Pay And Download
$15.00
Complete Test Bank With Answers
Sample Questions Posted Below
Chapter 05
Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building
True / False Questions
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Effective salespeople adapt their selling strategies and approaches to the selling
situation.
True False
Personal selling is the most effective marketing communication medium because it
allows salespeople to manipulate customers.
True False
A canned presentation provides more opportunity for the customer to participate in the
sales interaction than does an outlined presentation.
True False
A canned presentation is designed on the basis of the needs of a customer.
True False
An outlined presentation can be very effective because it is well organized.
True False
A customer recognizes a sales representative giving a customized presentation as a
professional who is helping provide real value, not just selling products.
True False
Customized presentations can be delivered at a low cost by unskilled salespeople with
little training.
True False
Practicing adaptive selling does not mean salespeople should be dishonest about their
products or their personal feelings.
True False
Purchasing agents rate product knowledge as one of the most important attributes of a
good salesperson.
True False
5-1
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.10.Salespeople need to know about their competitors’ products as well as their own
because they are frequently asked to compare their products to competitors’ offerings.
True False
11.Successful sales managers give their salespeople performance feedback rather than
diagnostic feedback.
True False
12.The Challenger Sales model suggests that the most successful salespeople create
winning proposals because they actually understand a prospect’s world better than the
prospect understands it.
True False
13.Performance feedback provides information about what you are doing right and what
you are doing wrong.
True False
14.A sales manager says, “Let us talk about why you did not achieve your goals last
month.” In this scenario, the sales manager is providing diagnostic feedback.
True False
15.It is important for salespeople to be able to retrieve brochures and other business
collateral from their knowledge management systems.
True False
16.Teddy has very strong opinions about whether his local senator should be reelected in
the upcoming election, but he keeps them to himself. Because his opinions are so
strongly held, it is correct to describe him as assertive.
True False
17.Lauren can be described as assertive because she has strongly held convictions, and she
expresses her convictions publicly.
True False
18.Assertive people readily express joy, anger, and sorrow, whereas responsive people do
not.
True False
19.Highly responsive people devote a lot of effort toward controlling their emotions.
True False
20.In the context of the social style matrix, drivers are low on assertiveness and high on
responsiveness.
True False
5-2
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.21.The slogan best suited to individuals classified as “drivers” is “Let us not make any hasty
decisions.”
True False
22.According to the social style matrix, individuals classified as “drivers” have a great desire
to get ahead in their companies and careers.
True False
23.According to the social style matrix, individuals classified as “expressives” are low on
assertiveness and low on responsiveness.
True False
24.According to the social style matrix, people with an expressive style focus on the future,
directing their time and effort toward achieving their vision.
True False
25.According to the social style matrix, amiables tend to develop loyalty toward suppliers.
True False
26.According to the social style matrix, amiables’ loyalty toward suppliers is based on their
feeling that well-reasoned decisions do not need to be reexamined.
True False
27.According to the social style matrix, prospects who are categorized as “drivers” expect
the atmosphere in sales interviews to be businesslike.
True False
28.According to the social style matrix, prospects who are categorized as “analyticals”
expect sales interviews to proceed at a quick pace.
True False
29.Being amiable is thought to be the best social style for a salesperson.
True False
30.Salespeople who are specialists, have well-defined interests, and avoid negotiations by
sticking to their principles are highly versatile.
True False
Multiple Choice Questions
5-3
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.31.Jimmy works as a salesperson with Encyclopedia Inc. and usually visits his clients’ homes
to sell his company’s books. During all his client visits, he talks about his company,
informs clients about the unique features of the books, and asks the same set of
questions. Over a period of time, he has realized that memorizing the sales pitch and
delivering it word for word has helped him perform his task better. Which of the following
has most likely helped Jimmy improve his performance in this scenario?
A. The customized
presentation
B. Diagnostic
feedback
C. The standard memorized
presentation
D. Performance
feedback
E. Personal
selling
32.On her first day as a salesperson, Barbara was given a written sales presentation and
asked to learn it so that she could recite it while talking to her prospects. Her sales
manager insisted that she deliver this presentation word for word. In this scenario,
Barbara will most likely be using _____ presentation during her sales calls.
A. a
customized
B. an
adaptive
C. a standard
memorized
D. an
outlined
E. a
modified
33.Which of the following is a benefit of the standard memorized sales presentation?
A. It ensures that salespeople will provide complete and accurate information about
their firm’s products and policies.
B. It is one of the most adaptive presentation
techniques.
C. A salesperson’s ability to speak spontaneously is enhanced while using this type of
presentation.
D. It is based on a detailed analysis of an individual customer’s situation
and needs.
E. It provides a high degree of flexibility to sales representatives because they need
to keep the changing needs of customers in mind.
5-4
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.34.In the context of the most common sales presentation types, which of the following
statements is true about the standard memorized presentation?
A. Its applicability is an advantage because it lets a salesperson demonstrate
empathy, which is an important step in developing a partnering relationship.
B. It is more informal and natural than the customized
presentation.
C. It provides more opportunity for a customer to participate in the sales interaction
than does an outlined presentation.
D. Its effectiveness is limited because it offers no opportunity for the salesperson to
tailor the presentation to the needs of a specific customer.
E. It fails to help bring new salespeople up to speed quickly or to give them
confidence.
35.Some companies insist that their inside salespeople:
A. customize their sales presentation based on a computerized customer-
prediction model.
B. collect substantial information about a customer before they interact
with him or her.
C. memorize the entire sales presentation and deliver it word
for word.
D. avoid providing information about the features of their products over
the telephone.
E. all of
these.
36.Harvey uses a prearranged presentation that includes a standard introduction and
standard answers to common objections raised by customers. It also includes a standard
method for getting a customer to place an order. In this scenario, Harvey is most likely
using a(n) _____ presentation.
A. customiz
ed
B. outline
d
C. adaptiv
e
D. canne
d
E. cause-and-
effect
5-5
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.37.Instead of using her company’s standard presentation, Fiona has developed an outline
presentation. She knows an outline presentation has the advantage of being:
A. informal and
natural.
B. completely customizable to customers’
needs.
C. simplistic and completely
flexible.
D. gradual and
powerful.
E. aggressive and
sincere.
38.In the context of the most common sales presentation types, salespeople have the
greatest opportunity to adapt their presentations to customer needs when using the
_____ presentation.
A. memoriz
ed
B. outline
d
C. exactin
g
D. canne
d
E. customiz
ed
39.Before Harley can make a(n) _____ presentation, he will need cooperation from his clients
to conduct an analysis of their needs.
A. standard
memorized
B. canne
d
C. customiz
ed
D. outline
d
E. standardiz
ed
5-6
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.40.As part of his job, Leon travels from one prospective client’s location to another and
performs detailed analyses of their operations. Based on the data, he then helps his
team prepare presentations on how the company’s products can improve the clients’
business. This scenario best exemplifies _____ presentations.
A. memoriz
ed
B. outline
d
C. standardiz
ed
D. canne
d
E. customiz
ed
41.Before Janice calls her clients to sell her company’s UPS system, she collects information
about what they need. During her sales presentation, she focuses on the individual
power consumption and power backup needs of her clients and explains how purchasing
her company’s product will be beneficial for their operations. In this scenario, Janice
most likely uses the _____ method of sales presentations.
A. canne
d
B. outline
d
C. question-and-
answer
D. customiz
ed
E. inform
al
42.In the context of the most common sales presentation types, which of the following
statements is true about the customized presentation?
A. In this type of presentation, salespeople have the least opportunity to adapt their
presentations to customer needs.
B. It can be delivered at a low cost by unskilled salespeople with
little training.
C. It is an extreme example of nonadaptive
selling.
D. In this type of presentation, the customer recognizes the sales representative as a
professional who is just selling a product.
E. It lets the salesperson demonstrate
empathy.
5-7
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.43.Luisa has worked as a salesperson for almost three years. During this period, she has
learned that different sales presentations are necessary for different customers. She has
often changed her presentation depending on the nature of the selling situation. In this
scenario, Luisa is most likely using:
A. generalized selling
strategies.
B. referral
openings.
C. adaptive
selling.
D. seedin
g.
E. standardized sales
strategies.
44.Tony works as a salesperson at Franklin Delights, a company that specializes in labor-
saving kitchen appliances. When Tony gives a presentation to the owner of a small but
popular diner, he actually demonstrates how swiftly one can chop, slice, or grate
vegetables and fruits using his company’s product. However, when selling the same
product to a luxury hotel, he informs the hotel manager about his existing client base.
This ability to vary his sales presentation indicates that Tony is practicing _____ selling.
A. reactiv
e
B. fixe
d
C. outline
d
D. adaptiv
e
E. methodologi
cal
45._____ is similar to personal selling because it allows salespeople to tailor their
presentations to each customer.
A. The standard memorized
presentation
B. The customized
presentation
C. Emotional
labelling
D. Routin
g
E. The outlined
presentation
5-8
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.46.During a sales presentation to the owner of Harold’s Dress Shop about a window display,
Scott realizes by observing nonverbal behaviors that the owner wants something
different. Scott asks, “Would you be interested in a window display with less clutter that
showcases some of your more expensive items?” When the owner confirms, Scott
modifies his existing sales strategy to incorporate the owner’s ideas for the window
display. In this scenario, Scott is most likely practicing _____ selling.
A. standardiz
ed
B. fixe
d
C. Outline
d
D. Adaptiv
e
E. methodologi
cal
47.Which of the following statements is true about the importance of knowledge in adaptive
selling?
A. Product knowledge is more important than the knowledge of sales
situations.
B. Categorizing sales situations and customers is often done on an
arbitrary basis.
C. The benefits of organizing knowledge into categories are limited to the group of
salespeople developing these categories.
D. Most salespeople find that three categories are sufficient to classify their
customers.
E. By developing categories of customer types or types of sales situations,
salespeople free up their mental capacity to think more creatively.
48.”Your approach on that last call was off target. You emphasized low acquisition cost,
while the prospect seemed more interested in durability and minimizing the need for
regular maintenance,” critiqued Robin’s sales manager when evaluating a sales call they
had made together. In this scenario, Robin is receiving _____ feedback.
A. reciproc
al
B. diagnost
ic
C. performan
ce
D. generaliz
ed
E. damage
control
5-9
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.49._____ feedback provides information about what you are doing right and what you are
doing wrong.
A. Extrinsi
c
B. Diagnost
ic
C. Performan
ce
D. Intrinsi
c
E. Fundament
al
50.When Marty met his supervisor for his quarterly review, the supervisor congratulated
him on closing 4 out of 6 sales deals. The manager also wished him luck for the next
quarter. However, Marty wanted his supervisor to help him figure out why he had been
unable to close the other deals. In this scenario, Marty wanted _____ feedback, but his
supervisor gave him _____ feedback.
A. intrinsic;
extrinsic
B. diagnostic;
performance
C. evaluative;
primary
D. performance;
corrective
E. positive;
negative
51.Even before Michelle could explain why a prospect had not purchased her company’s
new line of eco-friendly outdoor furniture, her supervisor started explaining how she
should have emphasized the fact that the furniture is made through a revolutionary
recycling process and that the prices are justified by the furniture’s quality and eco-
friendly nature. In this scenario, the supervisor provided Michelle with _____ feedback by
telling her how she could make better sales presentations.
A. reciproc
al
B. intrins
ic
C. performan
ce
D. evaluati
ve
E. diagnost
ic
5-10
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.52.Studies have shown that using customer relationship management systems:
A. hinders the ability of salespeople to provide customized sales
presentations.
B. has a positive impact on being adaptive while
selling.
C. reduces the versatility of
salespeople.
D. provides complete access to customers’ details to all employees of a
company.
E. helps firms create automated relationship correspondence
systems.
53.Which of the following statements best describes style flexing?
A. Salespeople identify the unique features of their business and emphasize these
features during their presentation.
B. Salespeople record their sales presentation to study their body language
and improve.
C. Salespeople stand in front of a mirror and practice their
elevator pitch.
D. Salespeople discover and name the emotions behind their customers’
statements.
E. Salespeople adjust their behavior to mirror or match that of their
customers.
54.The _____ matrix is a training program for building adaptive selling skills that uses two
critical dimensions: assertiveness and responsiveness.
A. affinit
y
B. social
style
C. personali
ty
D. sales
approach
E. prospect
reference
5-11
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.55.In the social style matrix, the two critical dimensions used to understand social behavior
are:
A. assertiveness and
responsiveness.
B. passiveness and
aggressiveness.
C. positivity and
negativity.
D. aural and verbal
cues.
E. domesticity and
internationality.
56.The degree to which people have opinions about issues and publicly make their positions
clear to others is called _____.
A. effectivene
ss
B. responsivene
ss
C. emotional
labeling
D. style
flexing
E. assertivene
ss
57.Which of the following best describes responsive people?
A. They are disciplined about
time.
B. They tend to use facts rather than
opinions.
C. They are informal and casual in social
situations.
D. They devote a lot of effort toward controlling their
emotions.
E. They are described as cautious, intellectual, serious, formal, and
businesslike.
5-12
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.58._____ is a dimension of social style that is based on how emotional people tend to get in
social situations.
A. Assertivene
ss
B. Attentivene
ss
C. Receptivene
ss
D. Awarenes
s
E. Responsivene
ss
59.Unlike more responsive people, less responsive people _____.
A. are disciplined about
time
B. are playful and
friendly
C. move
freely
D. are warm and
approachable
E. use opinions rather than
facts
60.According to the social style matrix, which of the following best describes drivers?
A. They are swift and efficient decision
makers.
B. They are low on assertiveness and high on
responsiveness.
C. They prefer working with others because they enjoy
people.
D. They focus on the future, directing their time and effort toward achieving
their vision.
E. They are interested in simple technical
information.
5-13
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.61.Kevin works as a salesperson in a company that manufactures and sells luxury cars. He
wants to present a luxury car to Simone, the owner of a luxury car showroom. The
customer database team has informed him that she belongs to the expressive quadrant
of the social style matrix. What should Kevin do to close the deal?
A. He should include a cost-benefit analysis in his
presentation.
B. He should inform Simone that the car will be launched at her
showroom.
C. He should focus on the automotive parts used and the features of the car in his
presentation.
D. He should first build a personal relationship with
Simone.
E. He should emphasize that the car comes with a two-year manufacturer’s
guarantee.
62.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following should
salespeople do when selling to expressives?
A. They should focus on sales presentations with factual statements and
technical details.
B. They should demonstrate how their product will help the customers achieve
personal status and recognition.
C. They should avoid presenting a product that will require the customers to be the
first ones to use the product.
D. They should refrain from preparing sales presentations with product
demonstrations and creative graphics.
E. They should avoid mentioning testimonials from well-known firms and people
during their sales presentations.
63.Each quadrant of the social style matrix defines a different type of personality. People
who are low on assertiveness and high on responsiveness are called:
A. driver
s.
B. expressive
s.
C. amiable
s.
D. analytical
s.
E. gatekeeper
s.
5-14
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.64.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following should
salespeople do when selling to amiables?
A. They should demonstrate how their product will help achieve personal status and
recognition.
B. They should prepare sales presentations with product demonstrations and
creative graphics.
C. They should stress their product’s benefits in terms of its effects on the satisfaction
of employees.
D. They should use solid, tangible evidence when making
presentations.
E. They should prepare proposals that emphasize the effects of a purchase decision
on monetary profits.
65.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes amiables?
A. They avoid building personal relationships with
salespeople.
B. They are particularly interested in receiving guarantees about a product’s
performance.
C. They are extremely vocal about their personal
opinions.
D. They are high on assertiveness and low on
responsiveness.
E. They achieve their objectives by using power and authority while working
with people.
66.James is best described as a risk avoider who moves deliberately and speaks slowly. He
is supportive by nature, cool and aloof, and never shows any emotion. In which of the
following quadrants of the social style matrix does James most likely belong?
A. Driver
s
B. Expressiv
es
C. Amiable
s
D. Analytica
ls
E. Gatekeepe
rs
5-15
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.67.Moira and Mariah are sisters. Both of them are risk avoiders. They speak slowly and
softly in a monotone voice, move stiffly, and use few gestures. Both of them dislike
people who tend to be slow, late, and inconsistent. They don’t like the idea of dressing
casually to work, and they appreciate lectures that include lots of facts and figures.
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, Moira and Mariah are most likely to
be classified as:
A. analytical
s.
B. driver
s.
C. expressive
s.
D. amiable
s.
E. gatekeeper
s.
68.”With your gardening background, Ms. Black, I am sure you can see the time and energy
you will save by investing in this new self-propelled tiller. You can work on an even
bigger vegetable garden with the same energy, and have more vegetables to sell. You
will be able to easily repay the initial investment after the first year, even when we
factor in an assumed rate of interest of 12.5 percent.” Based on the details provided in
the salesperson’s presentation here, Ms. Black most likely belongs to the _____ quadrant
of the social style matrix.
A. driver
s
B. expressiv
es
C. amiable
s
D. analytica
ls
E. avoider
s
5-16
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.69.As you enter a prospect’s office, you see _____ and become fairly certain that you are
dealing with a prospect who is most likely to be categorized as an amiable according to
the social style matrix.
A. annual sales awards on the
wall
B. a prominently displayed
calendar
C. pictures of the prospect’s family on
the desk
D. a graph of the projected sales for the
quarter
E. numerous sales
charts
70.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes analyticals?
A. They are swift decision
makers.
B. They strive to find a way to carry out a task by resorting to
influential methods.
C. They value personal
opinions.
D. They are low on assertiveness and low on
responsiveness.
E. They tend to develop loyalty toward suppliers that is based on personal
relationships.
71.When Kerry went to meet a new prospect, he found that the prospect was dressed in a
flamboyant suit and his office had an open and friendly atmosphere. His desk was quite
cluttered and unorganized. Furthermore, Kerry noticed the prospect waving at and
greeting subordinates throughout the sales presentation. Kerry’s prospect will most
likely fall under the category of _____ according to the social style matrix.
A. driver
s
B. expressiv
es
C. amiable
s
D. analytica
ls
E. radical
s
5-17
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.72.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
exemplifies an analytical prospect?
A. Smith, who speaks quickly and
intensely
B. Jonathon, who maintains direct eye contact throughout a
presentation
C. Keith, who dresses in business
casuals
D. Tiana, who has a playful and friendly
disposition
E. Kimaya, who leans backward during a sales
presentation
73.When identifying customers’ social styles, Karen should:
A. rely entirely on her first
impression.
B. not let her own feelings cloud her judgment about a prospect’s
behavior.
C. assume that if a prospect is involved in a technical job, the prospect must be
an analytical.
D. base her assumptions on feelings and intuition rather than
rational thought.
E. never doubt her assessment once she has
made one.
74.In the context of the social style matrix, the best social style for a salesperson is that of
a(n):
A. drive
r.
B. amiabl
e.
C. analytic
al.
D. expressiv
e.
E. none of
these.
5-18
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.75.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, a significant weakness of
expressive salespeople is that:
A. they can seem opinionated, undisciplined, and
unstable.
B. customers can find them pushy and
dominating.
C. customers can view them as cold, calculating,
and stuffy.
D. they can be perceived as undisciplined and
inflexible.
E. they can be extremely orderly and
serious.
76.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, _____ is most likely a strength of
driver salespeople.
A. efficien
cy
B. submissivene
ss
C. enthusias
m
D. creativi
ty
E. modest
y
77.Jake, a sales trainee, has been working with his manager Tiana for almost a year. He has
been helping her prepare presentations and accompanying her during all her sales
presentations. During this period, Tiana has found him to be consistently dependable,
supportive, and personable. However, she has noticed that he is usually undisciplined
and rigid. According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, Jake is most likely a(n)
_____ salesperson.
A. versatil
e
B. analytic
al
C. amiabl
e
D. expressiv
e
E. driv
er
5-19
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.78.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following is most likely
a strength of expressive salespeople?
A. Efficiency and
determinedness
B. Enthusiasm and
creativity
C. Dependability and
supportiveness
D. Orderline
ss
E. Thoroughne
ss
79.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes analytical salespeople?
A. They are orderly, serious, and
thorough.
B. They have enthusiasm, dramatic flair, and
creativity.
C. They are dependable, supportive, and
personable.
D. They are viewed as pushy and dominating by
customers.
E. They are viewed as undisciplined and inflexible by
customers.
80.According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, identify a similarity between
analyticals and amiables.
A. Both are high on
assertiveness.
B. Both tend to develop loyalty toward
suppliers.
C. Both have enthusiasm, dramatic flair, and
creativity.
D. Both are viewed as pushy and
dominating.
E. Both seem opinionated and
unstable.
5-20
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.81.The effort people make to increase the productivity of a relationship by adjusting to the
needs of the other party is known as:
A. dependabili
ty.
B. resilienc
e.
C. maneuverabili
ty.
D. versatilit
y.
E. compatibili
ty.
82.Unlike less versatile people, more versatile people _____.
A. stick to
principles
B. look at a single side of an
issue
C. are
unpredictable
D. are
specialists
E. have well-defined
interests
Short Answer Questions
83.List the three types of sales presentations.
5-21
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.84.While selling to Linda, Brett appears to be friendly and outgoing. He begins the
presentation by inquiring about Linda’s family and encourages her to talk about
business. While selling to Victoria, he gets right down to the purpose of his call, does not
engage in small talk, and uses charts and tables to support his selling points. In this
scenario, what kind of selling do you think Brett does?
85.What do purchasing agents rate as one of the most important attributes of good
salespeople?
86.How does diagnostic feedback help salespeople?
87.What is the social style matrix?
5-22
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.88.What are the two dimensions that the social style matrix uses to understand social
behavior?
89.Does simply having strong opinions make an individual assertive? Why, or why not?
90.Natalie uses facts, is serious, and often speaks in a monotone voice. In the social style
matrix, how would Natalie be categorized?
5-23
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.91.Gwen prepared a 20-minute sales presentation for Mr. James and included facts and
figures to show him how her company’s anti-theft system will help improve his business
by reducing shoplifting and inventory shrinkage. She knew that she would have his
decision within 15 minutes of starting the presentation. In which category of the social
style matrix would you place Mr. James?
92.Ms. Arnold, an inventory manager at HospitalHealth, met two salespeople to finalize a
supplier for the hospital’s oxygen machines. She met the first salesperson and told him
that she really liked his products and that she hoped to do business together in the
future. She met the second salesperson and told him the same thing. Afterward, she told
her secretary to find another supplier because neither salesperson actually had the
product quality that the hospital desired. In which category of the social style matrix
would you place Ms. Arnold?
93.Hylana walks into a prospect’s office and sees a diploma from California Polytechnic
College, a number of models of company products, and a library of reference manuals.
She also notices a meticulously organized desk and brochures of her competitors that
her prospect has most likely been using to conduct a thorough market research. Under
which category of the social style matrix will you place Hylana’s prospect?
5-24
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.94.Luke walks into a prospect’s office and sees a series of motivational posters, a cluttered
desk, and his prospect dressed in flamboyant clothes. Under which category of the social
style matrix will you place Luke’s prospect?
95.Brad frequently adjusts his sales presentation to meet the needs of different customers.
What quality does Brad possess that helps him be a successful salesperson?
Essay Questions
96.What are the differences among standard memorized, outlined, and customized sales
presentations?
5-25
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.97.What is the difference between performance feedback and diagnostic feedback?
98.How do salespeople acquire knowledge about company products and policies, customer
needs, and selling situations?
99.List and describe the two dimensions of the social style matrix.
100
.
Based on the social style matrix, describe drivers and expressives and the appropriate
sales techniques for each category.
5-26
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.101
.
Based on the social style matrix, describe amiables and analyticals and the appropriate
sales technique for each category.
102
.
List a few suggestions that might help salespeople accurately assess a prospect’s social
style.
103
.
Luke attended a course in which he was trained to apply the social style matrix to make
better sales presentations. When he got home from the course, he tried to apply the
techniques he had learned to determine his own social style. Why might his self-
assessment be very misleading?
104
How can salespeople improve their versatility in sales situations?
.
5-27
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.105
.
Henry attended a course in which he was trained to apply the social style matrix to
make better sales presentations. When he got home from the two-hour course, he tried
to apply the techniques he had learned to determine his customers’ social styles. How
successful do you think he will be? Why?
5-28
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.Chapter 05 Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building Answer Key
True / False Questions
1. Effective salespeople adapt their selling strategies and approaches to the selling
situation.
TRUE
2. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-01 What is adaptive selling?
Personal selling is the most effective marketing communication medium because it
allows salespeople to manipulate customers.
FALSE
3. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-01 What is adaptive selling?
A canned presentation provides more opportunity for the customer to participate in
the sales interaction than does an outlined presentation.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
4. A canned presentation is designed on the basis of the needs of a customer.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5. An outlined presentation can be very effective because it is well organized.
TRUE
6. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
A customer recognizes a sales representative giving a customized presentation as a
professional who is helping provide real value, not just selling products.
TRUE
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5-29
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.7. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Customized presentations can be delivered at a low cost by unskilled salespeople with
little training.
FALSE
8. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Practicing adaptive selling does not mean salespeople should be dishonest about their
products or their personal feelings.
TRUE
9. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Purchasing agents rate product knowledge as one of the most important attributes of
a good salesperson.
TRUE
10. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Salespeople need to know about their competitors’ products as well as their own
because they are frequently asked to compare their products to competitors’
offerings.
TRUE
11. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Successful sales managers give their salespeople performance feedback rather than
diagnostic feedback.
FALSE
12. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
The Challenger Sales model suggests that the most successful salespeople create
winning proposals because they actually understand a prospect’s world better than
the prospect understands it.
TRUE
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
5-30
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.13. Performance feedback provides information about what you are doing right and what
you are doing wrong.
FALSE
14. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
A sales manager says, “Let us talk about why you did not achieve your goals last
month.” In this scenario, the sales manager is providing diagnostic feedback.
TRUE
15. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
It is important for salespeople to be able to retrieve brochures and other business
collateral from their knowledge management systems.
TRUE
16. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
Teddy has very strong opinions about whether his local senator should be reelected in
the upcoming election, but he keeps them to himself. Because his opinions are so
strongly held, it is correct to describe him as assertive.
FALSE
17. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Lauren can be described as assertive because she has strongly held convictions, and
she expresses her convictions publicly.
TRUE
18. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Assertive people readily express joy, anger, and sorrow, whereas responsive people
do not.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-31
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.19. Highly responsive people devote a lot of effort toward controlling their emotions.
FALSE
20. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
In the context of the social style matrix, drivers are low on assertiveness and high on
responsiveness.
FALSE
21. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
The slogan best suited to individuals classified as “drivers” is “Let us not make any
hasty decisions.”
FALSE
22. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
According to the social style matrix, individuals classified as “drivers” have a great
desire to get ahead in their companies and careers.
TRUE
23. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the social style matrix, individuals classified as “expressives” are low on
assertiveness and low on responsiveness.
FALSE
24. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the social style matrix, people with an expressive style focus on the
future, directing their time and effort toward achieving their vision.
TRUE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-32
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.25. According to the social style matrix, amiables tend to develop loyalty toward
suppliers.
TRUE
26. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the social style matrix, amiables’ loyalty toward suppliers is based on
their feeling that well-reasoned decisions do not need to be reexamined.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
27. According to the social style matrix, prospects who are categorized as “drivers”
expect the atmosphere in sales interviews to be businesslike.
TRUE
28. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the social style matrix, prospects who are categorized as “analyticals”
expect sales interviews to proceed at a quick pace.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
29. Being amiable is thought to be the best social style for a salesperson.
FALSE
30. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Salespeople who are specialists, have well-defined interests, and avoid negotiations
by sticking to their principles are highly versatile.
FALSE
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-33
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.Multiple Choice Questions
31. Jimmy works as a salesperson with Encyclopedia Inc. and usually visits his clients’
homes to sell his company’s books. During all his client visits, he talks about his
company, informs clients about the unique features of the books, and asks the same
set of questions. Over a period of time, he has realized that memorizing the sales
pitch and delivering it word for word has helped him perform his task better. Which of
the following has most likely helped Jimmy improve his performance in this scenario?
A. The customized
presentation
B. Diagnostic
feedback
C. The standard memorized
presentation
D. Performance
feedback
E. Personal
selling
32. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
On her first day as a salesperson, Barbara was given a written sales presentation and
asked to learn it so that she could recite it while talking to her prospects. Her sales
manager insisted that she deliver this presentation word for word. In this scenario,
Barbara will most likely be using _____ presentation during her sales calls.
A. a
customized
B. an
adaptive
C. a standard
memorized
D. an
outlined
E. a
modified
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-34
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.33. Which of the following is a benefit of the standard memorized sales presentation?
A. It ensures that salespeople will provide complete and accurate information
about their firm’s products and policies.
B. It is one of the most adaptive presentation
techniques.
C. A salesperson’s ability to speak spontaneously is enhanced while using this
type of presentation.
D. It is based on a detailed analysis of an individual customer’s situation
and needs.
E. It provides a high degree of flexibility to sales representatives because they
need to keep the changing needs of customers in mind.
34. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
In the context of the most common sales presentation types, which of the following
statements is true about the standard memorized presentation?
A. Its applicability is an advantage because it lets a salesperson demonstrate
empathy, which is an important step in developing a partnering relationship.
B. It is more informal and natural than the customized
presentation.
C. It provides more opportunity for a customer to participate in the sales
interaction than does an outlined presentation.
D. Its effectiveness is limited because it offers no opportunity for the salesperson
to tailor the presentation to the needs of a specific customer.
E. It fails to help bring new salespeople up to speed quickly or to give them
confidence.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
35. Some companies insist that their inside salespeople:
A. customize their sales presentation based on a computerized customer-
prediction model.
B. collect substantial information about a customer before they interact
with him or her.
C. memorize the entire sales presentation and deliver it word
for word.
D. avoid providing information about the features of their products over
the telephone.
E. all of
these.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
5-35
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.36. various situations?
Harvey uses a prearranged presentation that includes a standard introduction and
standard answers to common objections raised by customers. It also includes a
standard method for getting a customer to place an order. In this scenario, Harvey is
most likely using a(n) _____ presentation.
A. customiz
ed
B. outline
d
C. adaptiv
e
D. canne
d
E. cause-and-
effect
37. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Instead of using her company’s standard presentation, Fiona has developed an outline
presentation. She knows an outline presentation has the advantage of being:
A. informal and
natural.
B. completely customizable to customers’
needs.
C. simplistic and completely
flexible.
D. gradual and
powerful.
E. aggressive and
sincere.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-36
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.38. In the context of the most common sales presentation types, salespeople have the
greatest opportunity to adapt their presentations to customer needs when using the
_____ presentation.
A. memoriz
ed
B. outline
d
C. exactin
g
D. canne
d
E. customiz
ed
39. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Before Harley can make a(n) _____ presentation, he will need cooperation from his
clients to conduct an analysis of their needs.
A. standard
memorized
B. canne
d
C. customiz
ed
D. outline
d
E. standardiz
ed
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-37
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.40. As part of his job, Leon travels from one prospective client’s location to another and
performs detailed analyses of their operations. Based on the data, he then helps his
team prepare presentations on how the company’s products can improve the clients’
business. This scenario best exemplifies _____ presentations.
A. memoriz
ed
B. outline
d
C. standardiz
ed
D. canne
d
E. customiz
ed
41. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
Before Janice calls her clients to sell her company’s UPS system, she collects
information about what they need. During her sales presentation, she focuses on the
individual power consumption and power backup needs of her clients and explains
how purchasing her company’s product will be beneficial for their operations. In this
scenario, Janice most likely uses the _____ method of sales presentations.
A. canne
d
B. outline
d
C. question-and-
answer
D. customiz
ed
E. inform
al
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-38
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.42. In the context of the most common sales presentation types, which of the following
statements is true about the customized presentation?
A. In this type of presentation, salespeople have the least opportunity to adapt
their presentations to customer needs.
B. It can be delivered at a low cost by unskilled salespeople with
little training.
C. It is an extreme example of nonadaptive
selling.
D. In this type of presentation, the customer recognizes the sales representative
as a professional who is just selling a product.
E. It lets the salesperson demonstrate
empathy.
43. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Luisa has worked as a salesperson for almost three years. During this period, she has
learned that different sales presentations are necessary for different customers. She
has often changed her presentation depending on the nature of the selling situation.
In this scenario, Luisa is most likely using:
A. generalized selling
strategies.
B. referral
openings.
C. adaptive
selling.
D. seedin
g.
E. standardized sales
strategies.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-02 Why is it important for salespeople to practice adaptive selling?
5-39
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.44. Tony works as a salesperson at Franklin Delights, a company that specializes in labor-
saving kitchen appliances. When Tony gives a presentation to the owner of a small
but popular diner, he actually demonstrates how swiftly one can chop, slice, or grate
vegetables and fruits using his company’s product. However, when selling the same
product to a luxury hotel, he informs the hotel manager about his existing client base.
This ability to vary his sales presentation indicates that Tony is practicing _____
selling.
A. reactiv
e
B. fixe
d
C. outline
d
D. adaptiv
e
E. methodologi
cal
45. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 05-02 Why is it important for salespeople to practice adaptive selling?
_____ is similar to personal selling because it allows salespeople to tailor their
presentations to each customer.
A. The standard memorized
presentation
B. The customized
presentation
C. Emotional
labelling
D. Routin
g
E. The outlined
presentation
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-40
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.46. During a sales presentation to the owner of Harold’s Dress Shop about a window
display, Scott realizes by observing nonverbal behaviors that the owner wants
something different. Scott asks, “Would you be interested in a window display with
less clutter that showcases some of your more expensive items?” When the owner
confirms, Scott modifies his existing sales strategy to incorporate the owner’s ideas
for the window display. In this scenario, Scott is most likely practicing _____ selling
A. standardize
d.
B. fixe
d.
C. outline
d.
D. adaptiv
e.
E. methodologic
al.
47. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 05-02 Why is it important for salespeople to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
Which of the following statements is true about the importance of knowledge in
adaptive selling?
A. Product knowledge is more important than the knowledge of sales
situations.
B. Categorizing sales situations and customers is often done on an
arbitrary basis.
C. The benefits of organizing knowledge into categories are limited to the group of
salespeople developing these categories.
D. Most salespeople find that three categories are sufficient to classify their
customers.
E. By developing categories of customer types or types of sales situations,
salespeople free up their mental capacity to think more creatively.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
various situations?
5-41
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.48. “Your approach on that last call was off target. You emphasized low acquisition cost,
while the prospect seemed more interested in durability and minimizing the need for
regular maintenance,” critiqued Robin’s sales manager when evaluating a sales call
they had made together. In this scenario, Robin is receiving _____ feedback.
A. reciproc
al
B. diagnost
ic
C. performan
ce
D. generaliz
ed
E. damage
control
49. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
_____ feedback provides information about what you are doing right and what you are
doing wrong.
A. Extrinsi
c
B. Diagnost
ic
C. Performan
ce
D. Intrinsi
c
E. Fundament
al
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-42
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.50. When Marty met his supervisor for his quarterly review, the supervisor congratulated
him on closing 4 out of 6 sales deals. The manager also wished him luck for the next
quarter. However, Marty wanted his supervisor to help him figure out why he had
been unable to close the other deals. In this scenario, Marty wanted _____ feedback,
but his supervisor gave him _____ feedback.
A. intrinsic;
extrinsic
B. diagnostic;
performance
C. evaluative;
primary
D. performance;
corrective
E. positive;
negative
51. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
Even before Michelle could explain why a prospect had not purchased her company’s
new line of eco-friendly outdoor furniture, her supervisor started explaining how she
should have emphasized the fact that the furniture is made through a revolutionary
recycling process and that the prices are justified by the furniture’s quality and eco-
friendly nature. In this scenario, the supervisor provided Michelle with _____ feedback
by telling her how she could make better sales presentations.
A. reciproc
al
B. intrins
ic
C. performan
ce
D. evaluati
ve
E. diagnost
ic
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-43
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.52. Studies have shown that using customer relationship management systems:
A. hinders the ability of salespeople to provide customized sales
presentations.
B. has a positive impact on being adaptive while
selling.
C. reduces the versatility of
salespeople.
D. provides complete access to customers’ details to all employees of a
company.
E. helps firms create automated relationship correspondence
systems.
53. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
Which of the following statements best describes style flexing?
A. Salespeople identify the unique features of their business and emphasize these
features during their presentation.
B. Salespeople record their sales presentation to study their body language
and improve.
C. Salespeople stand in front of a mirror and practice their
elevator pitch.
D. Salespeople discover and name the emotions behind their customers’
statements.
E. Salespeople adjust their behavior to mirror or match that of their
customers.
54. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
The _____ matrix is a training program for building adaptive selling skills that uses two
critical dimensions: assertiveness and responsiveness.
A. affinit
y
B. social
style
C. personali
ty
D. sales
approach
E. prospect
reference
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
5-44
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.55. In the social style matrix, the two critical dimensions used to understand social
behavior are:
A. assertiveness and
responsiveness.
B. passiveness and
aggressiveness.
C. positivity and
negativity.
D. aural and verbal
cues.
E. domesticity and
internationality.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
56. The degree to which people have opinions about issues and publicly make their
positions clear to others is called _____.
A. effectivene
ss
B. responsivene
ss
C. emotional
labeling
D. style
flexing
E. assertivene
ss
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
57. Which of the following best describes responsive people?
A. They are disciplined about
time.
B. They tend to use facts rather than
opinions.
C. They are informal and casual in social
situations.
D. They devote a lot of effort toward controlling their
emotions.
E. They are described as cautious, intellectual, serious, formal, and
businesslike.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5-45
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.58. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
_____ is a dimension of social style that is based on how emotional people tend to get
in social situations.
A. Assertivene
ss
B. Attentivene
ss
C. Receptivene
ss
D. Awarenes
s
E. Responsivene
ss
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
59. Unlike more responsive people, less responsive people _____.
A. are disciplined about
time
B. are playful and
friendly
C. move
freely
D. are warm and
approachable
E. use opinions rather than
facts
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-46
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.60. According to the social style matrix, which of the following best describes drivers?
A. They are swift and efficient decision
makers.
B. They are low on assertiveness and high on
responsiveness.
C. They prefer working with others because they enjoy
people.
D. They focus on the future, directing their time and effort toward achieving
their vision.
E. They are interested in simple technical
information.
61. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Kevin works as a salesperson in a company that manufactures and sells luxury cars.
He wants to present a luxury car to Simone, the owner of a luxury car showroom. The
customer database team has informed him that she belongs to the expressive
quadrant of the social style matrix. What should Kevin do to close the deal?
A. He should include a cost-benefit analysis in his
presentation.
B. He should inform Simone that the car will be launched at her
showroom.
C. He should focus on the automotive parts used and the features of the car in his
presentation.
D. He should first build a personal relationship with
Simone.
E. He should emphasize that the car comes with a two-year manufacturer’s
guarantee.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-47
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.62. According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following should
salespeople do when selling to expressives?
A. They should focus on sales presentations with factual statements and
technical details.
B. They should demonstrate how their product will help the customers achieve
personal status and recognition.
C. They should avoid presenting a product that will require the customers to be
the first ones to use the product.
D. They should refrain from preparing sales presentations with product
demonstrations and creative graphics.
E. They should avoid mentioning testimonials from well-known firms and people
during their sales presentations.
63. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Each quadrant of the social style matrix defines a different type of personality. People
who are low on assertiveness and high on responsiveness are called:
A. driver
s.
B. expressive
s.
C. amiable
s.
D. analytical
s.
E. gatekeeper
s.
64. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following should
salespeople do when selling to amiables?
A. They should demonstrate how their product will help achieve personal status
and recognition.
B. They should prepare sales presentations with product demonstrations and
creative graphics.
C. They should stress their product’s benefits in terms of its effects on the
satisfaction of employees.
D. They should use solid, tangible evidence when making
presentations.
E. They should prepare proposals that emphasize the effects of a purchase
decision on monetary profits.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5-48
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.65. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes amiables?
A. They avoid building personal relationships with
salespeople.
B. They are particularly interested in receiving guarantees about a product’s
performance.
C. They are extremely vocal about their personal
opinions.
D. They are high on assertiveness and low on
responsiveness.
E. They achieve their objectives by using power and authority while working
with people.
66. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
James is best described as a risk avoider who moves deliberately and speaks slowly.
He is supportive by nature, cool and aloof, and never shows any emotion. In which of
the following quadrants of the social style matrix does James most likely belong?
A. Driver
s
B. Expressiv
es
C. Amiable
s
D. Analytica
ls
E. Gatekeepe
rs
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-49
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.67. Moira and Mariah are sisters. Both of them are risk avoiders. They speak slowly and
softly in a monotone voice, move stiffly, and use few gestures. Both of them dislike
people who tend to be slow, late, and inconsistent. They don’t like the idea of dressing
casually to work, and they appreciate lectures that include lots of facts and figures.
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, Moira and Mariah are most likely
to be classified as:
A. analytical
s.
B. driver
s.
C. expressive
s.
D. amiable
s.
E. gatekeeper
s.
68. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
“With your gardening background, Ms. Black, I am sure you can see the time and
energy you will save by investing in this new self-propelled tiller. You can work on an
even bigger vegetable garden with the same energy, and have more vegetables to
sell. You will be able to easily repay the initial investment after the first year, even
when we factor in an assumed rate of interest of 12.5 percent.” Based on the details
provided in the salesperson’s presentation here, Ms. Black most likely belongs to the
_____ quadrant of the social style matrix.
A. driver
s
B. expressiv
es
C. amiable
s
D. analytica
ls
E. avoider
s
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-50
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.69. As you enter a prospect’s office, you see _____ and become fairly certain that you are
dealing with a prospect who is most likely to be categorized as an amiable according
to the social style matrix.
A. annual sales awards on the
wall
B. a prominently displayed
calendar
C. pictures of the prospect’s family on
the desk
D. a graph of the projected sales for the
quarter
E. numerous sales
charts
70. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes analyticals?
A. They are swift decision
makers.
B. They strive to find a way to carry out a task by resorting to
influential methods.
C. They value personal
opinions.
D. They are low on assertiveness and low on
responsiveness.
E. They tend to develop loyalty toward suppliers that is based on personal
relationships.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-51
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.71. When Kerry went to meet a new prospect, he found that the prospect was dressed in
a flamboyant suit and his office had an open and friendly atmosphere. His desk was
quite cluttered and unorganized. Furthermore, Kerry noticed the prospect waving at
and greeting subordinates throughout the sales presentation. Kerry’s prospect will
most likely fall under the category of _____ according to the social style matrix.
A. driver
s
B. expressiv
es
C. amiable
s
D. analytica
ls
E. radical
s
72. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
exemplifies an analytical prospect?
A. Smith, who speaks quickly and
intensely
B. Jonathon, who maintains direct eye contact throughout a
presentation
C. Keith, who dresses in business
casuals
D. Tiana, who has a playful and friendly
disposition
E. Kimaya, who leans backward during a sales
presentation
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-52
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.73. When identifying customers’ social styles, Karen should:
A. rely entirely on her first
impression.
B. not let her own feelings cloud her judgment about a prospect’s
behavior.
C. assume that if a prospect is involved in a technical job, the prospect must be
an analytical.
D. base her assumptions on feelings and intuition rather than
rational thought.
E. never doubt her assessment once she has
made one.
74. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
In the context of the social style matrix, the best social style for a salesperson is that
of a(n):
A. drive
r.
B. amiabl
e.
C. analytic
al.
D. expressiv
e.
E. none of
these.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
75. According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, a significant weakness of
expressive salespeople is that:
A. they can seem opinionated, undisciplined, and
unstable.
B. customers can find them pushy and
dominating.
C. customers can view them as cold, calculating,
and stuffy.
D. they can be perceived as undisciplined and
inflexible.
E. they can be extremely orderly and
serious.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
5-53
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.76. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, _____ is most likely a strength of
driver salespeople.
A. efficien
cy
B. submissivene
ss
C. enthusias
m
D. creativi
ty
E. modest
y
77. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Jake, a sales trainee, has been working with his manager Tiana for almost a year. He
has been helping her prepare presentations and accompanying her during all her
sales presentations. During this period, Tiana has found him to be consistently
dependable, supportive, and personable. However, she has noticed that he is usually
undisciplined and rigid. According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, Jake is
most likely a(n) _____ salesperson.
A. versatil
e
B. analytic
al
C. amiabl
e
D. expressiv
e
E. driv
er
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-54
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.78. According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following is most
likely a strength of expressive salespeople?
A. Efficiency and
determinedness
B. Enthusiasm and
creativity
C. Dependability and
supportiveness
D. Orderline
ss
E. Thoroughne
ss
79. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, which of the following best
describes analytical salespeople?
A. They are orderly, serious, and
thorough.
B. They have enthusiasm, dramatic flair, and
creativity.
C. They are dependable, supportive, and
personable.
D. They are viewed as pushy and dominating by
customers.
E. They are viewed as undisciplined and inflexible by
customers.
80. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
According to the quadrants of the social style matrix, identify a similarity between
analyticals and amiables.
A. Both are high on
assertiveness.
B. Both tend to develop loyalty toward
suppliers.
C. Both have enthusiasm, dramatic flair, and
creativity.
D. Both are viewed as pushy and
dominating.
E. Both seem opinionated and
unstable.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
5-55
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.81. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
The effort people make to increase the productivity of a relationship by adjusting to
the needs of the other party is known as:
A. dependabili
ty.
B. resilienc
e.
C. maneuverabili
ty.
D. versatilit
y.
E. compatibili
ty.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
82. Unlike less versatile people, more versatile people _____.
A. stick to
principles
B. look at a single side of an
issue
C. are
unpredictable
D. are
specialists
E. have well-defined
interests
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Short Answer Questions
5-56
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.83. List the three types of sales presentations.
There are three types of sales presentations: standard memorized (canned), outlined,
and customized. The standard memorized presentation is a completely memorized
sales talk. The outlined presentation is a prearranged presentation that usually
includes a standard introduction, standard answers to common objections raised by
customers, and a standard method for getting the customer to place an order. The
customized presentation is a written and/or an oral presentation based on a detailed
analysis of the customer’s needs.
84. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
While selling to Linda, Brett appears to be friendly and outgoing. He begins the
presentation by inquiring about Linda’s family and encourages her to talk about
business. While selling to Victoria, he gets right down to the purpose of his call, does
not engage in small talk, and uses charts and tables to support his selling points. In
this scenario, what kind of selling do you think Brett does?
Brett practices adaptive selling, that is, he reacts to different sales situations by
changing his sales behavior. Adaptive selling emphasizes the importance of satisfying
customer needs because being adaptable increases buyer trust and commitment thus
resulting in higher sales performance.
85. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Learning Objective: 05-01 What is adaptive selling?
What do purchasing agents rate as one of the most important attributes of good
salespeople?
Product knowledge is rated as one of the most important attributes of good
salespeople. Effective salespeople need to know how products are made, what
services are provided with the products, how the products relate to other products,
and how the products can satisfy customers’ needs. They also need to know about
their competitors’ products as well as their own because they are frequently asked to
compare their products to competitors’ offerings.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
5-57
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.86. How does diagnostic feedback help salespeople?
Diagnostic feedback provides salespeople with information about what they are doing
right and what they are doing wrong. In contrast, performance feedback merely
evaluates if one attained the goals set for a sales call.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
87. What is the social style matrix?
The social style matrix is a popular training program that companies use to help
salespeople adapt their communication styles.
88. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
What are the two dimensions that the social style matrix uses to understand social
behavior?
Assertiveness and responsiveness are the two dimensions of the social style matrix.
The degree to which people have opinions about issues and publicly make their
positions clear to others is called assertiveness. The dimension of responsiveness is
based on how emotional people tend to get in social situations.
89. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
various situations?
Does simply having strong opinions make an individual assertive? Why, or why not?
No. Simply having strong convictions does not make a person assertive. Assertive
people express their convictions publicly and attempt to influence others to accept
these beliefs. They speak out, make strong statements, and have a take-charge
attitude.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-58
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.90. Natalie uses facts, is serious, and often speaks in a monotone voice. In the social style
matrix, how would Natalie be categorized?
According to the social style matrix, Natalie would be categorized as being less
responsive. Less responsive people devote a lot of effort toward controlling their
emotions. They are described as cautious, intellectual, serious, formal, and
businesslike.
91. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Gwen prepared a 20-minute sales presentation for Mr. James and included facts and
figures to show him how her company’s anti-theft system will help improve his
business by reducing shoplifting and inventory shrinkage. She knew that she would
have his decision within 15 minutes of starting the presentation. In which category of
the social style matrix would you place Mr. James?
According to the social style matrix, Mr. James is most likely to be categorized as a
driver. Drivers are swift, efficient decision makers. They generally base their decisions
on facts and are open to taking risks.
92. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
Ms. Arnold, an inventory manager at HospitalHealth, met two salespeople to finalize a
supplier for the hospital’s oxygen machines. She met the first salesperson and told
him that she really liked his products and that she hoped to do business together in
the future. She met the second salesperson and told him the same thing. Afterward,
she told her secretary to find another supplier because neither salesperson actually
had the product quality that the hospital desired. In which category of the social style
matrix would you place Ms. Arnold?
Ms. Arnold would be categorized as an amiable person because she seems to be low
on assertiveness and high on responsiveness. Close relationships and cooperation are
important to amiables. Salespeople may have difficulty detecting an amiable’s true
feelings. Amiables often say things to please others despite their personal opinions
because they avoid conflict.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
5-59
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.93. Hylana walks into a prospect’s office and sees a diploma from California Polytechnic
College, a number of models of company products, and a library of reference
manuals. She also notices a meticulously organized desk and brochures of her
competitors that her prospect has most likely been using to conduct a thorough
market research. Under which category of the social style matrix will you place
Hylana’s prospect?
According to the social style matrix, Hylana’s prospect will most likely be categorized
as an analytical. Analyticals are low on assertiveness and low on responsiveness.
They like facts, principles, and logic.
94. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
Luke walks into a prospect’s office and sees a series of motivational posters, a
cluttered desk, and his prospect dressed in flamboyant clothes. Under which category
of the social style matrix will you place Luke’s prospect?
According to the social style matrix, Luke’s prospect will most likely be categorized as
an expressive. Expressives are high on assertiveness and high on responsiveness.
They are warm, approachable, intuitive, and competitive.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 3 Hard
various situations?
95. Brad frequently adjusts his sales presentation to meet the needs of different
customers. What quality does Brad possess that helps him be a successful
salesperson?
Brad possesses the quality of versatility, which refers to the effort people make to
increase the productivity of a relationship by adjusting to the needs of the other
party. Versatile salespeople—those able to adapt their social styles—are much more
effective than salespeople who do not adjust their sales presentations.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
Essay Questions
5-60
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.96. What are the differences among standard memorized, outlined, and customized sales
presentations?
The standard memorized or canned presentation is a completely memorized sales talk
in which salespeople present the same selling points in the same order to all
customers. An outlined presentation is a prearranged presentation that usually
includes a standard introduction, standard answers to common objections raised by
customers, and a standard method for getting the customer to place an order. A
customized presentation is based on a detailed analysis of the customer’s needs.
97. Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
What is the difference between performance feedback and diagnostic feedback?
Performance feedback focuses purely on performance. It focuses on whether a
salesperson achieved his or her performance goals. It is not nearly as useful to
salespeople as diagnostic feedback, which provides information about what a
salesperson is doing right and what he or she is doing wrong. Successful sales
managers give their salespeople diagnostic feedback.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-03 What kind of knowledge do salespeople need to practice adaptive selling?
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
5-61
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.98. How do salespeople acquire knowledge about company products and policies,
customer needs, and selling situations?
One source of knowledge is top salespeople in the company one works for. Some
firms collect and share this information with their salespeople. These firms interview
their top performers to learn about the types of situations these performers
encountered and what strategies they used in each situation. The strategies
recommended by the top salespeople serve as a starting point for the trainees to
develop their own sales methods for handling similar situations.
Salespeople also create knowledge by getting feedback from sales managers. This
can be in the form of performance feedback or diagnostic feedback.
Other sources of knowledge include the Web, company sales manuals and
newsletters, experts in the salesperson’s firm, sales meetings, plant visits, and
business and trade publications. Salespeople also collect information about
competitors from customers, by visiting competitor displays at trade shows, and from
viewing competitors’ Web pages.
Many companies have customer relationship management (CRM) systems and
knowledge management software to support their salespeople. Salespeople use CRM
systems like Salesforce.com and NetSuite to store and retrieve critical knowledge
about accounts, products, and competitors.
99. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
List and describe the two dimensions of the social style matrix.
The two dimensions of the social style matrix are assertiveness and responsiveness.
Assertiveness is the degree to which people have opinions about issues and publicly
make their opinions clear to others. Simply having strong opinions does not make a
person assertive; assertive people express their convictions publicly and attempt to
influence others to accept these beliefs.
The dimension of responsiveness is based on how emotional people tend to be in
social situations. Responsive people readily express joy, anger, and sorrow. They
appear to be more concerned with others and are informal and casual in social
situations. Less responsive people devote more effort toward controlling their
emotions.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-62
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.100. Based on the social style matrix, describe drivers and expressives and the appropriate
sales techniques for each category.
Drivers are high on assertiveness and low on responsiveness. They like to get things
done and done their way. Direct, businesslike presentations with quick action and
follow-up are likely to appeal to drivers.
Expressives are high on assertiveness and high on responsiveness. They are warm,
approachable, and competitive. Expressives prefer presentations with product
demonstrations and creative graphics rather than factual statements and technical
details.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
101. Based on the social style matrix, describe amiables and analyticals and the
appropriate sales technique for each category.
Amiables are low on assertiveness and high on responsiveness. Close relationships
and cooperation are important to amiables. Salespeople may have difficulty detecting
an amiable’s true feelings. Amiables often say things to please others despite their
personal opinions because they avoid conflict. Therefore, salespeople need to build
personal relationships with amiables. Amiables are particularly interested in receiving
guarantees about a product’s performance. They do not like salespeople who agree to
undertake activities and then do not follow through on commitments. Salespeople
selling to amiables should stress the product’s benefits in terms of its effects on the
satisfaction of employees.
Analyticals are low on assertiveness and low on responsiveness. They like facts,
principles, and logic. Salespeople need to use solid, tangible evidence when making
presentations to analyticals. Analyticals are also influenced by sales presentations
that recognize their technical expertise and emphasize long-term benefits.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-63
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.102. List a few suggestions that might help salespeople accurately assess a prospect’s
social style.
The following suggestions might help salespeople accurately assess a prospect’s
social style:
• Concentrate on the customer’s behavior and disregard how you feel about the
behavior. Don’t let your feelings about the customer or thoughts about the customer’s
motives cloud your judgment.
• Avoid assuming that specific jobs or functions are associated with a social style.
• Look for clues and information that may suggest you have incorrectly assessed the
customer’s social style.
• Create, join, and participate in social media groups to learn more about the style of
the buyer.
103. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
Luke attended a course in which he was trained to apply the social style matrix to
make better sales presentations. When he got home from the course, he tried to
apply the techniques he had learned to determine his own social style. Why might his
self-assessment be very misleading?
Self-assessments can be very misleading because we usually do not see ourselves as
others see us. When you rate yourself, you know your own feelings, but others who
might try to assess you can observe only your behaviors. They do not know your
thoughts or your intentions. Also, we vary our behavior from situation to situation,
which means that our assessments would also vary.
104. Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
Learning Objective: 05-04 How can salespeople acquire this knowledge?
How can salespeople improve their versatility in sales situations?
Many companies have sales training programs, using tools like the social style matrix
that help teach salespeople the differences in buyers. Role playing is also used
extensively for managers to spot problems in salesperson versatility and to teach new
ways to help improve it. For example, sales training might suggest that effective
salespeople adjust their social styles to match their customers’ styles. In role plays,
salespeople with a driver orientation need to become more emotional and less
assertive when selling to amiable customers. Analytical salespeople must increase
their assertiveness and responsiveness when selling to expressive customers.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
5-64
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
various situations?
105. Henry attended a course in which he was trained to apply the social style matrix to
make better sales presentations. When he got home from the two-hour course, he
tried to apply the techniques he had learned to determine his customers’ social styles.
How successful do you think he will be? Why?
Henry will probably not be very successful. Training methods such as the social style
matrix are simply a first step in developing knowledge for practicing adaptive selling.
They emphasize the need to practice adaptive selling—to use different presentations
with different customers—and stimulate salespeople to base their sales presentations
on an analysis of the customer. But these methods are limited and present only a few
types of customers. Accurately fitting customers into the suggested categories is
often difficult. Customers act differently and have different needs in different sales
encounters. By rigidly applying the classification rules, Henry may limit his flexibility
as a salesperson.
Learning Objective: 05-05 How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Difficulty: 2 Medium
various situations?
5-65
Copyright © 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill
Education.
There are no reviews yet.