Robert's job involves taking calls from sales representatives
from different companies. He sorts them and selects the salespeople who get to speak directly to
his boss. In this situation, Robert is acting as the _____.
A. point of dissatisfaction
B. screen
C. user
D. risk-taker
E. center of influence
73. Billy is a charming sales representative. He uses his skills and persuades the prospect's
secretary to get him a face-to-face meeting with the prospect. He convinces her that the product
he is selling will greatly benefit her company. The technique that Billy is using is known as:
A. ignoring the screen.

B. taking down the screen.
C. going under the screen.
D. going through the screen.
E. going over the screen.
7-13
74. Jenna, a seller of insurance products, is scheduled to meet her prospect, Jay. Jay's assistant
always interferes and stops salespeople from contacting Jay. When Jay's assistant attempts to
stall Jenna's effort, she tells the assistant that she has authority from Jay's superiors and the top
management to meet Jay. The strategy used by Jenna is known as:
A. lowballing.
C. nibbling.
D. going over the screen.
E. going through the screen.
75. Al sells everything a company needs to market decorative balloons—the balloons themselves,
ribbons, helium tanks, etc. He wants to talk to the owner of a large catering company because
balloons are great decorations for birthday tables, baby showers, and other such social
occasions. Unfortunately, every time he tries to talk to the owner of the catering company, he
finds himself in an unnecessarily long conversation with the assistant caterer, who does not let
him talk to the owner. The assistant caterer is assuming the role of a(n):
A. barrier.
B. decider.
C. driver.
D. risk-taker.
E. arbitrator.
76. Veronica, a senior salesperson, has an appointment with a prospect. She tries to convince the
prospect's subordinate with an eloquent narration about the implication of meeting with the
prospect. She tells the subordinate that the meeting would greatly benefit the prospect. The
strategy used by Veronica to meet her prospect is known as:
A. going through the screen.

B. going over the screen.
C. lubrication.
D. going under the screen.
E. lowballing.
77. Gareth, an insurance salesperson, has an appointment with Jeff. Jeff's subordinate is known to
restrict salespeople from contacting or meeting Jeff during his work hours. Gareth tries to contact
Jeff at lunchtime when his subordinate does not monitor these activities. In this case, the strategy
used by Gareth is known as:
A. nibbling.
B. bypassing the gatekeeper.
D. poaching.
E. seeding.
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78. When making a telephone call to a new client, salespeople must:
A. contact the top management of the company directly.

B. prepare themselves for any objections that may come up in the conversation.
C. avoid answering any queries raised by the prospect about their products or services.
D. attempt to finalize the deal during the first call itself.
E. prepare to aggressively market their product over the telephone.
79. Kerry, a sales representative from Spitz Inc., has a lead on a potential customer for her
company's line of vacuum cleaners. She calls the prospect's firm and speaks to the secretary.
What should be the primary goal of this call?
A. To make an appointment with the prospect

B. To finalize the sale of the vacuum cleaners
C. To make Spitz the sole supplier of vacuum cleaners to the prospect
D. To engage in the practice of seeding
E. To compromise the credibility of competing salespeople
80. Kumar is a salesperson for a cosmetic brand. Before meeting his prospect, he sends the prospect
a few fashion and lifestyle magazines to improve the prospect's knowledge about cosmetic
products. In this case, Kumar is most likely engaging in _____.
A. nibbling
B. lowballing
C. seeding
D. cloverleaf routing
E. cold calling
Short Answer Questions
81. What is the term used for people who can influence a purchase decision and are opposed to the
seller's company?
7-15
82. How can a salesperson know if he or she has enough information to make a sales call?
83. Which is the first source of information that a salesperson can use while using the Internet to
gather precall information?
84. Within a prospect's company, who is likely to be a rich source of information?
85. What is the most important step when planning a sales call?
7-16
86. A salesperson for Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry is calling on an orthopedic hospital to sell his
company's new computerized artificial limbs that can anticipate and regulate movement by the
user. The salesperson's sales call objective is to sell 20 limbs after convincing the buyer that the
limb is superior to all other prosthesis available in the market. The total amount involved in the
deal is around $50,000. The salesperson has been given 15 minutes to make his sales
presentation. What is wrong with this objective?
87. SRC Refrigeration Company manufactures and sells refrigerator display units for flowers. Ronald,
a salesperson for the company, is calling on a large supermarket chain in an attempt to provide a
demonstration of SRC's new product which "bathes flowers in generous humidity and uniform air
temperature." Ronald's sales call objective is to persuade the buyer to lease one refrigeration unit
for 6 months and compare how it keeps flowers fresh longer than the other brand currently in use.
In terms of the criteria for evaluating sales objectives, how would you rate this sales call
objective?
88. Rotocast Display Products sells display accessories to be used on the sales floor and in store
windows. One popular item it sells is the Corinthian columns ranging from 16" to 96". A Rotocast
salesperson is calling on a company that specializes in designing store displays. Her goal is to
sell the design company 3 dozen columns of various heights. If she can't achieve this goal, she
wants to sell the design company at least 6 small columns. Identify the two types of multiple sales
objectives that the Rotocast salesperson has set.
7-17
89. To whom should a salesperson present a customer value proposition?
90. In the context of sales, what is Webcasting?
Essay Questions
91. Martin is planning his first sales call on F&S Industries. He has decided to postpone the call until
he knows everything there is to know about the company and the prospects on whom he will be
calling. What's wrong with this idea?
7-18
92. Amy is given the name of a potential prospect. What general sources of information should she
consider checking before approaching the prospect?
93. What is a primary sales call objective?
94. Why should salespeople consider cultural factors when setting sales call objectives?
95. Describe a customer value proposition.
7-19
96. Why should a salesperson make an appointment after gathering precall information and setting
call objectives?
97. Differentiate between a person who is the focus of receptivity, the focus of dissatisfaction, and the
focus of power.
98. Discuss the best time for a salesperson to call on a prospect.
99. What is the right place for a salesperson to meet a prospect?
7-20
100.Sales strategists have identified three basic ways to interact with a screen or barrier to a
prospect. List and briefly describe them.
7-21
Chapter 07 Planning the Sales Call Answer Key
True / False Questions
1. Planning a sales call helps salespeople avoid wasting a prospect's time.
TRUE
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-01 Why should salespeople plan their sales calls?
2. The more information a salesperson has about a prospect, the higher the probability of
meeting the prospect's needs and developing a long-term relationship.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-02 What precall information is needed about the individual prospect and the prospect's organization?
3. Collecting information about a prospect before making a call is a waste of the salesperson's
time as this does not help him or her make a sale.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
4. It is important to learn and maintain current knowledge about both the prospect as an
individual and his or her firm.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
5. An influential adversary is a competing salesperson from another company.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
6. Analysis paralysis refers to a situation where a salesperson cannot extract data about a
prospect from the prospect's company's records because of the defective customer record
system.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-03 How can this information be obtained?
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7. As part of the process of gathering precall information, salespeople must understand the
policies and procedures followed by a prospect's firm.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
8. The Marine Corps' 70 percent solution lays down that one must act as soon as they have 70
percent of the required information.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
9. A buying center consists of all the people in the selling organization who participate in a selling
opportunity.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
10. The first place to look for information on the Internet about a prospect company would be the
prospect company's Web page.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
11. When setting sales call objectives, salespeople should discover what customers value and
then find ways to improve customer value relative to their own products or services.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-04 What is involved in setting call objectives?
12. One of the best sources of precall information is a prospect's own salespeople because they
empathize with the salesperson's situation.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
13. Call objectives should be developed while taking into account the firm's goals, the sales team's
goals, and the salesperson's goals.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-23
14. The statement "spend quality time with prospects and customers" is a measurable call
objective.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
15. The first step in setting objectives for a sales call is to review what has been learned from the
organization's mission statement.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
16. A simple way to help ensure that call objectives are measurable is to set objectives that
require a buyer's response.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
17. To be effective, a call objective must be generic and non-measurable.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
18. All sales objectives should be either specific or measurable.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
19. It is recommended that salespeople avoid including suggested order quantities or dates for
closure of a deal in their specific objectives.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
20. For a sales call objective to be effective, it needs to be easy rather than specific.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-24
21. The statement "sell a minimum of 10 boxes of a product to the customer" is a specific sales
objective.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
22. "Get better acquainted with the prospect" is a measurable sales objective.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
23. Ben, a salesman, would like to sell his prospect three dozen handheld mixers. However, he
would be willing to settle for selling just six of them—that would be his minimum sales call
objective.
TRUE

Difficulty: 2 Medium
24. Multiple sales objectives reduce salespeople's fear of failure.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-05 Should more than one objective be set for each call?
25. It is possible to have more than one primary call objective for a single call.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
26. It is important for salespeople to consider the company's overall promotional campaign when
developing multiple call objectives for a prospect.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
27. A customer value proposition is a written statement that lists the call objectives for a
salesperson.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-25
28. After gathering precall information and setting objectives, a salesperson's next step in planning
the sales call is generally to make an appointment.
TRUE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 07-06 How can appointments be made effectively and efficiently?
29. Videoconferencing or Webcasting has lost its popularity as a result of downsizing.
FALSE

30. Seeding is the process of finding the key decision maker within a buying center.
FALSE

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Multiple Choice Questions
31. As a result of failing to plan her sales call, Glenda is likely to do all of the following EXCEPT:
A. cover material in which the prospect has no interest.

B. obtain the prospect's commitment.
C. engage in seeding.
D. make a customized sales presentation.
E. seek referrals from the prospect.

32. Which of the following statements about obtaining precall information is FALSE?
A. At some point, the amount of time and effort required to collect additional information
exceeds its value.
B. Proper planning before making sales calls leads to better territory management.
C. Collecting information about a particular prospect is usually a quick and easy process.
D. The more information the salesperson has, the more likely the prospect's needs will be
met.
E. A salesperson calling on a regular customer does not need to collect additional
information.

7-26
33. Which of the following statements would be of value to insurance salespeople collecting
information about prospects?
A. The prospect graduated with a marketing degree from Kennesaw State University.
B. The prospect is divorced with two children.
C. The prospect is a friendly and easygoing person.
D. The prospect is a member of the local Rotary Club.
E. All of these
34. In which of the following types of buying situations is it usually unnecessary for a salesperson
to educate a prospect about the common features of a product?
A. When the prospect is buying a smartphone for the first time

B. When the prospect is buying a new car from a famous automobile outlet
C. When the prospect is buying capital equipment to run the operations of his or her firm
D. When the prospect is buying an insurance product for his or her family
E. When the prospect is buying the same laptop he or she purchased previously with the
salesperson

35. Jason and his son Ryan supply laptop accessories to customers in their neighborhood. They
have been approached by a salesperson for a laptop manufacturing firm that wants to sell
them laptop products and accessories at a huge discount. Unfortunately, the owner of the
laptop manufacturing firm had once refused to work with Ryan because he was inexperienced.
While Jason may want to buy the products, his son will act as a(n) _____ in this situation.
A. influential adversary
B. actual competitor
C. potential competitor
D. poacher
E. bird dog

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-27
36. A farm machinery salesperson has spent the last three weeks gathering information about a
prospective customer. He has researched the customer's existing machinery and buying
potential. However, he delays the actual meeting with the customer because he feels that he
requires a couple of weeks more to gather enough information to make the sales call. In this
scenario, the salesperson is experiencing a(n):
A. acute shortage of data about the customer.

B. phenomenon called analysis paralysis.
C. problem in meeting the client directly because of the existence of a screen.
D. obstacle in finalizing the deal because of an influential adversary.
E. problem in contacting the focus of power in the farm because of the gatekeepers.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
37. Kenneth is a new salesperson in a firm. He collects all relevant data about his prospects,
including their needs, buying behavior, and ability to buy. He thinks too much about these data
points and never calls his prospects because he is never sure whether he has enough
information to initiate a sales call. Kenneth is most likely experiencing the phenomenon known
as:
A. buyer's remorse.
B. analysis paralysis.
C. boomerang.
D. wicked problem.
E. customer style flexing.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
38. Brandi, a sales trainee, watched as her sales supervisor chatted with a prospect's secretary in
a very friendly manner. Brandi felt that such behavior was inappropriate in a business situation
and she did not understand why her supervisor was asking the secretary about what sports
the prospect follows closely. Brandi is unable to understand her supervisor's actions. Which of
the following statements would help her understand the functional value of such interactions in
a sales situation?
A. Brandi's supervisor has found a meaningless way to pass the time while waiting for the
appointment.
B. The prospect will see Brandi and her supervisor more quickly if they prevent the secretary
from getting any work done.
C. Secretaries are a rich source of information about a prospect and are important for
successful sales calls.
D. Salespeople should talk to secretaries in order to appear to be working.
E. Secretaries are poor sources of information about the prospect.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-28
39. If a salesperson does not know the basics about a prospect's company, then the:
A. prospect will not meet the salesperson at all.

B. prospect's receptionist will prevent the salesperson from meeting the prospect.
C. prospect may justifiably refuse to take the deal forward.
D. salesperson may begin to experience a phenomenon called "analysis paralysis."
E. salesperson should make "getting the deal" the formal objective of the first sales call.

40. The most important step for a salesperson in planning a sales call is to:
A. design a flexible sales presentation.

B. discover personal information about a prospect.
C. plan an after-sales service package for a prospect.
D. set objectives for the call.
E. take an appointment with the prospect.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
41. Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is FALSE?
A. The primary objective of every sales call is to make a sale.

B. An objective should be established for every sales call.
C. Sales call objectives should be specific.
D. Sales call objectives should be measurable.
E. Sales call objectives should be aimed at customer action.

42. As the first step in setting sales call objectives, a salesperson should:
A. review the steps of the selling process.

B. review the customer's marketing goals.
C. determine his or her progress toward meeting the sales targets.
D. review what has been learned from the precall information gathered.
E. review the available inventory in his or her own company.

7-29
43. Which of the following statements about sales call objectives is true?
A. Sales call objectives should always be expressed in monetary terms.

B. Sales call objectives are unnecessary for missionary salespeople.
C. Sales call objectives are unnecessary when the sales rep is cold calling.
D. Sales call objectives should be limited to one objective per sales call.
E. Sales call objectives are based on strategic decisions about an account.

44. Effective call objectives must be:
A. expressed only in monetary terms.

B. specific, realistic, and measurable.
C. standardized for all sales representatives in a company.
D. independent of any cultural influences.
E. all of these.

45. Gary, a new salesperson for a reputed cellphone manufacturer, meets the owner of a
transport company that employs 50,000 people as cab drivers. On his first meeting, he plans
to sell mobile phones to all the 50,000 cab drivers because he believes his firm's mobile
phones are the best in the market. Which of the following is a drawback of this primary call
objective?
A. It is too qualitative.
B. It is unrealistic.
C. It is irrelevant.
D. It is less optimistic.
E. It cannot be measured.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-30
46. Jonah, a salesperson, hears of a lead and decides to pursue it. He determines getting
acquainted with the client to be his call objective for the first sales call. As he reviews his notes
after the sales call, he realizes that he does not have much information about the needs and
the business potential of the lead despite having met most members of the buying center.
Which of the following drawbacks of his call objective is most likely to explain this shortage of
information faced by Jonah?
A. It puts too much emphasis on service.

B. It says nothing about the product being sold.
C. It is not measurable.
D. It is too personal.
E. It is unrelated to company goals.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
47. Which of the following is a realistic sales call objective for a first call regarding a product that
would require a large capital investment?
A. To secure an order
B. To send the prospect a brochure that lists the products of the selling firm
C. To get the prospect to identify all the other members of the firm who play key roles in the
firm's decision-making process
D. To get the prospect to change over to the new product being offered
E. All of these

48. Tom, an experienced salesperson for road construction equipment, has been hired as the
sales representative for Caterpillar Tractor Corporation in the state of Ohio. Tom is aware that
his company makes products of high quality but is fairly new in the market. Which of the
following objectives for Tom's first sales call on Faulkner Paving, a key prospect, meets the
criteria of being realistic?
A. To get an appointment for a second call

B. To persuade Faulkner to switch to Caterpillar's equipment next season
C. To convince Faulkner to buy one of Caterpillar's large bulldozers for a trial run
D. To get Faulkner to watch a two-hour videotape that shows the superiority of the
construction of Caterpillar's products
E. All of these

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-31
49. Which of the following best exemplifies a measurable sales call objective?
A. To learn more about a prospect's needs

B. To learn about a prospect's professional background
C. To improve a prospect's perception of a salesperson's company
D. To build rapport with a prospect
E. To gain a buyer's trust

50. As a salesperson, a simple way to ensure that the sales call objectives determined are
measurable is to:
A. use a canned sales presentation.

B. follow the guidelines set by your sales supervisor.
C. set long-term goals based on your sales call objectives.
D. align your objectives with the strategic objectives of your company.
E. set objectives that require a buyer's response.

51. Ivan's actual goal from his sales call is to get 10 people to buy his firm's insurance policies.
Ivan hopes to get more than 25 people to buy his insurance policies, get their relatives and
friends to buy the policies too, and develop a long-term relationship with these customers. This
long-term relationship that Ivan hopes to build in the future is an example of his:
A. minimum call objective.

B. routing quota.
C. zoning quota.
D. optimistic call objective.
E. gross margin quota.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
52. While setting objectives for a sales call, the actual goal a salesperson hopes to achieve is
known as:
A. an optimistic call objective.

B. the gross margin quota.
C. the zoning target.
D. a primary call objective.
E. the routing quota.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-32
53. Veronica's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 70 chairs to an IT company. She would be
willing to sanction an order for 30 chairs if the owner of the company is ready to make a small
investment. She is also hoping to convince the manager of the IT company for 200 chairs and
to sell them at a 15 percent discount. For Veronica, the sale of 70 chairs is her _____.

B. routing quota
C. gross margin quota
Difficulty: 3 Hard
54. Victor is calling on Meridian Cabinetworks. His goal is to close a deal for a customized profile
sander valued at about $3,500. He'd be willing to accept if Meridian purchases one of his
firm's ready-made sanders, which costs about $2,000. Victor wants to convince the owner of
Meridian to use the sander and to provide his company with a testimonial that would help him
approach other local wood workers. For Victor, the sale of the less expensive ready-made
profile sander is his _____.

C. sales quota

Difficulty: 3 Hard
55. Norah's goal for her upcoming sales call is to sell 10 cases of anchovies to Darby's Diner,
though she would be willing to accept an order for just five cases, too. Additionally, she is
planning to approach the owner to enter into an agreement to purchase anchovies only from
her supplier. For Norah, setting up a straight rebuy situation with Darby's Diner is her _____ in
this scenario.

C. sales quota

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-33
56. Jeff is an experienced salesperson in a firm that manufactures agricultural equipment. His goal
is to sell five tractors to farmers in a particular village. He is willing to accept orders for two
tractors if the farmers are first willing to make a small payment of 10 percent on the cost of the
tractor. Jeff would ideally like to sell more than 15 tractors and develop a long-term
relationship with these customers. Nevertheless, he accepts the order for two tractors. This
sales call objective, where Jeff is willing to adjust his actual goal, is most likely an example of
his _____ call objective.
A. minimum
B. optimistic
C. primary
D. actual
E. unrealistic

Difficulty: 3 Hard
57. Andrew, who works for TeaTree, is going for his first sales call to Dynamo Motors. TeaTree
leads the market in the vending machine industry for beverages. Andrew hopes to meet the
members of the buying center first so he can estimate the demand for beverages and engage
them in a presentation regarding his products. Additionally, he would like to get permission to
give a demonstration at the MNC so its employees can taste TeaTree's beverages and
provide their feedback. Obtaining the permission to provide a demonstration of his vending
machine is a(n) _____ for Andrew's sales call.

C. sales quota

Difficulty: 3 Hard
58. A salesperson who routinely accomplishes his or her _____ objectives most likely sets his or
her objectives too low.
A. strategic
B. optimum call
C. minimum call
D. primary call
E. secondary call

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-34
59. TECAmerica, Inc. sells electronic scales used for weighing meats and vegetables. A
salesperson for TECAmerica is calling on the headquarters of Kroger supermarkets. He has
set his sales call objectives to meet the members of the buying center, to have his product
brochures sent to the appropriate geographic division managers of Kroger, and to be allowed
to demonstrate the superiority of his company's scales. If he truly expects to achieve his
objective of meeting the members of the buying center, then the others would be classified as
_____ call objectives.
A. ideological
B. primary
C. visionary
D. secondary
E. minimum

Difficulty: 3 Hard
60. Flora is a chief supplier of flowers to retailers in Dallas. Haley, a salesperson at Flora, is
planning to call on a supermarket chain that stocks flowers but does not buy its supplies from
Flora yet. Why would Haley set multiple call objectives including the goals of getting the
company to buy its Valentine package for $129 and convincing them to display Flora's
samples in some of its stores for her first meeting itself?
A. Multiple sales call objectives increase the fear of failure, which makes the salesperson try
even harder.
B. Multiple sales call objectives allow the salesperson to avoid focusing on any one sales call
objective for too long.
C. Multiple sales call objectives will force the salesperson to set his or her objectives too high.
D. Multiple sales call objectives are usually self-correcting in case the call objectives set are
too high or too low.
E. There is no benefit inherent in multiple sales call objectives.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
61. A(n) _____ is defined as a written statement (usually one or two sentences) that clearly states
how purchasing a product or service being offered can help solve the customer's perceived
business issue.


Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-35
62. A(n) _____, which salespeople can share with the CEO of a buyer's firm, focuses on what an
individual manager needs to address and resolve to be able to better contribute to overall
company objectives.


Difficulty: 1 Easy
63. A safety equipment salesperson calling on a prospect for the first time should try to schedule
an appointment with the focus of _____, a person who will listen to the salesperson and
provide valuable information about the types of equipment that the company needs.
A. receptivity
B. authority
C. power
D. expertise
E. dissatisfaction

64. Julia, a salesperson of cosmetic products, is meeting with a person who will tell her the ill
effects and problems related to the products she supplies. According to Neil Rackham, the
person whom Julia is meeting is known as the:
B. focus of reciprocity.
C. focus of power.
E. focus of dissatisfaction.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
65. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, Neil Rackham suggests that a
salesperson should initially try to call on the person who is the:
A. focus of dissatisfaction.
B. focus of receptivity.
C. focus of expertise.
D. focus of power.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-36
66. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, Neil Rackham suggests that the
focus of dissatisfaction leads to the:
B. focus of power.
C. focus of reciprocity.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
67. In the context of finding the right person to make a sales call, which of the following was
suggested by Neil Rackham?
A. A salesperson should initially try to contact the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction.
B. Going straight to the decision maker as quickly as possible is not necessarily effective
selling.
C. A salesperson should first focus on initiating contact with the person who is the focus of
expertise.
D. A salesperson should avoid initiating a conversation with people who are not in the buying
center even though they are excellent listeners.
E. Salespeople who talk to the person who is the focus of dissatisfaction are effective
salespeople.

68. If an industrial salesperson makes her first call on an employee at a client's company who is
most likely willing to listen and provide valuable information, she is most likely calling on the
_____.
A. focus of dissatisfaction
B. focus of receptivity
C. focus of expertise
D. focus of power
E. focus of satisfaction

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-37
69. In the buying center, the person who can approve, prevent, and/or influence action is called
the _____.
A. focus of receptivity
B. focus of dissatisfaction
C. focus of power
D. driver
E. gatekeeper

70. When making an appointment, it is important for a salesperson to identify an environment

conducive to doing business. So, the salesperson should:
A. choose a place free of distraction for all parties.

B. ensure the buyer's subordinates will not be present at the meeting.
C. arrange the meeting at his/her own company.
D. plan the meeting during the company's annual review meetings.
E. all of these.

71. In a buying center, a screen can take on the role of a(n) _____.
A. seller
B. decider
C. user
D. influencer
E. gatekeeper

Difficulty: 1 Easy
72. As the CEO's personal assistant, Robert's job involves taking calls from sales representatives
from different companies. He sorts them and selects the salespeople who get to speak directly
to his boss. In this situation, Robert is acting as the _____.
A. point of dissatisfaction
B. screen
C. user
D. risk-taker
E. center of influence

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-38
73. Billy is a charming sales representative. He uses his skills and persuades the prospect's
secretary to get him a face-to-face meeting with the prospect. He convinces her that the
product he is selling will greatly benefit her company. The technique that Billy is using is
known as:
A. ignoring the screen.

D. going through the screen.
E. going over the screen.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
74. Jenna, a seller of insurance products, is scheduled to meet her prospect, Jay. Jay's assistant
always interferes and stops salespeople from contacting Jay. When Jay's assistant attempts to
stall Jenna's effort, she tells the assistant that she has authority from Jay's superiors and the
top management to meet Jay. The strategy used by Jenna is known as:
A. lowballing.
C. nibbling.
D. going over the screen.
E. going through the screen.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
75. Al sells everything a company needs to market decorative balloons—the balloons themselves,
ribbons, helium tanks, etc. He wants to talk to the owner of a large catering company because
balloons are great decorations for birthday tables, baby showers, and other such social
occasions. Unfortunately, every time he tries to talk to the owner of the catering company, he
finds himself in an unnecessarily long conversation with the assistant caterer, who does not let
him talk to the owner. The assistant caterer is assuming the role of a(n):
A. barrier.
B. decider.
C. driver.
D. risk-taker.
E. arbitrator.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-39
76. Veronica, a senior salesperson, has an appointment with a prospect. She tries to convince the
prospect's subordinate with an eloquent narration about the implication of meeting with the
prospect. She tells the subordinate that the meeting would greatly benefit the prospect. The
strategy used by Veronica to meet her prospect is known as:
A. going through the screen.

B. going over the screen.
C. lubrication.
D. going under the screen.
E. lowballing.
Difficulty: 3 Hard
77. Gareth, an insurance salesperson, has an appointment with Jeff. Jeff's subordinate is known
to restrict salespeople from contacting or meeting Jeff during his work hours. Gareth tries to
contact Jeff at lunchtime when his subordinate does not monitor these activities. In this case,
the strategy used by Gareth is known as:
A. nibbling.
B. bypassing the gatekeeper.
D. poaching.
E. seeding.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
78. When making a telephone call to a new client, salespeople must:
A. contact the top management of the company directly.

B. prepare themselves for any objections that may come up in the conversation.
C. avoid answering any queries raised by the prospect about their products or services.
D. attempt to finalize the deal during the first call itself.
E. prepare to aggressively market their product over the telephone.

7-40
79. Kerry, a sales representative from Spitz Inc., has a lead on a potential customer for her
company's line of vacuum cleaners. She calls the prospect's firm and speaks to the secretary.
What should be the primary goal of this call?
A. To make an appointment with the prospect

B. To finalize the sale of the vacuum cleaners
C. To make Spitz the sole supplier of vacuum cleaners to the prospect
D. To engage in the practice of seeding
E. To compromise the credibility of competing salespeople

Difficulty: 3 Hard
80. Kumar is a salesperson for a cosmetic brand. Before meeting his prospect, he sends the
prospect a few fashion and lifestyle magazines to improve the prospect's knowledge about
cosmetic products. In this case, Kumar is most likely engaging in _____.
A. nibbling
B. lowballing
C. seeding
D. cloverleaf routing
E. cold calling

Difficulty: 3 Hard
Short Answer Questions
81. What is the term used for people who can influence a purchase decision and are opposed to
the seller's company?
People who can sway a purchase decision and are opposed to the seller's company are
known as influential adversaries.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-41
82. How can a salesperson know if he or she has enough information to make a sales call?
Often, the difference between making and not making a sale depends on the amount of
homework the salesperson does before making a call. The more information the salesperson
has about the prospect, the higher the probability of meeting the prospect's needs and
developing a long-term relationship. However, the salesperson must be aware of the costs
involved in collecting information. At some point, the time and effort put into collecting
information become greater than the benefits obtained. And, of course, for some cold calls,
there will be little, if any, precall information collected. Clearly, a salesperson who has been
calling regularly on a prospect or customer may not need to collect a lot of additional
information; records and notes from prior calls may be adequate to prepare for the sales call.
The same holds true for a new salesperson if the previous one kept good records.

83. Which is the first source of information that a salesperson can use while using the Internet to
gather precall information?
The first place to look is the prospect company's own Web site.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
84. Within a prospect's company, who is likely to be a rich source of information?
The prospect's secretary or receptionist is often a rich source of information. It is important to

be courteous, however, because secretaries and receptionists are accustomed to having
salespeople pry for all sorts of free information.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
85. What is the most important step when planning a sales call?
The most important step in planning a sales call is to set sales call objectives.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-42
86. A salesperson for Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry is calling on an orthopedic hospital to sell his
company's new computerized artificial limbs that can anticipate and regulate movement by the
user. The salesperson's sales call objective is to sell 20 limbs after convincing the buyer that
the limb is superior to all other prosthesis available in the market. The total amount involved in
the deal is around $50,000. The salesperson has been given 15 minutes to make his sales
presentation. What is wrong with this objective?
The sales objective is not realistic. Objectives must be realistic. Inexperienced salespeople
often have unrealistic expectations about the prospect's or customer's response in the sales
call. It is important for sellers to plan objectives for a call that can be accomplished within the
time allocated for that sales call. That doesn't mean the objectives should be easy. In reality,
challenging but reachable goals tend to lead to better performance.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
87. SRC Refrigeration Company manufactures and sells refrigerator display units for flowers.
Ronald, a salesperson for the company, is calling on a large supermarket chain in an attempt
to provide a demonstration of SRC's new product which "bathes flowers in generous humidity
and uniform air temperature." Ronald's sales call objective is to persuade the buyer to lease
one refrigeration unit for 6 months and compare how it keeps flowers fresh longer than the
other brand currently in use. In terms of the criteria for evaluating sales objectives, how would
you rate this sales call objective?
The sales call objective is specific, realistic, and measurable. All objectives should be specific,
realistic, and measurable. A call objective that meets only one or two of these criteria will be
an ineffective guide for the salesperson.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
88. Rotocast Display Products sells display accessories to be used on the sales floor and in store
windows. One popular item it sells is the Corinthian columns ranging from 16" to 96". A
Rotocast salesperson is calling on a company that specializes in designing store displays. Her
goal is to sell the design company 3 dozen columns of various heights. If she can't achieve
this goal, she wants to sell the design company at least 6 small columns. Identify the two types
of multiple sales objectives that the Rotocast salesperson has set.
The first goal involving the sale of 3 dozen columns of various heights is the primary objective;
the plan to sell 6 small columns at least is the minimum sales objective.

Difficulty: 3 Hard
7-43
89. To whom should a salesperson present a customer value proposition?
The customer value proposition is sent to the top management, often the CEO of the buying
company.

90. In the context of sales, what is Webcasting?
Videoconferencing—meetings in which people are not physically present in one location but
are connected via voice and video—is growing in usage. In a variant on videoconferencing,
called Webcasting or virtual sales calls, the meeting is broadcast over the Internet. For
example, due to downsizing, emWare, Inc. has only eight salespeople. According to Michael
Nelson, CEO of emWare, the use of virtual sales calls is now necessary and is actually quite
successful. Salespeople should learn how to plan for such meetings. One key is to carefully
plan all technical elements of the presentation and to rehearse them as much as possible.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
Essay Questions
91. Martin is planning his first sales call on F&S Industries. He has decided to postpone the call
until he knows everything there is to know about the company and the prospects on whom he
will be calling. What's wrong with this idea?
To gather all the relevant information is impossible. The goal is to gather how much
information is possible and profitable. Martin needs to remember the value of his own time.
There must be a proper balance between time spent acquiring information and time spent
making calls.

7-44
92. Amy is given the name of a potential prospect. What general sources of information should
she consider checking before approaching the prospect?
Amy should start with resources within her company. She should also check the prospect
company's Web page. Traditional secondary sources like the government or industry
associations can be useful. Noncompeting salespeople can provide insights, and the
prospect's secretary or receptionist can be a valuable source of information.

93. What is a primary sales call objective?
Salespeople have learned the importance of setting multiple objectives for a sales call. Not
only do they set a primary call objective (the actual goal they hope to achieve) before each
sales call, they also set a minimum call objective (the minimum they hope to achieve) because
they realize the call may not go exactly as planned (the prospect may be called away or the
salesperson may not have all the necessary facts).

Difficulty: 1 Easy
94. Why should salespeople consider cultural factors when setting sales call objectives?
For sales call objectives to be realistic, a salesperson needs to consider factors such as
cultural influences. For example, some firms have an extremely conservative corporate
culture. Creating change in such a culture is time consuming and often frustrating for the
seller. The national culture is important in selling to international prospects. When selling to
Arab or Japanese businesses, salespeople should plan to spend at least several meetings
getting to know the other party. Developing relationships with Chinese businesspeople
requires a great deal of entertaining. Selling in Russia is often slowed because of bureaucracy
and incredible amounts of red tape. As these examples illustrate, culture is an important
consideration in attempts to set realistic call objectives.

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95. Describe a customer value proposition.
A customer value proposition is written by the salesperson and intended for the CEO or other
top management personnel. It is a written statement (usually one or two sentences) that
clearly states how purchasing your product or service can help solve the customer's perceived
business issue. Further, the CVP focuses on what an individual manager needs to address
and resolve to be able to better contribute to overall company objectives.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
96. Why should a salesperson make an appointment after gathering precall information and
setting call objectives?
Appointments dignify the salespeople and put them on the same level as the prospect.
Appointments increase the chance of seeing the right person and of having uninterrupted time
with the prospect.

97. Differentiate between a person who is the focus of receptivity, the focus of dissatisfaction, and
the focus of power.
A focus of receptivity is a person who is open to listening to the sales person and will provide
valuable information to the salesperson. A focus of dissatisfaction is a person or people who
perceive problems, creating the opportunity for the salesperson to provide solutions. A focus
of power is a person who can approve action, prevent action, and/or influence action.

98. Discuss the best time for a salesperson to call on a prospect.
There is little agreement on the subject of the best time for a sales interview; obviously the
most opportune time to call will vary by customer and type of selling. For most types of selling,
the best hours of the day are from approximately 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4
p.m. According to InsideSales.com, Thursday is best, followed by Wednesday, with Tuesday
being the worst day.

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99. What is the right place for a salesperson to meet a prospect?
Meetings can occur just about anywhere, including by video on the Internet. The sales call
should take place in an environment conducive to doing business. Such is not always the
case, however. For example, some salespeople still take customers to topless bars. In
addition to distractions, topless bars present a number of problems for the salesperson who
uses them to achieve sales. For example, is it ethical to gain business by using such tactics?
Also, once a buyer has purchased on the basis of this entertainment, chances are the seller
will have to keep it up or lose the customer. Salespeople should also understand that their
companies do care about where they meet a client and are tracking that information for a
number of purposes.

100. Sales strategists have identified three basic ways to interact with a screen or barrier to a
prospect. List and briefly describe them.
The salesperson can go "over the screen." This occurs when the seller drops names of people
higher up in the organization and is let in because the screen fears getting into trouble. The
salesperson can go "under the screen" by trying to make contact with the prospect when the
screen in not on the job—like before working hours. The salesperson can also go "through the
screen" by simply involving the screen in the sales process.

Difficulty: 1 Easy
7-47

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Edition Castleberry Test Bank

Planning the Sales Call

True / False Questions

1. Planning a sales call helps salespeople avoid wasting a prospect's time.

5. An influential adversary is a competing salesperson from another company.

17. To be effective, a call objective must be generic and non-measurable.

18. All sales objectives should be either specific or measurable.

24. Multiple sales objectives reduce salespeople's fear of failure.

29. Videoconferencing or Webcasting has lost its popularity as a result of downsizing.

Multiple Choice Questions

A. cover material in which the prospect has no interest.

A. When the prospect is buying a smartphone for the first time

A. acute shortage of data about the customer.

A. prospect will not meet the salesperson at all.

A. design a flexible sales presentation.

A. The primary objective of every sales call is to make a sale.

A. review the steps of the selling process.

A. Sales call objectives should always be expressed in monetary terms.

44. Effective call objectives must be:

A. expressed only in monetary terms.

A. It puts too much emphasis on service.

A. To get an appointment for a second call

A. To learn more about a prospect's needs

A. use a canned sales presentation.

A. minimum call objective.

A. an optimistic call objective.

A. minimum call objective

A. minimum call objective

A. minimum call objective

A. minimum call objective

A. optimal sales call objective

A. optimal sales call objective

70. When making an appointment, it is important for a salesperson to identify an environment

A. choose a place free of distraction for all parties.

A. ignoring the screen.

A. going through the screen.

A. contact the top management of the company directly.

A. To make an appointment with the prospect

Short Answer Questions

84. Within a prospect's company, who is likely to be a rich source of information?

90. In the context of sales, what is Webcasting?

93. What is a primary sales call objective?

95. Describe a customer value proposition.

98. Discuss the best time for a salesperson to call on a prospect.

99. What is the right place for a salesperson to meet a prospect?

True / False Questions

1. Planning a sales call helps salespeople avoid wasting a prospect's time.

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5. An influential adversary is a competing salesperson from another company.

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