1. Why is it important for most salespeople to spend at least some time prospecting?
a. Because finding new customers is easier than keeping existing customers.
b. Because it is likely that they will lose some of their existing customers over time.
c. Because the existing customer base may not be sufficient to generate desired future revenues.
d. All the above are correct.
e. Both b and c are correct.
2. With respect to prospecting, which of the following statements is untrue?
a. Most salespeople need to engage in some activity designed to cultivate future business
b. Salespeople often indicate they do not have enough time to prospect.
c. Typically, salespeople enjoy prospecting because they like the positive feedback.
d. Many of today's buyers are busy and reluctant to see salespeople.
e. All of the above are true.
3. Which of the following describes a common reason why salespeople dislike prospecting?
a. They have a fear of rejection.
b. They dislike dealing with people.
c. Actually, most salespeople like prospecting.
d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
4. Which of the following is not one of the reasons buyers may not want to see salespeople?
a. They may have never heard of the salesperson's firm.
b. Buyers may have their own deadlines with other issues . . . and are not receptive.
c. Buyers are looking for ways to solve problems, and salespeople add to the problems.
d. Buyers are constantly getting calls from salespeople and do not have time to see them all.
e. They may have just bought the salesperson's product category, and there is presently no need.
5. Steve is a salesperson for XYZ Corporation. His territory includes 50 established accounts which he calls on regularly. Although Steve is supposed to allocate some time to prospecting, he'd rather call on his existing accounts. Like many salespeople in his position, Steve resists prospecting because:
a. He is afraid of rejection.
b. He doesn't believe it's necessary.
c. He'd rather use his spare time for paperwork.
d. His established accounts are too important.
e. He doesn't need any new accounts.
6. Which the following best describes the process of strategic prospecting?
a. The process of locating new customers
b. The process of generating leads
c. The process of identifying, qualifying, and prioritizing sales opportunities
d. The process of turning prospects into customers
e. None of the above described prospecting
7. Which of the following statements about strategic prospecting is untrue?
a. An objective of strategic prospecting is to improve the salesperson's efficiency.
b. Prospecting can be very discouraging.
c. With respect to business-to-business selling, most salespeople will never have to prospect.
d. Prospecting involves generating and qualifying leads.
e. All of the above statements are accurate.
8. What is the goal of strategic prospecting?
a. To generate the largest number of leads.
b. To help salespeople identify the best sales opportunities in the most efficient way.
c. To get past the gatekeeper.
d. The haphazard screening-out of undesirable sales leads.
e. To help salespeople identify the decision maker.
9. Which of the following sequences related to prospecting is accurate?
a. Generate leads, determine sales prospects, prioritize prospects, prepare for sales dialogue
b. Generate leads, prioritize leads, determine qualified prospects, prepare for sales dialogue
c. Identify leads, call on leads, qualify leads
d. Identify leads, call on leads, qualify leads, prioritize leads based on info gathered from sales call
e. None of the above is accurate.
10. Leads that meet or exceed screening criteria established by the salesperson or the sales organization are called what?
a. Sales leads
b. Qualified prospects or sales prospects
c. Decision makers
d. Hot prospects
e. Certified Sales Leads (CSL)
11. Susan is a salesperson for ABC company and has trouble prospecting effectively. Approximately 70% of the leads she contacts don't have any influence in the purchase decision process. Sandy is most likely having trouble
a. Communicating with her leads.
b. Selling her product to her leads.
c. Qualifying her leads.
d. Responding to her leads.
e. With her boss.
12. Which of the following is not one of the primary criteria for qualified prospects?
a. A need for the product or service (sales offering)
b. Financial wherewithal to make a purchase
c. An important role in the purchase decision process
d. Has the prospect been a customer before
e. All of the above are primary criteria
13. Sales leads are also known as _______________
a. Qualified prospects
b. Prospects
c. Buyers
d. Suspects
e. Customers
14. Megan is a salesperson for an industrial chemical manufacturer. While reviewing her new leads, Megan learned that two of the leads just signed contracts with one of her major competitors. Which of the following best describes why Megan will not consider these two leads qualified prospects?
a. They don't have the financial wherewithal to make a purchase
b. They don't have a need
c. They aren't the decision makers
d. They don't have the authority to make a purchase decision
e. They aren't in her company's target market
15. The prospecting method in which salespeople's customers or prospects give them leads is called what?
a. Introduction method
b. Cold canvassing method
c. Bird dog method
d. Referral method
e. None of the above
16. The prospecting method in which salespeople's customers or prospects give them leads and provides a letter of introduction is called what?
a. Introduction method
b. Cold canvassing method
c. Bird dog method
d. Referral method
e. None of the above
17. Which of the following forms/sources of prospecting is probably least productive?
a. Observation
b. Organizations (e.g., Chamber of Commerce)
c. Cold canvassing
d. Company records
e. Community contacts
18. Bill is a salesperson who relies on his current customers to help him identify potential new customers. Bill relies on the __________ method for lead generation.
a. Comprehensive
b. Referral
c. Company source
d. Customer Source Initiative (CSI)
e. Cold calling
19. Which of the following statements is untrue regarding cold canvassing?
a. Calls on prospects are unannounced
b. It is a relatively efficient form prospecting
c. Buyers may not be available
d. Buyers may not have the time to talk to the salesperson
e. It is probably the least successful form of prospecting
20. The prospecting method in which salespeople seek to obtain leads from influential people is called what?
a. Introductions method
b. Known entity method
c. Centers of influence (networking method)
d. Referrals method
e. None of the above
21. Which of the following is not typically a source of sales leads?
a. Referrals
b. Non-competing salespeople
c. Telephone inquiries
d. Competitor's salespeople
e. Professional organizations
22. Which of the following is a major advantage that the advertising inquiry method of obtaining leads has over outbound telephone inquiries?
a. It's less expensive
b. The advertising method helps qualify the lead for the salesperson
c. It's easy to target specific organizations
d. All of the above are advantages
e. None of the above are advantages
23. Drew is a salesperson for a company that manufactures bed-liners for pick-up trucks. Drew relies on his friend Susan, a salesperson for a local truck dealership, for leads. Susan calls Drew and lets him know when someone has purchased a new pick-up truck. Drew's source of leads is called:
a. Company records.
b. A sales seminar.
c. Noncompeting salesperson.
d. Tradeshow
e. Center of influence
24. _____________ refers to sales leads generated from company advertising efforts.
a. Company records.
b. Advertising inquiries
c. Advertising Prospects
d. Corporate Advertising Prospects (CAPs)
e. Company Advertising Prospects (CAPs)
25. Which of the following forms of locating prospects brings the prospect to the salesperson?
a. Centers of influence
b. Outbound telemarketing
c. Tradeshows
d. Noncompeting salespeople
e. Cold canvassing
26. Karen is a salesperson for a large industrial equipment company. Most of her existing and potential customers are geographically dispersed across North America. Which of the following would probably be her best method of prospecting?
a. Cold Canvassing
b. Trade Shows
c. Observation
d. Centers of influence
e. Industrial Customer Ranking Protocol
27. Which of the following is not one of the common secondary lead sources?
a. Harris Directory
b. Moody's Industrial Directory
c. Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
d. Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors, and Executives
e. Company records
28. Which of the following is not one of the common secondary lead sources?
a. Harris Directory
b. Moody's Industrial Directory
c. Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
d. Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors, and Executives
e. All of the above are common secondary lead sources
29. A strategic prospecting plan should include all of the following except?
a. Proper time allocation
b. Precall information system
c. Evaluation method
d. Tracking system
e. Goals
30. A strategic prospecting plan should include all of the following except?
a. Proper time allocation
b. Goals
c. Evaluation method
d. Tracking system
e. All of the above are correct
31. Suppose a salesperson asks you why a tracking system is important to prospecting, which of the following is probably the best answer?
a. The tracking system will allow you to track the progress of your customers.
b. The tracking system will allow you to limit the time you spend prospecting.
c. The tracking system will improve your image with management.
d. The tracking system will allow you to monitor the effectiveness of your various prospecting methods so that you can make adjustments accordingly.
e. Both b and c are correct.
32. Steve is a salesperson for a large consumer products manufacturer. Steve has just taken over at new territory and is looking to begin the prospecting process. The first thing Steve should do is develop a:
a. A list of leads
b. A list of qualified prospects
c. A strategic prospecting plan
d. A strategic business plan
e. A territory plan
33. Natalie has been a salesperson for the past two years. A big part of her job is prospecting, yet she doesn't seem to have a good idea of how her prospecting methods are working. Natalie should develop a:
a. Referral list
b. Tracking system
c. List of lead generation methods
d. List of prospecting methods
e. A list of customers who provide her referrals
34. Which of the following statements about evaluating prospecting activities is most accurate?
a. Salespeople should evaluate their prospecting activities once a year.
b. Salespeople should evaluate their prospecting activities twice a year.
c. Salespeople should have their sales managers evaluate their prospecting activities twice a year.
d. Salespeople should evaluate their prospecting activities continuously.
e. None of the above are accurate.
35. Once salespeople have qualified their prospects, they should:
a. Develop a prospecting strategy
b. Call on the qualified prospect
c. Send the qualified prospect a sales letter
d. Begin gathering precall information
e. Ask the qualified prospect for referrals
36. Which of the following represents precall information about the prospective buyer that the salesperson may wish to obtain?
a. Information about the prospect
b. Information about the prospect's organization
c. Information about the prospect's target markets
d. All of the above
e. Only a and b are correct
37. Gina, a salesperson for ABC Corp., spends a lot of time "interviewing" her prospects so she can learn their names, interests, and job responsibilities. Gina should probably spend more time:
a. Talking about her product.
b. Talking about her company.
c. Talking about herself.
d. Obtaining precall information on the prospect.
e. Obtaining leads from better sources.
38. Craig is a salesperson for an industrial equipment company. Craig calls on factories and spends most of his time talking with equipment operators who work on the factory floor. While Craig is able to get the equipment operators interested in his products, he is often unable to make a sale. Craig needs to work on:
a. Determining other purchase decision influencers.
b. Improving his products.
c. Improving his attitude.
d. His cold canvassing ability.
e. His record keeping.
39. Suppose you are a salesperson working for a manufacturer of business machinery. While gathering precall information you learn that a prospect you're preparing to call on is actually a member of a buying team. Which of the following best represents what you should do next?
a. Identify the decision maker and focus your selling efforts on that individual.
b. Identify the purchasing agent and focus your selling efforts on that individual.
c. Identify the role of each member of the buying team and the amount of influence each exerts.
d. Create a written sales proposal and give them to your contact so that he/she can pass them out to the other buying team members.
e. Both a and b are correct because the decision maker is usually the purchasing agent.
40. The more a salesperson knows about a prospect, the better chance a salesperson has to __________.
a. Meet the prospect
b. Make a sale
c. Qualify the prospect as a suspect
d. "Friend" the prospect
e. Generate referrals from the prospect