Study guides · Stuff Every Sales Scout Should Know
Practice facts for the Salesmanship merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.
Knowing Sales Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.
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Short answer: Ownership of a product
A sale transfers ownership of products or provides services in exchange for money or other agreed consideration.
Groan of the day: A good salesperson knows how to make a deal owner-ship shape.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Prospecting for potential customers
Prospecting is the first step, finding potential customers through lead generation, market research, and networking.
Groan of the day: Prospecting is a real gem of a first step.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Their need, ability to buy, and decision authority
Qualifying confirms the prospect has a need, the financial ability to buy, and authority to decide.
Groan of the day: Qualifying is the real deal breaker or maker.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Build rapport and gather information
The approach is the first contact with a qualified prospect, aiming to build rapport, gather information, and set an appointment.
Groan of the day: A good approach helps you get a foot in the door.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: The salesperson explains how features meet the prospect's needs
In the presentation, the salesperson explains how features and benefits meet the specific needs identified earlier.
Groan of the day: A clear presentation presents the best picture.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: To resolve doubts and concerns
Prospects often have questions or concerns, and the salesperson addresses objections to resolve doubts.
Groan of the day: Handling objections is the objection-handling workout of selling.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Asking for the business and gaining a commitment
Closing means asking the prospect for their business and gaining a commitment to purchase.
Groan of the day: Closing is the grand finale of the sales show.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: To ensure satisfaction and ask for referrals
Follow-up ensures customer satisfaction, addresses issues, and can lead to referrals or future business.
Groan of the day: Follow-up keeps the customer relationship from going stale.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: B2B is often larger and more complex
Business-to-business sales are likely larger in volume, economic value, and complexity than business-to-consumer sales.
Groan of the day: B2B deals are big business for a reason.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Reaching markets through distributors or resellers
Channel selling is an indirect model where sellers reach B2B and B2C markets through distributors, resellers, or value added resellers.
Groan of the day: Channel selling lets others carry your channel to customers.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A request for proposal through a bidding process
An RFP invites suppliers to submit proposals through bidding and is often part of a complex sales process.
Groan of the day: An RFP is a request for proposals, not a request for panic.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: To generate and close business for profit
The primary function of salespeople is to generate and close business resulting in profit, using calls, email, networking, and more.
Groan of the day: A salesperson's main job is to make business happen.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Questioning
Questioning, a series of questions and answers, helps the salesperson understand a customer's goals and requirements.
Groan of the day: Good questions are the keys that unlock customer needs.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Person-to-person contact selling
Direct sales involves person-to-person contact between the seller and the buyer.
Groan of the day: Direct sales go straight to the customer.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A potential buyer showing interest
A prospect is a person or organization expressing interest in acquiring the offered item of value.
Groan of the day: A prospect is a possible customer with prospects.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A period when goods are sold at reduced price
A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be called a sale.
Groan of the day: A sale can mean a price cut, so cut to the chase.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Effectiveness of selling stages and interactions
Sales management breaks down the selling process, increases effectiveness of stages, and improves interactions between them.
Groan of the day: Good sales management manages the whole sales machine.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A group from sales and other areas working together
Team selling uses a group representing sales plus areas like finance, production, and research and development.
Groan of the day: Team selling shows that many hands make a sale light.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Pricing, promotion, place, and product
A marketing plan includes pricing, promotion, place, and product, known as the 4 P's.
Groan of the day: The 4 P's are the proper place to plan.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Selling is the final stage that puts the marketing plan into effect
Marketing and sales share a goal, and selling is the final stage that puts the marketing plan into effect.
Groan of the day: Marketing and sales are two peas in a business pod.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Closing business primarily over the phone from the employer's location
Inside sales generally involves closing business primarily over the phone from the employer's location.
Groan of the day: Inside sales keeps the selling inside the office.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: They sell away from the employer's place of business
Outside sales representatives sell products or services to customers away from the employer's place of business.
Groan of the day: Outside sales takes the show on the road.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: One-on-one ongoing coaching to improve sales skills
Sales coaching is individualized and ongoing, equipping salespeople with knowledge, abilities, and skills.
Groan of the day: Sales coaching coaches the seller, not just the sale.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Sales strategies and fair, honest execution of the sales process
Sales managers implement strategies, coordinate sales and marketing, and oversee fair and honest execution of the sales process.
Groan of the day: A sales manager manages more than just numbers.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: External representatives who represent the client's brand
Sales outsourcing uses external representatives recruited and managed by another entity but representing the client's brand.
Groan of the day: Outsourcing sales means outside help with inside goals.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A pattern of successful closings emerges with more sales activity
Sales is called a numbers game because a general law of averages and pattern of successful closings emerges with more activity.
Groan of the day: In sales, the numbers add up with activity.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Represents the consumer making the purchase
A buyer's broker represents the consumer making the purchase, often in large transactions.
Groan of the day: A buyer's broker brokers for the buyer.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Someone representing both parties and acting as mediator
A disclosed dual agent represents both parties and acts as a mediator so both receive an honest and fair deal.
Groan of the day: A dual agent has two roles and one fair goal.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Respond quickly to leads from social media, website, or email
Internet sales professionals ensure immediate response to leads generated via social media, website, or email campaigns.
Groan of the day: Internet sales pros catch leads before they click away.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Someone representing the selling side of a deal
A sales broker or seller agent traditionally represents a person or company on the selling end of a deal.
Groan of the day: A seller agent sells the seller's side.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Sales of goods in the United States
In the United States, laws governing sales of goods are mostly uniform because most jurisdictions adopted Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Groan of the day: Article 2 is the code for goods sold.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: A complex or enterprise sales process
An RFP usually represents part of a complex sales process, also known as enterprise sales.
Groan of the day: An RFP is a formal invitation to propose.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Managing relationships between buying and selling organizations
Because B2B sales are complex, relationships between buying and selling organizations need managing, for example with stakeholder maps.
Groan of the day: A stakeholder map shows who has a stake in the deal.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: Proceeding fairly so both parties are nearly equally rewarded
The selling process is implied to proceed fairly and ethically so both parties end up nearly equally rewarded.
Groan of the day: Fair dealing is a fair way to close a deal.
Sources: Sales
Short answer: To confirm the product meets customer needs
Market research helps a salesperson confirm the product or service fits what customers need.
Groan of the day: Good research is the write stuff!
Sources: Scouting America: Salesmanship
Short answer: The benefits of the service to the customer
For a service, the requirement says to learn about the benefits the service gives the customer.
Groan of the day: That service really delivers!
Sources: Scouting America: Salesmanship
Short answer: A region assigned for sales work
The requirement assigns a sales territory for writing a sales plan, meaning an area of sales responsibility.
Groan of the day: That territory is your sales ground!
Sources: Scouting America: Salesmanship
Short answer: Visit where it is built and learn how it is constructed
The requirement suggests visiting the build location to learn how the product is constructed when possible.
Groan of the day: Seeing it built is a real eye-opener!
Sources: Scouting America: Salesmanship
Short answer: Sets an appointment or discovery call
The approach aims to build rapport, gather information, and set an appointment or discovery call.
Groan of the day: That approach set the stage!
Sources: Sales
Short answer: To persuade someone and close a sale
A sales pitch is a line of talk that attempts to persuade, using a planned strategy to initiate and close a sale.
Groan of the day: That pitch was right on target!
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: When the audience knows nothing about the product
A pitch can introduce a product to an audience who knows nothing about it, or expand on something they already showed interest in.
Groan of the day: Let me introduce you two: buyer, meet product.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: Any of the five senses
The first visual and audible impression can appeal to any of the five senses to start good chemistry between buyer and seller.
Groan of the day: First impressions make cents and sense.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: At least two, vision and hearing
At least two senses must connect, vision and hearing, but connecting more at a single point is better.
Groan of the day: That pitch really resonated with me.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: As an attention-grabbing or positive statement
The first sentence is usually an attention-grabbing statement or a positive statement introducing the best information about the provider.
Groan of the day: Start with a hook, not a crook.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: Children have a lower attention span
Some groups, like children, have a lower attention span, so a pitch must capture their attention within the first few seconds.
Groan of the day: Short attention spans need short pitches.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: Beginning with a shocking statement
A common method is beginning with a surprising or even shocking statement so targets stay to see the conclusion.
Groan of the day: That opening was shocking, in a good way.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: A particular positive aspect of the provider
In solution selling, the positive statement emphasizes a particular positive aspect of a provider to brand it for the seller's need.
Groan of the day: Stay positive and you'll stay in business.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: A slide show and oral presentation to interest investors
A pitch deck is a slide show and oral presentation meant to trigger discussion and interest potential investors in reading the written presentation.
Groan of the day: Deck the halls with slides of jolly data.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: The executive summary and a few key graphs
Pitch deck content is usually limited to the executive summary and a few key graphs showing financial trends and benchmarks.
Groan of the day: Keep it short and suite.
Sources: Sales presentation
Short answer: A demonstration of the product
If a new product is being proposed and time permits, a demonstration of the product may be included in the pitch deck.
Groan of the day: Show and sell, that works well.
Sources: Sales presentation
The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.
Think of your answer first, then peek.
Ownership of a product. A sale transfers ownership of products or provides services in exchange for money or other agreed consideration.
A request for proposal through a bidding process. An RFP invites suppliers to submit proposals through bidding and is often part of a complex sales process.
Closing business primarily over the phone from the employer's location. Inside sales generally involves closing business primarily over the phone from the employer's location.
Sales of goods in the United States. In the United States, laws governing sales of goods are mostly uniform because most jurisdictions adopted Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
When the audience knows nothing about the product. A pitch can introduce a product to an audience who knows nothing about it, or expand on something they already showed interest in.
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