2.4 Review and Practice
Power Wrap-Up
Learning Objectives
Now that you have read this chapter, you should be able to understand the following opportunities that are available for a career in selling.
- You can understand what traits it takes to be a successful salesperson.
- You can describe the difference between business-to-business and business-to-consumer selling.
- You can discuss other selling environments such as direct, entrepreneurial, global, and nonprofit selling.
- You can create your résumé and cover letter so they quickly tell your brand story and focus on the value you can bring to a prospective employer.
Exercises
Test Your Power Knowledge (answers are below)
- Name at least four of the traits of successful salespeople that are discussed in the chapter.
- What is WII-FM, and what role does it have in a career in selling?
- What does pay-for-performance mean in selling?
- Which is better, a job that pays more or a job that you enjoy?
- Identify whether each of the following is a B2B or a B2C selling channel:
- ____ Selling a fence to a dog-training company.
- ____ Selling business cards to a small business owner.
- ____ Selling food to a school for the cafeteria.
- ____ Selling energy drinks to spectators at a race.
- Are there selling opportunities in a nonprofit organization?
- What are the foundation of your résumé and cover letter?
Power (Role) Play
Now it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice. The following are two roles that are involved in the same selling situation—one role is the customer, and the other is the salesperson. This will give you the opportunity to think about this selling situation from the point of view of both the customer and the salesperson.
Read each role carefully along with the discussion questions. Then, be prepared to play either of the roles in class using the concepts covered in this chapter. You may be asked to discuss the roles and do a role-play in groups or individually.
Trust Me?
Role: Seller of a home
You are the owner of a four-bedroom home in a very nice part of town. The home has a spectacular view and impeccable landscaping. It is decorated so well that everyone who comes over wishes his or her house could look like yours. You and your spouse have decided that you want to sell your home even though the market is soft. You think you have found the real estate agent with whom you want to list the house. You want to get top dollar for your home.
- What characteristics will you look for when you choose a real estate agent?
- What role do you have to help ensure a successful sale of your home?
- Is this a B2B or B2C sale?
Role: Real estate agent
You are a seasoned real estate agent with a loyal clientele in this part of town. You have a track record of selling very expensive homes and reaping the benefits. You have done very well because of your referral business. But lately, the soft economy has taken its toll on your sales. You believe that keeping the prices as low as possible will attract new buyers.
- Is this a B2B or B2C sale?
- If you are the real estate agent, how would you approach the sellers to get the listing at the price you want?
- What characteristics does the real estate agent need to be successful?
- What characteristics do the sellers need to be successful?
Exercises: Put Your Power to Work
- Follow the five steps in the chapter to create your résumé. Review your résumé with someone at the campus career center, a professor, a parent, or a mentor and get feedback as to how you might refine and improve it.
- Follow the three steps in the chapter to write your cover letter. Review your cover letter and résumé with someone at the campus career center, a professor, or a mentor and get feedback as to how well they tell your brand story.
- Use your cover letter and résumé to apply for an internship or job you want online. Adjust the cover letter to personalize your cover letter for the requirements of the position.
Test Your Power Knowledge Answers
- Character and ability to build trust, ability to connect, listening skills, ability to ask the right questions, willingness to learn, drive to succeed, resilience and positive attitude, risk taking, ability to ask for the order, independence and discipline, flexibility, and passion.
- WII-FM is the radio station that everyone listens to: What’s In It For Me. It’s always important to think about what you want out of life, and a career in selling has a lot of advantages for you, including financial opportunity, chance for advancement, and personal satisfaction.
- Pay-for-performance is a term that describes the fact that you make more money based on selling more. Many sales positions include a pay-for-performance compensation structure, which means that the more you sell, the more money you make. Conversely, if you don’t meet your objectives, your paycheck will be smaller.
- Although compensation is important, it’s not the only measure of a good job. Choosing a job that you enjoy with opportunities to achieve what you want and working in the environment that you like with people you like are important elements in evaluating a position.
- a. B2B; b. B2B; c. B2B; d. B2C
- Yes, fund-raising and development (as in creating and building endowments) are some of the selling opportunities available in the nonprofit sector.
- Your brand points are the foundation of your résumé and cover letter.
