FFA Ag sales Question

Leroy has explained to his sales manager that Mr. Smith is very elusive and avoids

appointments. He has successfully evaded Leroy and several other sales people from the

company. Mr. Smith would be a very big account. Recently, Leroy learned from one of his

current customers that Mr. Smith is an avid collector of Ford Thunderbirds. So Leroy looked up

the names and meeting times of all of the "thunderbird clubs" in town and began attending

their meetings during the evening. Eventually, he encountered Mr. Smith and got an

appointment. This is an elaborate example of which of the following sales techniques?

Sales strategy

Young sales people often have a hard time understanding that they should know as much

about their customer's business as possible. One agribusiness sales person often checks

commodity prices several times a day.

Wants to know impact of commodity supply and demand on customer's cost structure

Credit is...

providing product to a proven customer to be paid at a specific date

As a sales person, what is a method you can use to help maintain relationships with your

customers.

follow up with customers

You are selling 50 pound bags of beef feed. The feed retails for $14.50/bag. The company

margin is $2.00/bag. You as a sales person offer a large but difficult customer a discount and

sell the product for $12.00/bag. At the end of the week your sales manager informs you that he

is not happy with your sale. Why?

You made sale but lost money for your company

Costco (trademark) discount stores have a simple pricing system. They price all products as

follows: "cost + 15% = price."

this sets the product margin

Sales people are important to a corporate enterprise because...

no product ever sold itself

A good product demonstration often involves

D. All of the above ( a professional sales approach, showmanship, and a well rehearsed presentation)

Not all customers or potential customers play fair or by the rules of the game. Some

customers are inclined to use or manipulate young sales people. Which of the following is an

example of the "dirty" tricks customers can use?

free consulting request before a sale will be granted

A cold sales call is always a challenge for a sales person; the task is not easier when it is

done by telephone. When talking to the potential customer on the telephone, you should...

know what you want to say and listen to responses to guide your presentation

Sometimes you plan your sales approach with a new customer to efficiently use the time

she has promised you; however, circumstances intervene and you discover that you have to

make an "elevator pitch." This means...in the time it takes an elevator to go from first to fourth

floor...what should you do with the time available...

settle on who you are and what you can do for her company

A good salesperson should always be aware of events that may impact sales. For example,

recently the cost of shipping corn was less expensive when shipped from South America to the

Mid-western United States than from the Southern states in the U.S. This is example of...

excess supply

"Shall I start to write the order?" Is an example of...

a trial close

Harold Parr, a farm equipment sales representative, eagerly signs up to participate in the

local agricultural association's golf tournament. This activity is viewed by his sales manager as...

prospecting

The material you purchase at a Tractor Supply store is very similar to what could be

purchased at a Home Depot store; however, Tractor Supply "prides" itself in providing all the

equipment and supplies for people who know what they are doing, as opposed to do-it-

yourselfers. This is an example of...

niche marketing/merchandising- "know your customer"

Cheyenne's company merged with another agriculture company and after the most recent

sales meeting her new manager praised her for exceeding her quarterly sales objective and

expressed a desire for her to expand the market for the new products that will be available

from the merger. Cheyenne is one of the best sales people in her region. She decides to act on

the suggestion of her manager.

She is going to use the opportunity provided by the merger to set a new sales strategy

Madison recently had her sales territory expanded. One evening she looked at last year's

sales for each of her customers (new and old) and discovered that the "80/20 rule" was

evident. This meant that 80% of her sales came from 20% of her customers. She will pay special

attention to their needs. However, her problem is what to do with the other 80% of her

customers. This is an example of...

Qualifying her customers by sales potential.

It is a standard axiom in sales that "one does not speak poorly of competitors." Why?

It reflects more on you as a person than your competitors

"Buyer's remorse" is an example of what phenomenon?

Post-sale reaction

The features-benefits sales presentation is...

a tailored list matched to customer's needs

Awareness of business principles is important for all employees, especially people in sales

because they often have a direct measurement of some business standards. For example, a

concept of return on investment for a sales person would be...

sales revenue is greater than sales person's salary + benefits + training costs

Customer Classification Systems are used for which of the following purposes?

A means of qualifying customers.

When confronted by a dominating customer, it is a good sales technique to do which

of the following?

All of the above. (Let the customer do all of the talking, Present your information quickly, Make them feel important by nodding in agreement.)

What is the most frequent mistake made by new sales people?

Failure to close the sale

a "cold call" is

All of the above (A visit with a potential new customer, A telephone call establishing an interest in your company and/or product, A conversation at a local trade show with a non-customer you just met.)

"Shall I start your order with the product you just mentioned?" This is an example of

what sales technique?

A trail close

The "margin" in a product's price is best described below as...

Cost of product and fixed percentage

If using active listening skills correctly, the salesperson will direct the flow of the sales call?

False

Dan is the top sales person for a large farm equipment company. During a recent

visit to his dad's farming operation, an Illinois corn and soy bean farm, his father was

unhappy with the depressed prices for corn. Dan jokingly suggested that maybe they

should not sell the corn but use it for ethanol production. This suggestion is an example

of what agribusiness approach?

Developing a different value added product for the farm

Marlene recently used her sales bonus to purchase an IPad to use with her

company-provided laptop computer. She felt this was a good personal investment to

use on the job. How would this purchase be helpful to her?

It would improve her sales presentations

Matt is planning next year's sales budget. He would like to hire another sales

person; however, he knows that to get his manager's approval he needs to build a good

case for the new hire. He needs to justify that the new person will be...

a return on investment

Melinda was on her way home after a long but productive day. She was looking

forward to a great evening with friends. Her telephone rings, it is her boss. One of her

customers needs some new product for his business this evening. Melinda always ends

her sales calls with, "...you won't be disappointed with our service. We deliver." What

action should she take?

Make the delivery. Friends will wait. Keep your word.

Effective sales calls have the following attributes

Short, focused, and needs-based

A market plan is important to sales. How?

It demonstrates where resources should be allocated to support sales.

Derrick was having a constructive sales meeting with one of his favorite, long-time

customers when the customer's son came into the meeting. The son took the

opportunity to complain about the last product's delivery and condition. This is just

another example of...

An opportunity to handle an objection with someone close to the products use

Which of the following is NOT a reason listening is so difficult for a salesperson?

They are listening for a fact to ask a question about

An elevator pitch is

a short, concise, focused sales presentation

Which list contains a few of the different types of closes

Direct close, assume close, choice close, Special Feature close

Millicent has joined the accounting department. Her first assignment is to calculate the cost of goods sold last year.

Cost of raw materials + cost of production + cost of sales/admin + cost of returns

If a sales person receive a 1% commission for all goods sold over $100,000,

Ralph's commission for March for selling $150,000 of goods will be...

($150,000-$100,000) times 0.01

This pricing strategy is based on what the average target customer will pay

regardless of the cost of production.

Value-based pricing

One sales technique involves concluding a sales call with the suggestion that the

offer is available for a limited time only.

This creates a sense of urgency for the buyer

Which factor is NOT a buying behavior represented by a self-esteem need?

Buying land to keep up with the neighbors

"Shall I start your order with the product you just mentioned?" This is an example

of what sales technique?

A trail close

The product's price is best described as...

Cost of product + margin

Matt is planning next year's sales budget. He would like to hire another sales

person; however, he knows that to get his manager's approval he needs to build

a good case for the new hire. He needs to justify that the new person will be...

A return on investment

While Marie was waiting to meet with the sales manager of a large farm supply

store chain, she read the company's mission statement. One line in the mission

statement caught her attention, "We will always stand by our products - your

needs are our goals." After reading this Marie reviewed her notes and altered her

presentation. The result: a very successful and productive meeting. What did

she do?

All of the above (She evaluated her goals for this meeting and altered the presentation, She used the mission statement to build rapport with the sales manager, She altered her market plan to meet the situation.

Verna is a promising new sales person and her manager feels she has great

potential. However, she admits she has a difficult time distinguishing between

excuses and objections. Which of the following is not a correct distinction?

Excuses and objections are really similar, but different

Millicent has joined the accounting department. Her first assignment is to

calculate the cost of goods sold for each product last year.

Cost of raw material + cost of production + cost of sale and administration

+ cost of returns

What is selling

All of the Above:

A process to help people assess products and services.

Person to person interaction.

A means of assessing customer needs.

Making a cold sales call requires

a strategy or objective for calling

What is a "buying cycle"

the mental steps a customer moves through to buy, and rebuy a product

________ is the process of locating potential buyers

Prospecting

"Bob, we would like to do business with you. How about giving us a chance to

demonstrate what we can do for you? Let's write up your first order to get

started." This is an example of what type of close?

direct close

The successful sales person needs to possess which one of the following qualities

competitive attitude

Marketing mix includes the following

Product, place, price, and promotion

How does the customer perceive

all of the above: economic benefit, convenience, personal preference

How does a salesperson create "value"

matching feature and benefits to customer needs and wants

A salesperson needs to understand the importance of non-verbal

communication. An example of this form of communication is...

body language

Madison tells a prospective customer that the throughput on a Danzon VX press

is 1200 units/minute which is almost twice the speed of the next machine. This is

an example of...

a feature

Marjorie knows the successful sales person often works to create "a sense of

value" for a customer. Tangible value is often apparent in the product or service;

however, intangible value is more difficult to establish, because it involves...

emotion and feelings

Alex knows success of an initial sales call with a customer is very much

determined by "first impressions." Which of the following does not involve a "first

impression?"

a practiced feature/benefit presentation

Alicia has been told that the successful sales person is a good listener. She

knows that she is a great conversationalist and must practice "active listening" to

improve her sales technique. "Active listening" requires...

listening and gathering facts, feelings, and non-verbal cues from customer

Glenn is an experienced sales manager. He has a well-established sales

territory, is highly regarded by his customers and colleagues and a pillar of the

community. What makes him successful is that he never forgets the "three buyer

motivations" he learned in college. They are...

Relationship, Economics and Business

Velma knows that "resistance" to purchasing a product often takes one of two

forms. They are...

active and passive

Which of the following is the most effective way to find customers for a new product?

Current customer base

What ultimately determines if you will accept a return of product from an unsatisfied

customer?

Company policy

Your customer books 200 tons of feed for $300 per ton for delivery November through

December. There is a 5% discount for pre-booking feed. What does the discount cost your

company?

$3,000

You sell liquid fertilizers and herbicides. Which of the following would be considered

complimentary products?

Safety data sheet training

The US Department of Agriculture predicts an increase in winter wheat acreage planted. What

do you predict this will do to the availability and cost of seed for wheat planting?

Increase in demand and increase in price for seed wheat

The farm price of milk has dropped 12%. What is the effect on input purchases for dairy

farmers?

They will reevaluate their feed input costs to maximize value and attempt to lower input cost

You sell a broad-spectrum herbicide. Your largest customer, a major turf grass producer, is

going out of business. How do you find new uses/customers for your product?

All of the above (Have a meeting with the local garden club to discuss possible uses for your herbicide, Contact the herbicide manufacturer for additional product uses, Assess current customers for how they utilize the product, Expand the use of the product with current customers beyond turf grass)

How do you continue to gather and utilize information from existing customers to evaluate

improvements in production and operation and assist customers with improvements?

Interact with customers frequently to maintain rapport, identify uses of your product, evaluate,

and inform customers of best practices

You sell two similar herbicides from two different companies. Herbicide A is your highest profit

margin product, but costs 20% more than Herbicide B. How do you differentiate Product A to

increase profit while still maintaining market for that product due to higher cost for your

customer?

Listen to your customer and apply the features and benefits of Herbicide A to show the added

value of the product

You have been given a new fungicide product to sell that is your only granular application

product. Your current customer objections will include lack of product knowledge and having

proper application equipment. What do you say to your customers to identify their objections?

Ask your customer what they need in a fungicide to see if the new fungicide might fit their need.

Which product below has 3 active ingredients?

Tribute Total

Which product below controls Brown Patch and Snow Mold?

Bayleton Flo

Which product below is recommended for controlling crabgrass in cool season perennial

ryegrass?

Acclaim Extra

Which product below controls 55 broad leaf weeds and needs a minimum of 10 gallons of

water per acre?

Tribute Total

Which product below controls Pythium Blight?

Chipco Signature

Customer Jones seems to becoming more distant and uncomfortable in their interaction with

you. How do you reestablish the rapport with them?

Attempt to spend face to face time to listen to his concerns

Pick the best introductory statement to make to a new customer.

Hello my name is ________ and how is your day going?

Joe, since you said you are struggling with Pythium Blight on your golf course and you want

something that can tank mix with Daconil Ultrex, you should apply 4 oz rate of Chipco Signature

in the tank mix. Can we get that ordered for you? This is an example of what type of close?

Summary close

Which is the most important aspect of being in direct sales?

All of the above (Maintain good customer relationships, have quality products, Be able to sell the product)

You should have knowledge of your product and be a source of information for your customers.

The customer asks you a question and you are not sure of your answer. What should you do?

Discuss the question with the customer and determine the time frame for providing the answer

Amid a conversation with a customer about their problems with finding help, Mac just

summarized what he was told from the customer and repeated it back to him. This is an

example of:

An active listening skill

Specticle Flo offers extended residual control. This is an example of:

A feature

Jane is talking to the first person she saw when she arrived for a

prospective sales call. What should she do first?

Introduce herself

You were transferred to a new sales territory and are meeting the outgoing

sales representative. What information should you obtain from them?

Information and relevant purchasing history of existing customers

What term best describes the use of paraphrasing?

When you modify a person's statement and repeat it back to clarify

information

What term best describes the use of minimal encouragers?

When you use word such as ok, I see, alright, etc. as a person is talking

What term best describes summarization?

After someone has made several comments, reviewing those thoughts

with them in a condensed way to insure you understand their meaning.

When dealing with an irate customer/person who is venting, you should?

Listen

Who has the appropriate authority to determine the price of a product?

Owner/manager

Which of the following products is an external parasiticide?

Ultra Boss

You are a local animal feed and health retailer. There has been an increase

in local hobby producers of goats and chickens. Based on this information

you should:

Increase allocated shelf space for SAFE-GUARD® Aquasol

When making a cold call it is important for a salesperson to

All of the above (Research key information, Introduce yourself, Make a pre-call plan)

Best dewormer for broilers, pullets, and laying hens

SAFE-GUARD® Aquasol

Feed and deworm in a single step with a palatable alfalfa based pellet

SAFE-GUARD® Equi-bites

Pour-on control of flies and lice

Ultra Boss