Chapter 01 The Life, Times, and Career of the Professional Salesperson
Learning Objectives:
01-01 Define and explain the term selling.
01-02 Explain why everyone sells, even you.
01-03 Explain the relationship between the definition of personal selling and the Golden
Rule of Personal Selling.
01-04 Discuss the reasons as to why people might choose a sales career.
01-05 Enumerate some of the various types of sales jobs.
01-06 Describe the job activities of salespeople.
01-07 Define the characteristics that salespeople believe are needed for success in building
relationships with customers.
01-08 List and explain the 10 steps in the sales process.
True / False Questions
1. Selling and marketing are interchangeable terms for the same business activity.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-01
Topic: What Is Selling?
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
,Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: Selling is a marketing component that refers to the personal communication of
information to persuade a prospective customer to buy something. Marketing is an
organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering
value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the
organization and its stakeholders.
2. According to recent Gallup surveys, most Americans believe that traditional salespeople
are overly interested in the needs of customers.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Understand
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Explanation: As Gallup’s survey poll of Americans indicates, people view traditional
salespeople as having their self-interest as a priority. This type of salesperson is
preoccupied with his or her own well-being—usually defined in terms of making money—
and thus is selfish and cannot be trusted.
,3. Personal selling refers to the personal communication of information to unselfishly
persuade a prospective customer to buy something that satisfies that individual's needs.
Answer: True
Learning Objective: 01-01
Topic: A New Definition of Personal Selling
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: Personal selling refers to the personal communication of information to
unselfishly persuade a prospective customer to buy something—a good, a service, an idea,
or something else—that satisfies that individual’s needs.
4. The Golden Rule of Personal Selling describes the willingness to plan and execute
product, price, distribution, and promotion plans so as to create exchanges that satisfy
individual and organizational objectives.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling refers to the sales philosophy of
unselfishly treating others as you would like to be treated. Reciprocity is not expected.
5. As a salesperson’s self-interest decreases, a salesperson’s interest in providing customer
service is more likely to increase.
Answer: True
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Understand
, AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Explanation: As interest in serving others improves, a person’s self-interest lessens. The
more the salesperson considers the customer’s interest, the better the customer service.
Learning Objectives:
01-01 Define and explain the term selling.
01-02 Explain why everyone sells, even you.
01-03 Explain the relationship between the definition of personal selling and the Golden
Rule of Personal Selling.
01-04 Discuss the reasons as to why people might choose a sales career.
01-05 Enumerate some of the various types of sales jobs.
01-06 Describe the job activities of salespeople.
01-07 Define the characteristics that salespeople believe are needed for success in building
relationships with customers.
01-08 List and explain the 10 steps in the sales process.
True / False Questions
1. Selling and marketing are interchangeable terms for the same business activity.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-01
Topic: What Is Selling?
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
,Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: Selling is a marketing component that refers to the personal communication of
information to persuade a prospective customer to buy something. Marketing is an
organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering
value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the
organization and its stakeholders.
2. According to recent Gallup surveys, most Americans believe that traditional salespeople
are overly interested in the needs of customers.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Understand
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Explanation: As Gallup’s survey poll of Americans indicates, people view traditional
salespeople as having their self-interest as a priority. This type of salesperson is
preoccupied with his or her own well-being—usually defined in terms of making money—
and thus is selfish and cannot be trusted.
,3. Personal selling refers to the personal communication of information to unselfishly
persuade a prospective customer to buy something that satisfies that individual's needs.
Answer: True
Learning Objective: 01-01
Topic: A New Definition of Personal Selling
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: Personal selling refers to the personal communication of information to
unselfishly persuade a prospective customer to buy something—a good, a service, an idea,
or something else—that satisfies that individual’s needs.
4. The Golden Rule of Personal Selling describes the willingness to plan and execute
product, price, distribution, and promotion plans so as to create exchanges that satisfy
individual and organizational objectives.
Answer: False
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Remember
AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Explanation: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling refers to the sales philosophy of
unselfishly treating others as you would like to be treated. Reciprocity is not expected.
5. As a salesperson’s self-interest decreases, a salesperson’s interest in providing customer
service is more likely to increase.
Answer: True
Learning Objective: 01-03
Topic: The Golden Rule of Personal Selling
Blooms: Understand
, AACSB: Analytic
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Explanation: As interest in serving others improves, a person’s self-interest lessens. The
more the salesperson considers the customer’s interest, the better the customer service.
