CHAPTER FOUR

When sending messages with nonverbal communication, nothing creates a rapport like _____. A. a smile that appears natural and comfortable B. direct eye contact C. a firm and overpowering handshake D. proper attire and grooming E. a socially acceptable warm hug

A. A smile that appears natural and comfortable

When a speaker attempts to draw a parallel between one thing and another, he or she is using a(n) _____. A. analogy B. inflection C. exaggeration D. puffer E. summary

A. Analogy

Which of the following statements is a good advice for salespeople concerned about the proper use of hand gestures? A. Avoid dropping your hands down by your sides and keeping them there while presenting. B. Do not expose your palms to your prospect because that gesture sends negative or "stop" signals. C. When making a presentation before a group, keep hand gestures to a minimum so you will appear confident about your topic. D. Using the hand in a slicing motion signals the other person to shorten their comments. E. All of these

A. Avoid dropping your hands down by your sides and keeping them there while presenting.

According to the communication process, when a salesperson develops a sales presentation, he or she is actively involved in: A. encoding. B. affective stimulation. C. perception. D. decoding. E. selling.

A. Encoding

Which of the following is an accurate statement about nonverbal communication? A. Hand gestures at chest level suggest that a salesperson is passionate about a topic. B. Slicing hand movements can be used liberally during presentations. C. By exposing the palm of the hand, a salesperson indicates closeness and rigidity. D. An overly erect posture gives an impression of openness and receptivity. E. Staring at a wall during presentations indicates sincerity, credibility, and trustworthiness.

A. Hand gestures at chest level suggest that a salesperson is passionate about a topic

Which of the following is a significant part of a salesman's voice characteristics? A. Inflection B. Response time C. Acculturation D. Reliability E. Validity

A. Inflection

Which of the following statements about active listening is FALSE? A. Paraphrasing what a prospect says is fine; never repeat things word for word. B. The salesperson should listen to a customer's words from the customer's point of view. C. Additional questions can give the salesperson a better understanding of what a prospect is trying to communicate. D. Tolerating silence gives a customer time to think. E. Summarizing provides both the salesperson and a customer with an overview of what has been said.

A. Paraphrasing what a prospect says is fine; never repeat things word for word

During a sales presentation, the salesperson, Sabrina, needs to refrain from speaking after asking her customer a difficult question. Tolerating silence is often important to: A. provide the customer time to think. B. provide the customer with an opportunity to end the meeting. C. help shift from the intimate to the social zone. D. allow the customer to reveal underlying tension. E. encourage the customer to show his or her anxiety.

A. Provide the customer time to think

Which of the following statements is true about response time? A. Response time is the time between when a salesperson sends a message and when the prospect responds to it. B. E-mails have a greater degree of interactivity and a faster response time than telephone communication. C. A salesperson should use fax rather than telephone communication because it has a shorter response time. D. Face-to-face communications have the slowest response time of all communications methods because of nonverbal communications. E. Response time is the time when a prospect is most receptive of the sales message because of the absence of noise.

A. Response time is the time between when a salesperson sends a message and when the prospect responds to it.

In the context of sending messages with nonverbal communication, identify a true statement about shaking hands. A. Shaking hands should be a prospect's choice. B. The salesperson's eyes should be focused straight ahead when shaking hands with a prospect. C. Women should offer their hand for a social handshake. D. When a prospect offers a hand, the salesperson should respond with a firm and overpowering handshake. E. Salespeople should automatically extend their hands to prospects, even if the prospects are seated.

A. Shaking hands should be a prospect's choice

Jennifer, a salesperson, meets her customer for the first time. In this scenario, Jennifer should begin interactions at the _____. A. social zone B. personal zone C. public zone D. distant zone E. intimate zone

A. Social zone

During a sale presentation, Michael, the salesperson, notices that his prospect begins to move back and forth. In this scenario, the prospect's body language most likely indicates _____. A. strong uncertainty B. a positive outlook C. boredom D. coldness or dislike E. an agitated state of mind

B. A positive outlook

As soon as Jennifer entered her customer's office, the customer started talking about his problems both at work and at home. Jennifer had planned to discuss the benefits of her company's newly launched product during this meeting. However, she listened quietly, asked questions where appropriate, and offered support when required. In this scenario, Jennifer is mostly likely practicing: A. the art of paraphrasing the customer. B. active listening. C. the body language agreement method. D. the tolerating silence presentation format. E. the art of nonverbal communication.

B. Active listening

In the context of response time, which of the following statements is true about the various methods of salesperson communications? A. E-mail has a fast response time. B. Both telephone and face-to-face communications have a fast response time. C. Response time does not determine the effectiveness of communication. D. A hand-written letter has a faster response time than telephone communication. E. Response time is unaffected by nonverbal communications.

B. Both telephone and face-to-face communications have a fast response time

Betty, a salesperson, presents her company's new luxury car to customers. During the presentation, she notices that some of the company's important customers are blinking rapidly, almost at a rate of 50-60 blinks per minute (bmp). In this scenario, Betty should be: A. excited because it suggests that the customers are highly interested. B. concerned because it indicates high stress levels. C. relaxed because it indicates that the customers are ready to close the deal. D. agitated because it suggests coldness and dislike. E. entertaining because her customers are getting bored.

B. Concerned because it indicates high stress levels

One way to define the speaking-listening differential is to say that: A. the skill of active listening makes better speakers. B. customers can listen to words at a rate that is almost five times faster than the rate at which salespeople can speak. C. salespeople should try to speak 80 percent of the time and listen no more than 20 percent of the time. D. speaking divided by listening equals communication. E. articulation equals listening divided by speech rate.

B. Customers can listen to words at a rate that is almost five times faster than the rate at which salespeople can speak.

Which of the following statements about body language is true? A. Voice characteristics account for a greater percentage of messages received than body language in face-to-face communication. B. Customers look away from salespeople while they actively consider information in a sales presentation. C. Hand gestures have the same meaning in all cultures. D. A person rocking from side to side is conveying a positive outlook. E. Broad, vigorous arm gestures indicate a lack of interest in the point being communicated verbally.

B. Customers look away from salespeople while they actively consider information in a sales presentation.

In the context of nonverbal messages, identify a true statement about cultural differences. A. The thumbs-up gesture is acceptable in the Middle East. B. In Japan the OK sign made by holding the thumb and forefinger in a circle symbolizes money. C. Crossing one's feet and showing the bottoms of one's shoes are a sign of confidence in Japan. D. In the United States, the absence of eye contact is considered a sign of deal closure. E. In the Middle East, crossed arms and legs are considered positive nonverbal signals.

B. In Japan the OK sign made by holding the thumb and forefinger in a circle symbolizes money.

In terms of touching, buyers fall into two touching groups: contact and noncontact. Noncontact people view contact people as: A. cold. B. obtrusive. C. impersonal. D. glacial. E. unfriendly.

B. Obtrusive

When Reginald calls his favorite customer late in the evening, the customer invites him to a café near his office. Although the customer seems tired, he sits back with his hands and legs uncrossed during their meeting. In this scenario, Reginald can interpret his customer's nonverbal communication signal as: A. that of exhaustion. B. positive. C. that of boredom. D. indifferent. E. none of these.

B. Positive

In the context of using proper techniques and etiquette when leaving voice mail messages, callers should _____. A. avoid even a little casual conversation up front B. speak slowly and leave a concise message C. ask for an option to talk to somebody immediately D. use a fresh greeting each day E. avoid asking for a call back

B. Speak slowly and leave a concise message

Clara meets her client Jonathon for a business presentation at a café suggested by him. As soon as their meeting begins, the café gets very crowded and noisy. They are unable to concentrate on their discussion. Which of the following should Clara do in order to prevent a communication breakdown with her client? A. Continue with the presentation at the café as it has been suggested by her client B. Suggest that they move to a quieter place C. Speak loudly so that her voice can be heard D. Focus on the use of nonverbal communication to make her presentation E. None of these

B. Suggest that they move to a quieter place

One way to illustrate _____ is to say that Ned can speak at a rate of around 120 to 160 words per minute, but he can listen to more than 800 words per minute. A. active listening B. the speaking-listening differential C. the lazy tongue syndrome D. the need for indirect questioning E. the need for open-ended questions

B. The speaking-listening differential

Which of the following statements about appearance as a nonverbal communicator is true? A. A salesperson should always wear professional attire. B. It is much better to underdress than to overdress. C. A salesperson's appearance is certainly impacted by the customers' industry. D. In today's business world, ties are an unnecessary botheration and do nothing to add to a salesperson's potential for success. E. Successful salespeople always wear fashionable clothes.

C. A salesperson's appearance is certainly impacted by the customer's industry

Tayler pays careful attention to what her client Jack says and sorts out important facts from irrelevant ones. While maintaining eye contact and nodding her head at appropriate intervals, she communicates that she is interested in and understands what is being said. In this scenario, Tayler is engaged in: A. focused learning. B. a presentation protocol. C. active listening. D. dynamic hearing. E. passive listening.

C. Active listening

Andrea works as a technical assistant for a software company. During a customer call, she asks her customer, "What is it that the new software fails to do?" In this scenario, Andrea is practicing the active listening skill of: A. summarizing to provide an overview of what has been said. B. listening to the customer's words from the customer's point of view. C. asking questions to gain a complete understanding of what the customer is trying to communicate. D. tolerating silence to give the customer time to think. E. none of these.

C. Asking questions to gain a complete understanding of what the customer is trying to communicate.

The translation of thoughts into words is called _____. A. decoding B. interpreting C. encoding D. deciphering E. evaluating

C. Encoding

During a sales presentation, the salesperson, Kiara, informs the customer that the Zeus water reclamation system is the best system available in the market in the $50-$60 price range. He misunderstands the description partly because of the unnecessary technical details and partly because of the distraction caused by his secretary who comes in during the presentation and asks for his signature. In the context of the communication process, Kiara is _____, the customer is _____, and the secretary is _____ in this scenario. A. decoding; encoding; giving feedback B. decoding; giving feedback; creating noise C. encoding; decoding; giving feedback D. encoding; decoding; creating noise

C. Encoding; decoding; giving feedback

During a sales presentation, the salesperson, Clara, listens to her customer rather than describing her product to the customer. She nods her head and uses verbal cues such as "I see," "Uh-huh," and "That's interesting" to encourage the conversation. In this scenario, Clara is: A. trying to figure out the appropriate time to close the deal. B. engaging in passive listening. C. engaging in active listening. D. encouraging active speaking. E. none of these.

C. Engaging in active listening

In the context of eye contact, identify a true statement about adjusting for cultural differences during international selling. A. Koreans look at people directly even more than Brazilians do. B. In Korea, direct eye contact is considered a sign of interest in what the customer is saying. C. In Japan, looking directly at a subordinate indicates that the subordinate has done something wrong. D. In Japan, when a subordinate looks directly into the eyes of his or her supervisor, the subordinate is displaying confidence. E. In France, eye contact should be avoided between men and women even in business settings.

C. In Japan, looking directly at a subordinate indicates that the subordinate has done something wrong.

During a sales presentation, the salesperson, Ursula, is unable to understand what her customer means by his last statement. What should she do to verify her customer's intent? A. Restart her presentation B. Quickly move to a trial close C. Restate the customer's comment D. Call her sales manager E. All of these

C. Restate the customers comment

Tara, a 50-year-old retired professor, wants to sell the fruits and vegetables produced in her organic farm. Her daughter advises her to use social media for selling them online. In this scenario, which of the following should be Tara's first step to ensure an effective sale? A. She should become a member of organic farming communities. B. She should first create her account and profile on all social media platforms. C. She should identify where her target market is best represented and start there. D. She should give the elevator pitch by posting a common message on relevant networks. E. She should like, follow, and connect with potential profiles to generate leads.

C. She should identify where her target market is best represented and start there.

During sales presentations, salespeople should vary the loudness of their speech to essentially: A. help in the production of recognizable sounds. B. avoid uncertainty in thoughts. C. help buyers visualize a point. D. avoid monotony. E. establish their expertise in selling.

D. Avoid monotony

Identify a true statement about the four distance zones people use when interacting in business and social situations. A. The social zone is reserved primarily for close friends and those who share special interests. B. In general, salespeople should begin customer interactions at the public zone. C. The exact sizes of the intimate and personal zones depend on age, gender, culture, and race. D. Usually, salespeople should avoid moving closer even after an initial rapport has been established. E. The public zone is used primarily for business transactions and other impersonal relationships.

C. The exact sizes of the intimate and personal zones depend on age, gender, culture, and race.

Which of the following is a valid suggestion for salespeople with regard to e-mail and text message communication? A. Avoid any important message in the first few lines of an e-mail because receivers usually skip this part. B. When receiving an important e-mail, avoid responding quickly. C. White space in an e-mail is a good idea, as it can make reading the e-mail easier. D. Delivering bad news via e-mail or texts is better than meeting face to face to discuss the issue. E. Responding to an e-mail or text in an emotional state of mind helps build strong personal relationships.

C. White space in an e-mail is a good idea, as it can make reading the email easier

Virginia sees Carl, her high school friend, at a traffic signal after 15 years. She honks and waves to say "hello." Carl does not recognize her and thinks that a stranger is honking because of the way he changed his lane. In this scenario, Carl is facing a problem _____ the message. A. controlling B. suppressing C. sending D. decoding E. verbalizing

D. Decoding

n the context of communication in international selling, the phrase "tabling a proposal" in the United States means _____. A. bargaining effectively B. waiting for a salesperson to begin the presentation C. closing a deal successfully D. delaying a decision E. necessarily taking action within 24 hours

D. Delaying a decision

For a sales presentation in a Latin American country, the salesperson, Kiara, reaches the venue at 9:45 a.m. because the meeting is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. Even after waiting for a couple of hours, Kiara's clients do not arrive. In this scenario, what should Kiara do? A. Send a text message to her manager informing that the company has lost the deal B. Go back to her hotel room and wait for her clients to call and apologize C. Send a text message to one of her clients and reschedule the meeting D. Go to a coffee shop nearby and wait for her clients patiently E. Leave without informing her clients because they behaved unprofessionally

D. Go to a coffee shop nearby and wait for her clients patiently

The 80-20 _____ suggests that salespeople should try to listen 80 percent of the time and talk no more than 20 percent of the time. A. talking model B. personal-interpersonal differential C. body language agreement model D. listening rule E. inflection-articulation zone

D. Listening rule

In the context of evaluating thought process through customers' eye position during a sales presentation, eyes focused straight ahead mean that a customer is: A. really concentrating on the presentation. B. intensely concentrating, with an emotional consideration. C. actually interested in closing the deal but wants to suppress his or her feelings to be able to bargain effectively. D. passively receiving information but devoting little effort to analyzing the meaning of the presentation. E. considering the logic and facts in the presentation.

D. Passively receiving information but devoting little effort to analyzing the meaning of the presentation

Which of the following problems is associated with the speaking-listening differential? A. The quality of a salesperson's handshake becomes highly important. B. Customers are more likely to accuse salespeople of backdoor selling. C. Buying centers are more likely to have multiple gatekeepers. D. Salespeople often become lazy listeners. E. Salespeople have trouble making appointments with prospects.

D. Salespeople often become lazy listeners

Which of the following is a form of nonverbal communication? A. Noise B. Emotional labeling C. Inflection D. Space E. Articulation

D. Space

During a sales presentation, why does the salesperson, Roger, repeat, word for word, the negative comment his customer made about the company's service contract? A. To engage in passive listening B. To provide feedback to the customer C. To avoid having any lulls in the conversation D. To verify that he decoded the customer's message correctly E. To summarize the customer's concerns

D. To verify that he decoded the customer's message correctly

During a sales presentation, Teresa notices that her customer shifts position in his chair. In this scenario, which of the following can Teresa conclude about her customer? A. The customer wants her to end the presentation. B. The customer wants to place an order. C. The customer strongly agrees with what she has said. D. The customer strongly disagrees with what she has said. E. All of these

E. All of these

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening? A. Echo what a prospect has said. B. Summarize the conversation. C. Be quiet while a prospect thinks. D. Concentrate on ideas rather than just words. E. All of these

E. All of these

Which of the following would be the WORST advice for Timothy, a salesperson, at an office supplies store? A. Take note of how top executives in your firm dress. B. Adjust to the geographic region in which you work. C. Attempt to match the clothing choices of your typical customers. D. If you look well dressed, you'll feel more confident. E. Be a leader, and wear the latest fashions.

E. Be a leader, and wear the latest fashions

The physical space between two people who are interacting can be divided into four distance zones. The zone reserved primarily for a person's closest relationships is called the _____. A. social zone B. personal zone C. public zone D. receptive zone E. intimate zone

E. Intimate zone

Which of the following patterns of signals most likely indicates that the customer is reacting positively to a salesperson's presentation? A. Crossed arms or legs B. Little change in facial expression C. An overly erect posture D. Intense eye contact E. Leaning forward

E. Leaning forward

Which of the following is a suggestion for active listening? A. To avoid repeating information B. To avoid summarizing information already provided C. To refrain from embarrassing a customer by rephrasing his or her comments D. To discourage any moment of silence during a sales pitch E. None of these

E. None of these

People who use English in international selling should: A. use short phrases rather than complete sentences. B. use extraordinary English words to leave a lasting impression. C. use action-general verbs rather than action-specific verbs. D. speak loudly for emphasis. E. slow down when speaking.

E. Slow down when speaking

T/F Body movements directed toward a person indicate boredom, apprehension, or possibly anger.

False

T/F During a sales presentation, a contemplative posture is considered a negative nonverbal signal.

False

T/F During a sales presentation, if the customer's eyes are positioned to the left, it suggests that the customer is considering the logic and facts in the presentation.

False

T/F During face-to-face communication, voice characteristics account for 90 percent of the message received.

False

T/F In the context of appearance, an old rule is to dress one level below your position.

False

T/F In the context of e-mail and text message communication, it is advisable to avoid using white spaces and in-line subheads in an e-mail because it hinders readability.

False

T/F In the context of nonverbal communication, side-to-side movements indicate a positive outlook, whereas back-and-forth motions suggest insecurity and doubt.

False

T/F In the context of the four distance zones people use when interacting in business and social situations, salespeople should generally begin customer interactions at the public zone.

False

T/F In the context of the four distance zones people use when interacting in business and social situations, the intimate zone is reserved for a salesperson's supervisor.

False

T/F In the context of using proper techniques and etiquette when leaving voice mail messages, one should avoid asking for a callback.

False

T/F In the context of voice characteristics, articulation refers to the tone or pitch of speech and is used to reduce monotony.

False

T/F Mirroring is an act of practicing one's own nonverbal signals in front of a mirror.

False

T/F Slicing hand movements and pointing a finger are mild gestures and should be used frequently during sales presentations.

False

T/F The 80-20 listening rule suggests that salespeople should try to speak 80 percent of the time and listen no more than 20 percent of the time.

False

T/F The fact that people generally speak at a faster rate than they listen attributes toward the speaking-listening differential.

False

T/F Active listening is as important when conversing over the phone as when conversing in person.

True

T/F At critical spots in a sales presentation, the salesperson should present his or her mentally prepared summary.

True

T/F Broader and vigorous arm movements indicate that a customer is emphatic about the point being communicated verbally.

True

T/F During a sales call, the buyer can spot nongenuine nonverbal signals coming from the salesperson.

True

T/F During a sales interaction, the salesperson should verify the information he or she is collecting from the customer, and a useful way to do this is to repeat—word for word—what has been said.

True

T/F Feedback in sales communication can be either verbal or nonverbal.

True

T/F Hand gestures presented at about the height of a salesperson's navel help the salesperson come across as truthful.

True

T/F In the context of e-mail and text message communication, salespeople are discouraged from delivering bad news via e-mails or texts.

True

T/F In the context of using proper techniques and etiquette when leaving voice mail messages, a little casual conversation up front is acceptable.

True

T/F Physical appearance, specifically dress style, is an aspect of nonverbal communication that affects a customer's evaluation of a salesperson.

True

T/F Salespeople can collect information by observing their customers' body language.

True

T/F Salespeople should not send long e-mail messages or large attachments unless buyers are expecting them.

True

T/F The muscles around the eyes reveal whether a smile is real or polite.

True

T/F When making her sales presentation to an important customer, Sarah is frequently interrupted by announcements coming through her company's speaker system. In this scenario, Sarah is most likely experiencing noise.

True

T/F While describing a complex machine to a customer, Tiana notices that the customer looks puzzled. She asks the customer what part of the presentation needs further explanation. The customer replies, "I would like to know more about how can the machine help me save on electricity bills." Tiana then provides the requested details. This scenario best illustrates two-way communication.

True