单选题 Selling is the direct confrontation between the company and its customer. Management training and material tend to be devoted to “closing the sale”, "effective presentation skills", "use of visual aids" , and so on. The one aspect of selling which is often neglected is "prospecting(寻找可能的顾客)".
In advance of any direct selling activity or, indeed, any promotion, it is important to take time and allocate resources to prospecting for clients. Prospecting identifies buyers and makes the best use of time available for selling. It is the quality, not the quantity, of prospects that matters. Market segmentation(条块化) will show the market segment most likely to yield buyers, e.g. manufacturing companies with a turnover in excess of ￡5 million within 50 miles of your offices.
Building up a prime prospect file is the most valuable activity a salesperson can do. Once achieved, canvassing(游说顾客) is necessary only to "top up" the prospect reservoir when the level drops; that is, a prospect is converted to a customer, ceases to be a prime prospect and is replaced by another prime prospect.
The prospect file will help only if it is kept up to date and used systematically. A follow-up or bring-forward system will force you to plan your time effectively.
The selection of prospects can be done at the desk or by telephone. It involves a relatively low cost resource, compared with a field salesperson. The use of computers enables companies to develop a database of prospects which can be used interactively, depending on sales objectives or changes in strategy. By using a computerized marketing database, you can analyze important factors such as source of prospect/lead, date last called, change in staff.
A new sales in a market sector can open the door to acquiring a number of new prospects in this sector.

单选题 According to the author, in selling people do not attach importance to ______.
A. management training and material
B. effective presentation skills
C. search for possible customers
D. successful conclusion of deals

单选题 The word "prospects" in the passage most probably means ______.
A. things that may become very popular in the near future
B. products that may be well received by customers
C. managers who try to promote the sales of a product
D. people who are expected to buy a product soon

单选题 One thing that is considered most valuable for a salesperson to do is ______.
A. establishing a prime prospect file
B. opening a management training course
C. making use of time and money available
D. obtaining sufficient time and resources

单选题 The following are all the benefits of computerization except ______.
A. enabling companies to develop a database of prospects
B. securing an annual turnover in excess of ￡5million
C. using database of prospects interactively
D. analyzing many important factors

单选题 Which of the following do you think is the best title for the passage?
A. A Useful Sales Activity.
B. Helpful If Done Systematically.
C. An Important but Often Neglected Sales Activity.
D. A Newly-created Sales Activity.