Chapter 17--Ron Popeil

TRUE/FALSE
1. Ron Popeils ability to gain sales using the trust he established in previous products he invented is a
form of relationship selling because his honesty and products gained long-term, satisfied customers.
ANS: T
PTS: 1
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

OBJ: 17-2
TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking
MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

2. When a customer sees Ron Popeil selling his indoor Turkey Fryer on TV, it is an interaction.
ANS: F
It is not an interaction because the customer is not exchanging information with RonCO.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-3
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

3. Because Ron Popeil has sold his products for over 30 years on television, many viewers have gotten to
know him and feel he is being sincere about his products benefits. Popeil has turned his long-term
familiarity with viewers into a form of relationship selling.
ANS: T
Relationship selling is a multistage process that emphasizes personalization and empathy as key
ingredients in identifying prospects and developing them as long-term, satisified customers. Although
Ron Popeil has not met most of his customers personally, his years of selling on television has
established a relationship of sorts between him and many viewers, and he has their trust.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-2
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

4. Ron Popeil has combined personal selling with advertising and sales promotion through his
infomercials.
ANS: T
In essence, Ron Popeil has used the mass-marketing medium of television to recreate personal selling
through infomercials. He has used infomercials to sell the more than 150 products he has invented and
produced.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-1
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level II Application

MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Ron Popeil is known for his ability to invent products that really improve the customers efficiency in
common tasks. Which of the following best describes how Popeil chooses products to invent and sell
via infomercial?
a. Touch point

b.
c.
d.
e.

Pre-approach
Networking
Negotiation
Needs Assessment

ANS: E
By performing a needs assessment on his large customer base (by reviewing daily activity and seeing
where people struggle with cumbersome gadgets or inefficient methods), Popeil is able to determine
what products to invent and sell to the target market.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-4
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

2. Ron Popeils infomercials represent what in the CRM cycle?

a. Sales Presentation
b. Sales Proposal
c. Sales Interaction
d. Touch Point
e. Pre-Approach
ANS: A
The infomercial is Popeils Sales Presentation, because it addresses the clients needs and offers the
opportunity for demonstration.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-4
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

3. Which aspect of personal selling does Ron Popeil use to his advantage in his infomercials?
a. The ability to vary the sales message for different customers.
b. The ability to direct the sales message to qualified prospects.
c. The ability to adjust selling costs by managing the sales force.
d. The ability to give a detailed explanation and demonstration of his products.
e. All of these are why Ron Popeil uses infomercials and his unique style of personal selling.
ANS: D
The infomercial style is not particularly suited to modifying the message for a specific customer, but it
is very good at providing explanations and demonstrations.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-1
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

4. Ron Popeil uses his infomercials to:

a. sell products.
b. tell customers about the product.
c. make proposals based on price and product features.
d. offer products based on a needs assessment related to a specific product.
e. do all of these things.
ANS: E
Ron Popeil uses traditional personal selling in his infomercials, which includes all the characteristics
listed here. Reference Exhibit 17.3 for a comparison between traditional and relationship selling.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-2
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge

5. Selling products through television with memorable catch phrases such as But wait, theres more!
and Operators are standing by have enabled Ron Popeil to turn advertising into:
a. switch and bait selling
b. cold calling
c. personal selling
d. prospecting
e. a sales proposal
ANS: C
Personal selling, which is a direct communication between a sales representative and one or more
prospective buyers is not normally associated with television. Popeil has been able to effectively turn
his infomercials into a personal selling encounter with his customers through his catchy phrases,
sincere attitude and excitability.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-1
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level II Application

6. When a customer calls Roncos 800 number and orders a product, which step of the selling process are
Ronco representatives involved in?
a. closing the sale
b. approaching the customer
c. handling objectives
d. needs assessment
e. qualifying leads
ANS: A
The end of the selling process occurs when the customer shows signs that he or she is ready to
purchase the product and all their questions have been answered and objections met. That is called
closing the sale.
PTS: 1
OBJ: 17-4
KEY: CB&E Model Promotion

TOP: AACSB Reflective Thinking

MSC: Bloom's Level I Knowledge