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CHSE Odisha Elective Salesmanship study materials
CHSE Odisha Elective Salesmanship study resources

CHSE Odisha Elective Salesmanship practice questions

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Question 1Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which statement best describes the primary purpose of salesmanship in a business organisation?

  1. To prepare the annual financial statements of the company
  2. To persuade prospective buyers to purchase a product or service that satisfies their needs Correct answer.
  3. To design the packaging and labelling of goods
  4. To recruit and train production workers for the factory

Explanation

Salesmanship is a personal, persuasive communication activity aimed at converting prospective buyers into customers by showing how a product or service meets their needs. The other activities listed belong to accounting, human resource management and production or design functions, not to selling.

Question 2Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Salesmanship is best classified as which form of communication between a seller and a buyer?

  1. Automated communication through vending machines
  2. One-way written communication through circulars
  3. Two-way, face-to-face personal communication Correct answer.
  4. Mass, non-personal communication through advertising media

Explanation

Salesmanship involves direct personal contact in which the salesperson can observe the buyer's reactions, answer objections and adapt the presentation. This two-way, interactive character distinguishes it from advertising, circulars and machine-based selling, which do not allow immediate feedback.

Question 3Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

A firm selling industrial machinery employs engineers who visit factory owners, study their production problems and recommend suitable machines. Which feature of salesmanship does this illustrate most clearly?

  1. Salesmanship involves understanding the buyer's problem before recommending a solution Correct answer.
  2. Salesmanship requires the seller to offer the lowest possible price
  3. Salesmanship is only concerned with closing a sale quickly
  4. Salesmanship depends mainly on attractive shop display

Explanation

Modern salesmanship is need-satisfaction oriented: the salesperson first diagnoses the buyer's problem and then matches a product to it. The engineers in the example gather information about production difficulties before recommending machinery, which reflects this problem-solving character rather than mere quick closing or price cutting.

Question 4Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following is a valid distinction between salesmanship and advertising?

  1. Advertising is personal while salesmanship is impersonal
  2. Advertising always costs less per contact than salesmanship
  3. Salesmanship is flexible and can be adjusted to each buyer, while advertising is standardised for a mass audience Correct answer.
  4. Salesmanship cannot create demand while advertising can

Explanation

A salesperson can modify the message, tone and arguments according to the individual prospect's reactions, whereas an advertisement is a fixed message delivered uniformly to many people. Both can create demand, and cost comparisons vary with reach, so those claims cannot be general rules.

Question 5Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

In the AIDAS theory of selling, what does the letter 'A' appearing immediately after 'I' stand for?

  1. Action Correct answer.
  2. Attention
  3. Assurance
  4. Adaptation

Explanation

AIDAS stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action and Satisfaction. The second 'A' comes after Desire and refers to Action, that is, the prospect's decision to buy; the first 'A' is Attention.

Question 6Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

A salesman first draws the prospect's notice to a new water purifier, then explains its features, arouses a wish to own it and finally requests the order. Which sequence of the AIDAS formula is he following?

  1. Desire, Attention, Interest, Satisfaction
  2. Interest, Attention, Action, Desire
  3. Satisfaction, Action, Desire, Interest
  4. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action Correct answer.

Explanation

The described behaviour follows the standard order Attention, Interest, Desire and Action, with Satisfaction following the purchase. Drawing notice corresponds to Attention, explaining features to Interest, arousing the wish to own to Desire, and requesting the order to Action.

Question 7Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following best explains why salesmanship is important to consumers?

  1. It removes the need for consumers to compare alternative products
  2. It helps consumers identify products suited to their needs and use them correctly Correct answer.
  3. It guarantees that consumers will always pay the lowest market price
  4. It transfers the risk of product failure entirely to the seller

Explanation

A competent salesperson educates buyers about available alternatives, explains product features and demonstrates proper use, which helps consumers make informed choices. Salesmanship does not guarantee lowest prices, eliminate comparison or shift all product risk to the seller.

Question 8Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

How does effective salesmanship contribute to the stability of production and employment in a firm?

  1. By reducing the wages paid to production workers
  2. By shifting production to other firms through subcontracting
  3. By eliminating the need for any inventory of finished goods
  4. By generating a steady flow of orders that keeps the plant and workforce continuously employed Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuous selling creates regular demand for output, which allows the firm to plan production smoothly and keep its workforce employed without frequent lay-offs. Wage reduction, zero inventory and subcontracting do not follow from salesmanship and do not explain stability of production.

Question 9Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which statement correctly describes the relationship between salesmanship and the distribution channel?

  1. Salesmanship is relevant only to direct selling by manufacturers
  2. Salesmanship has no role once a product is branded
  3. Salesmanship replaces the need for wholesalers and retailers
  4. Salesmanship supports channel members by helping them move stock and serve their own customers Correct answer.

Explanation

Manufacturers' salesmen assist wholesalers and retailers with product knowledge, display and stock rotation, while channel members themselves use selling skills to serve consumers. Salesmanship therefore strengthens the channel rather than replacing it or becoming irrelevant after branding.

Question 10Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following is a legitimate limitation of salesmanship as a promotional tool?

  1. It cannot be used for selling services
  2. It cannot communicate detailed technical information about a product
  3. It cannot build long-term customer relationships
  4. It reaches only a limited number of prospects per salesperson per day and is therefore costly per contact Correct answer.

Explanation

Personal selling is labour intensive: one salesperson can meet only a limited number of prospects in a working day, so the cost per contact is high compared with mass media. It is, however, excellent for technical explanation, services and relationship building.

Question 11Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

A company sells low-priced soaps through thousands of small retail outlets across the state. Which statement about the role of salesmanship here is most defensible?

  1. Salesmanship is irrelevant because the product is inexpensive
  2. Personal selling must replace advertising because soap cannot be advertised
  3. Personal selling to each ultimate consumer is economically impractical, so the firm relies more on advertising and dealer support Correct answer.
  4. Each consumer must be visited personally before every purchase

Explanation

For a low-value, widely distributed convenience product, the cost of personally contacting every consumer would exceed the value of the sale. The firm therefore leans on mass advertising for consumer pull and uses salesmen mainly to service dealers, which is a sound application of the economics of selling.

Question 12Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following best expresses the modern, customer-oriented philosophy of salesmanship?

  1. Sell whatever has been produced by any persuasive argument available
  2. Help the buyer satisfy a genuine need while earning a fair return for the seller Correct answer.
  3. Maximise the value of a single transaction regardless of repeat business
  4. Persuade the buyer to purchase the highest-priced item in the catalogue

Explanation

Modern salesmanship seeks a mutually beneficial exchange: the buyer's need is genuinely satisfied and the seller earns a reasonable profit, which also encourages repeat purchase. Pushing unwanted or overpriced goods damages the seller's reputation and is inconsistent with this philosophy.

Question 13Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Salesmanship is described as a creative activity in the study of selling. Which observation supports this description?

  1. A salesman merely records orders already placed by customers
  2. A salesman prepares the sales budget for the finance department
  3. A salesman converts latent wants of prospects into effective demand for goods Correct answer.
  4. A salesman only collects payments from debtors

Explanation

Creative selling means identifying unmet or latent needs and developing them into actual demand through demonstration and persuasion. Order taking, debt collection and budget preparation are routine or administrative tasks that do not involve creating demand.

Question 14Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following correctly pairs a selling situation with the type of salesmanship it demands?

  1. Selling a cinema ticket at the counter - missionary selling
  2. Selling a complex software system to a hospital for the first time - order-taking
  3. Persuading a farmer to adopt a new hybrid seed variety - creative selling Correct answer.
  4. Selling a standard grocery item to a retailer who reorders routinely - creative selling of a new concept

Explanation

Introducing an unfamiliar product such as a new seed variety requires creative selling, because the buyer must be educated and convinced before any demand exists. Routine reorders are order-taking, a first-time complex system sale is creative selling, and a counter ticket sale is simple retail order-taking.

Question 15Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Missionary or pioneer salesmanship is best illustrated by which activity?

  1. A shop assistant billing a customer for a shirt already chosen
  2. A wholesale clerk preparing an invoice for a regular order
  3. A cashier accepting payment at a supermarket counter
  4. A salesman of a pharmaceutical firm explaining a new drug to doctors who do not buy it themselves Correct answer.

Explanation

Missionary selling involves educating influential people who do not themselves purchase but who recommend or prescribe the product, such as doctors for pharmaceutical firms. Billing, invoicing and cash collection are routine order-processing tasks, not missionary selling.

Question 16Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which of the following is the clearest evidence that salesmanship benefits society as a whole?

  1. It restricts consumer choice to a single brand
  2. It raises prices by eliminating competition among sellers
  3. It increases the number of unemployed persons in distribution
  4. It accelerates the adoption of useful innovations and raises the standard of living Correct answer.

Explanation

By explaining and demonstrating new products and technologies, salesmanship speeds their acceptance and thereby improves living standards, a recognised social benefit. Rising unemployment, higher prices and restricted choice would be social harms, not benefits.

Question 17Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

A firm's sales manager argues that salesmanship and sales management are the same thing. Which statement best corrects this view?

  1. Salesmanship is the personal persuasive effort of an individual seller, while sales management is the planning, organising and controlling of the entire selling effort Correct answer.
  2. Salesmanship is performed by managers, while sales management is performed by customers
  3. Salesmanship is a clerical activity, while sales management is a form of advertising
  4. Salesmanship applies only to retail selling, while sales management applies only to wholesale selling

Explanation

Salesmanship refers to the individual salesperson's skill in persuading a buyer, whereas sales management is the broader administrative function of setting targets, recruiting and training salesmen, routing them and controlling their performance. The two are related but not identical.

Question 18Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which statement about the scope of salesmanship is most accurate?

  1. It applies only to products priced above a certain value
  2. It covers goods, services, ideas and industrial as well as consumer markets Correct answer.
  3. It is confined to the sale of tangible consumer goods in shops
  4. It is limited to face-to-face contact inside a showroom

Explanation

Salesmanship extends to consumer goods, industrial goods, services such as insurance and banking, and even ideas such as social campaigns; it also occurs in fields, offices and homes as well as showrooms. Neither tangibility, price level nor place of contact limits its scope.

Question 19Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

A salesman tells a prospect that a competitor's product is dangerous, although he knows this to be untrue. Which principle of salesmanship does he violate?

  1. The principle that a salesman should close the sale at any cost
  2. The principle that only the sales manager may make claims about products
  3. The principle of truthfulness and ethical conduct in presenting products Correct answer.
  4. The principle that a salesman should never mention competitors

Explanation

Ethical salesmanship requires truthful representation of both one's own product and competitors' products; deliberate falsehood about a rival is misrepresentation and destroys trust. Closing at any cost, silence about competitors and a rule reserving claims to managers are not recognised principles of selling.

Question 20Nature, Scope and Importance of Salesmanship

Which combination correctly matches a function of the salesperson with its description?

  1. Prospecting - searching for and identifying potential customers Correct answer.
  2. Servicing - preparing the annual sales budget
  3. Reporting - delivering goods to the customer's warehouse
  4. Order processing - persuading a prospect to buy a new product

Explanation

Prospecting is the function of locating and qualifying potential buyers who may need the product. Persuading prospects is selling rather than order processing, budget preparation belongs to sales planning, and delivering goods is a physical distribution task.

Question 21Personal Selling and the Selling Process

In the selling process, which activity is performed immediately after the salesperson has secured the order and closed the sale?

  1. Handling customer objections
  2. Following up to ensure satisfaction and repeat business Correct answer.
  3. Delivering the opening approach statement
  4. Conducting the pre-approach research

Explanation

The selling process ends with follow-up, which occurs after the close. Follow-up confirms delivery, checks satisfaction, reduces post-purchase doubt and builds the relationship needed for repeat orders. Pre-approach, approach and objection handling all come earlier in the sequence.

Question 22Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson gathers information about a prospect's purchasing habits and budget before making the first call. This step of the selling process is called:

  1. Presentation
  2. Closing
  3. Prospecting
  4. Pre-approach Correct answer.

Explanation

Pre-approach is the preparation stage in which the salesperson collects facts about the prospect to plan the call. Prospecting only identifies who the prospect is, while presentation and closing come later. Careful pre-approach makes the approach and presentation more relevant.

Question 23Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which statement best describes the purpose of the approach stage in personal selling?

  1. To negotiate the final price and payment terms
  2. To record the customer's name in the salesperson's prospect list
  3. To list every technical specification of the product in detail
  4. To capture the prospect's attention and create interest in the conversation Correct answer.

Explanation

The approach is the opening of the sales interview, and its job is to gain attention and arouse interest so the prospect will listen. Detailed specifications belong to the presentation, and price negotiation belongs to closing. Listing names is part of prospecting.

Question 24Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which of the following is the most reliable source of qualified leads for a salesperson selling industrial machinery?

  1. Referrals from satisfied existing customers Correct answer.
  2. Names collected from unrelated consumer magazines
  3. People queuing at a retail counter
  4. Random names picked from a telephone directory

Explanation

Referrals from satisfied customers are usually well qualified because the referrer knows the buyer's needs and vouches for the seller. Random directory names and unrelated magazine lists give low-quality leads with no evidence of need. Referrals also carry the trust of the existing relationship.

Question 25Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A prospect says, "Your price is higher than the supplier we already use." The salesperson's most appropriate response is to:

  1. Agree to match the competitor's price immediately
  2. End the call politely and look for another prospect
  3. Emphasise the total value and lower running costs that justify the higher price Correct answer.
  4. Repeat the price quotation more loudly

Explanation

A price objection is best handled by shifting attention from price to value, showing benefits such as durability, service or lower running costs. Immediate discounting erodes margin and rewards the objection. Ending the call abandons a prospect who is still engaged.

Question 26Personal Selling and the Selling Process

The AIDA model describes the sequence of mental states a buyer passes through. Which sequence is correct?

  1. Interest, Attention, Action, Desire
  2. Attention, Desire, Interest, Action
  3. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action Correct answer.
  4. Action, Interest, Desire, Attention

Explanation

AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action, in that order. The salesperson first captures attention, then builds interest, creates desire for the benefits and finally prompts the prospect to act. The other sequences reverse or misplace these stages.

Question 27Personal Selling and the Selling Process

During a demonstration, a salesperson invites the prospect to operate the machine personally. This technique mainly helps to:

  1. Replace the need for a formal presentation
  2. Transfer the selling responsibility to the prospect
  3. Shorten the sales interview by avoiding questions
  4. Convert interest into desire through direct experience of the product Correct answer.

Explanation

Participation in a demonstration lets the prospect feel the product's benefits directly, which strengthens desire and makes the presentation more convincing. It complements rather than replaces the presentation. The salesperson still retains responsibility for guiding the interview.

Question 28Personal Selling and the Selling Process

The first step of the selling process, in which the salesperson searches for potential buyers, is known as:

  1. Handling objections
  2. Prospecting Correct answer.
  3. Closing
  4. Follow-up

Explanation

Prospecting is the search for and identification of potential customers, and it begins the selling process. Closing, objection handling and follow-up all require a prospect to exist first. Without prospecting the later stages cannot begin.

Question 29Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson asks a satisfied customer for the names of two other firms that might need the same product. This prospecting method is called:

  1. Cold canvassing
  2. Direct mail prospecting
  3. Trade-show prospecting
  4. Referral or recommendation Correct answer.

Explanation

Obtaining names through an existing satisfied customer is referral prospecting, and such leads are usually well qualified. Cold canvassing involves calling on prospects without any introduction. Direct mail and trade shows are separate channels, not the act of being recommended.

Question 30Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which closing technique involves the salesperson presenting the prospect with a choice between two positive alternatives, such as "Would you prefer the standard model or the deluxe model?"

  1. Standing-room-only close
  2. Alternative-choice close Correct answer.
  3. Summary close
  4. Assumptive close

Explanation

The alternative-choice close offers two acceptable options so the prospect focuses on which one to buy rather than whether to buy. The assumptive close simply proceeds as if the order is agreed. The summary close restates benefits, and the standing-room-only close stresses limited availability.

Question 31Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A prospect repeatedly postpones a decision, saying "I'll think about it later." Which response best applies the principle of trial close?

  1. Offer an immediate large discount to force a decision
  2. Ask a direct question about which feature remains a concern before the decision Correct answer.
  3. Tell the prospect that competitors are cheaper
  4. Leave the brochure and wait for the prospect to call

Explanation

A trial close tests readiness and uncovers the hidden reason for delay, allowing the salesperson to address the real concern. Leaving a brochure surrenders control of the timing. Discounting or frightening the prospect does not reveal the objection and may damage trust.

Question 32Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which factor most directly determines the size and composition of a salesperson's territory?

  1. The number of holidays in the sales calendar
  2. The workload and potential of accounts within the assigned area Correct answer.
  3. The salesperson's personal hobbies
  4. The colour scheme of the company's promotional leaflets

Explanation

Territory design balances workload, sales potential and travel so that each salesperson can serve accounts effectively. Promotional colours and personal hobbies have no bearing on territory size. Holiday counts affect scheduling but not the fundamental design of the territory.

Question 33Personal Selling and the Selling Process

In personal selling, the term "sales quota" refers to:

  1. The maximum discount a salesperson may offer
  2. The minimum educational qualification for a sales job
  3. The number of objections a salesperson may leave unanswered
  4. A performance target assigned to a salesperson for a defined period Correct answer.

Explanation

A sales quota is a quantitative performance target, often expressed in sales value or volume, set for a specified period. It motivates and controls sales effort and is used in appraisal. It is not a discount limit or a qualification requirement.

Question 34Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson notices that a prospect keeps checking the time during the presentation. The best adjustment is to:

  1. Move quickly to the key benefits and attempt a trial close Correct answer.
  2. Start the presentation again from the beginning
  3. Scold the prospect for inattention
  4. Ignore the signal and continue the full script

Explanation

Time-checking signals limited attention or pressure, so the salesperson should adapt by focusing on key benefits and testing readiness. Ignoring the signal wastes the remaining opportunity. Restarting or scolding the prospect would worsen the situation.

Question 35Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which type of objection arises when a prospect says, "I need to discuss this purchase with my business partner before deciding"?

  1. Price objection
  2. Authority or decision-making objection Correct answer.
  3. Product objection
  4. Service objection

Explanation

The prospect is raising the question of who has authority to buy, which is a decision-making objection. The salesperson should identify all decision-makers and arrange to meet them. Price, product and service objections concern the offer itself rather than who decides.

Question 36Personal Selling and the Selling Process

The "canned" or prepared sales presentation is most suitable when:

  1. The sale requires lengthy negotiation on custom specifications
  2. A standard message must be delivered to many similar prospects efficiently Correct answer.
  3. The product is complex and each buyer's needs differ greatly
  4. The salesperson is highly experienced with diverse industrial clients

Explanation

A canned presentation uses a fixed, tested script that ensures consistency and efficiency when many similar prospects are addressed. Complex or customised sales need a need-satisfaction approach that adapts to each buyer. Experienced sellers of diverse clients usually prefer flexibility.

Question 37Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which of the following best defines personal selling?

  1. Sending bulk promotional emails to unknown recipients
  2. Face-to-face interaction in which a salesperson persuades a buyer to purchase Correct answer.
  3. Displaying goods on shelves for self-selection
  4. Mass communication through newspapers and television

Explanation

Personal selling is direct, face-to-face communication in which the salesperson identifies needs and persuades the buyer. Advertising through mass media and shelf display are impersonal promotional tools. Bulk email is a form of direct marketing, not personal selling.

Question 38Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A key advantage of personal selling over advertising is that it:

  1. Reaches millions of buyers at a very low cost per contact
  2. Guarantees that every contact results in a sale
  3. Allows the message to be adapted to each buyer's questions and needs Correct answer.
  4. Requires no training of the sales staff

Explanation

Personal selling permits two-way communication, so the salesperson can tailor the message and answer objections immediately. Advertising reaches large audiences cheaply per contact but cannot adapt to individuals. Personal selling is costly per contact and never guarantees a sale.

Question 39Personal Selling and the Selling Process

After-sales follow-up by a salesperson primarily helps to:

  1. Replace the product warranty
  2. Eliminate the need for prospecting new customers
  3. Build customer confidence, resolve problems and encourage repeat purchases Correct answer.
  4. Reduce the prospect's attention during the presentation

Explanation

Follow-up reassures the buyer after purchase, settles complaints and keeps the relationship alive, which supports repeat business and referrals. It does not remove the need to find new prospects. A warranty is a contractual commitment that follow-up cannot replace.

Question 40Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson plans to call on a purchasing manager who is known to be extremely busy and impatient. Which pre-approach preparation is most valuable?

  1. Preparing to discuss the salesperson's own career achievements
  2. Preparing several unrelated product catalogues to leave behind
  3. Preparing a concise opening that states the key benefit within the first minute Correct answer.
  4. Preparing a long historical account of the company's founding

Explanation

Pre-approach information about the buyer's impatience should shape a brief, benefit-led opening that respects the buyer's time. Long company histories and personal career stories waste the scarce attention available. Unrelated catalogues do not address the buyer's needs.

Question 41Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which of the following is an example of a non-verbal communication cue that a salesperson should observe during a sales interview?

  1. The prospect's crossed arms and avoiding eye contact Correct answer.
  2. The delivery date written in the contract
  3. The exact words of the prospect's objection
  4. The price printed in the quotation

Explanation

Body language such as crossed arms and avoiding eye contact is non-verbal and may signal resistance or doubt. Words, prices and dates are verbal or written content. Reading such cues helps the salesperson adjust the presentation in real time.

Question 42Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson selling office furniture to a large firm learns that the office manager likes the design but the finance director controls the budget. The salesperson should:

  1. Reduce the price without any authorisation
  2. Ignore the finance director because the office manager is enthusiastic
  3. Present the cost-saving benefits to the finance director as well as the design benefits to the office manager Correct answer.
  4. Offer a personal gift to the office manager to secure the order

Explanation

When buying authority is shared, the salesperson must address each influencer's concerns with relevant benefits. Ignoring the budget holder leaves the real decision-maker unconvinced. Gifts and unauthorised discounts are unethical or breach company policy.

Question 43Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which of the following is the best example of a "benefit" statement rather than a "feature" statement in a sales presentation?

  1. This machine has a 5-kilowatt motor
  2. This machine is painted in grey
  3. This machine weighs 200 kilograms
  4. This machine cuts your monthly electricity bill by reducing power consumption Correct answer.

Explanation

A benefit explains what the feature does for the buyer, such as lower electricity costs. Motor rating, colour and weight are factual features that do not by themselves show value to the buyer. Benefits connect features to the buyer's needs.

Question 44Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A sales manager compares the number of sales calls made, the conversion rate and the sales value achieved by each salesperson. This activity is best described as:

  1. Sales force evaluation and control Correct answer.
  2. Prospecting
  3. Territory design
  4. Product development

Explanation

Measuring calls, conversion and sales value against targets is part of evaluating and controlling sales force performance. Territory design allocates areas before selling begins. Prospecting and product development are separate activities unrelated to appraising salespeople.

Question 45Personal Selling and the Selling Process

Which situation best illustrates the use of a "summary close"?

  1. The salesperson recaps the agreed benefits and asks for the order Correct answer.
  2. The salesperson warns that the price will rise next week
  3. The salesperson asks the prospect to sign a blank order form
  4. The salesperson leaves without asking for a decision

Explanation

A summary close restates the benefits the prospect has accepted and then invites the order, reinforcing the decision. Warning of a price rise is an urgency technique, and leaving without asking is the opposite of closing. A blank order form is improper and not a recognised close.

Question 46Personal Selling and the Selling Process

In the selling process, the stage that comes immediately after 'approach' and in which the salesperson presents the product's features and benefits to the prospect is called:

  1. Prospecting
  2. Pre-approach
  3. Presentation Correct answer.
  4. Follow-up

Explanation

The standard selling process runs from prospecting and pre-approach, through approach, presentation and demonstration, to handling objections, closing and follow-up. The presentation is the stage where the salesperson explains what the product is and what it will do for the prospect. It follows the approach, which merely secures the prospect's attention and interest.

Question 47Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson selling water purifiers tells a prospect: "This model removes dissolved impurities, so your family drinks safer water every day." The second part of this statement is best described as:

  1. A price objection
  2. A feature of the product
  3. A product specification
  4. A benefit to the prospect Correct answer.

Explanation

A feature states what the product has or does, while a benefit translates that feature into value for the buyer. 'Removes dissolved impurities' is the feature; 'your family drinks safer water every day' is the benefit because it shows the personal gain. Effective personal selling stresses benefits, since prospects buy results rather than technical details.

Question 48Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson has qualified a prospect but wants to learn the prospect's current supplier, budget range and decision-making authority before the first meeting. Which step of the selling process is the salesperson performing?

  1. Handling objections
  2. Pre-approach Correct answer.
  3. Closing
  4. Demonstration

Explanation

The pre-approach is the planning stage between qualifying a prospect and actually meeting them. It involves gathering information about the prospect's needs, current supplier, budget and who really decides, so the approach and presentation can be tailored. Doing this groundwork raises the chance that the later presentation answers the prospect's real concerns.

Question 49Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A prospect says, "Your machine is good, but the price is higher than the brand we use now." Which response best reflects sound objection-handling practice?

  1. Change the subject to another product the firm sells
  2. Acknowledge the concern, then show the lower running cost and longer service life that offset the higher price Correct answer.
  3. Tell the prospect that the competing brand is of poor quality
  4. Immediately offer a large discount so the price objection disappears

Explanation

A price objection should be met by relating price to value, not by conceding on price at once. Acknowledging the concern keeps the prospect receptive, and comparing total cost of ownership, such as running cost and service life, answers the real question of whether the machine is worth the extra money. Immediate discounting erodes margin and teaches the buyer that the listed price is not real.

Question 50Personal Selling and the Selling Process

A salesperson's territory contains 600 outlets. Company policy requires each outlet to be called on once every four weeks, and the salesperson can make 30 calls per week. Using the workload method, the number of salespeople needed to cover the territory is:

  1. 1
  2. 20
  3. 5 Correct answer.
  4. 3

Explanation

The workload method first finds total annual call requirements and then divides by the calls one salesperson can make. Here 600 outlets called on every four weeks means 600 calls per four-week cycle, and with 30 calls per week a salesperson completes 120 calls in four weeks. Dividing 600 by 120 gives five salespeople needed to cover the territory.