Business Development MCQs

Business Development MCQs

These Business Development multiple-choice questions and their answers will help you strengthen your grip on the subject of Business Development. You can prepare for an upcoming exam or job interview with these Business Development MCQs.
So scroll down and start answering.

1: Which of the following is the most common mistake made by salespeople when speaking to prospects?

A.   Making claims about business growth

B.   Talking too much and not listening to the prospect enough

C.   Focusing too much on the business problem

D.   Making longwinded points

2: True or False: When targeting companies to partner with, one should contact any organization in the target industry.

A.   True

B.   False

3: ROI is a typical measure of return. One of its flaws is:

A.   It often agrees with NPV

B.   Projects with multiple non-continuous profitable years, will not be calculated correctly

C.   It's a single measure

4: Business development is often viewed as bridging the gap of obstacles between:

A.   Business goals and new services

B.   Project management and business goals

C.   Product development and sales

D.   Business goals and sales

5: What is one of the main differences between an early, project based, business development unit and a matured, institutionalized unit?

A.   The project based unit has well defined processes in place to improve performance across the company while the matured unit does not

B.   The institutionalized unit has strongly defined BD roles and processes while the project based unit typically does not

C.   The project based unit has fully developed processes for tracking and monitoring performance levels while the success in the matured unit is solely based on individual heroism

6: Conversion ratios are important to monitor because they:

A.   Are a metric for efficiency

B.   Are a metric for profitability

C.   Are a metric for inventory utilization

7: Measuring a project through a Pay Back Period metric often ignores:

A.   Riskiness

B.   Cash Flows

C.   Time

8: What should you do once you've organized your data in Excel?

A.   Look at it

B.   Create a list of all possible segments using the data.

C.   Share it with your team

D.   Use it to find meaningful trends among customers

9: A company interested in horizontal growth opportunities is looking to:

A.   Buy up competitors

B.   Lower Prices to Increase Sales

C.   Increase market share in the current markets.

10: ________ can motivate a client to close on a deal because there is limited access to the resource.

A.   Elitism

B.   Ubiquity

C.   Scarcity

D.   Automated emails

11: As a part of go-to-market plan you must figure out the proper sales _________.

A.   None of these

B.   customer management

C.   processes

D.   channels

12: What is the best way to leave a compelling voicemail for a prospect?

A.   Mention your number first and go ahead with your reference

B.   Speak with confidence about your track record to impress the client

C.   Mention that a contact with whom the prospect has done business with has referred you for a business need

D.   Mention that you are the best sales person to address his business need

13: Which of the following is NOT good data to leverage?

A.   Their values

B.   Their purchasing habits

C.   Their personality traits

D.   Their number of siblings

14: In what way should a salesperson handle a situation where an angry customer calls to report the poor service he received?

A.   Listen to the customer and state that he is sorry and he will give 10 minutes of undivided attention to him

B.   Listen to customer patiently and take notes to understand the gravity of the problem, then apologize

C.   Immediately connect the customer with the person that can fix their problem

D.   Listen to the customer and apologize when he pauses

15: True or false? As long as a salesman closes, it doesn't matter how much product customization they commit to.

A.   TRUE

B.   False

16: In a company that has not launched yet, when should you look into customer segmentation?

A.   When you have identified a consumer base.

B.   3 months pre-launch

C.   Right before launch.

D.   You shouldn't.

17: A _____ lead is expected to be responsive.

A.   cold

B.   warm

18: What is the first step in customer segmentation?

A.   Gathering data.

B.   Creating segments

C.   Validation

D.   Analysis

19: Answering which of the following questions does NOT help in understanding a niche?

A.   How will the Board of Directors help implement capital controls?

B.   What are potential opportunities for the business?

C.   Which areas are being ignored by competitors?

D.   Which areas are competitors already well-established?

20: Generally the purpose of a pre-purchase meeting is to ________.

A.   close a deal

B.   explain product features, problem solve, and schedule another meeting.

C.   figure out delivery and other logistics

D.   None of these

21: True of False: Vertical Integration means to integrate companies that are suppliers, distributors, or clients of the current products and services.

A.   True

B.   False

22: Which of the following is a good listening technique during a meetings with a prospect?

A.   Taking notes

B.   Asking questions when there is a pause

C.   All of these

D.   Letting customer speak on and on without interruption

23: Which of the following is NOT a method of customer segmentation?

A.   Geographic

B.   Behavioral

C.   Religion

D.   Demographic

24: What is a cold call?

A.   A fake phone number

B.   A call made without an introduction or appointment

C.   A call that does not lead to a sale

D.   A call that leads to a negative reaction

25: What is the purpose of an elevator pitch ?

A.   It is a common need which is required for all salespeople

B.   To tell the company's mission statement

C.   It is a pitch to demonstrate one's social stature

D.   To effectively communicate the value of the company in a succinct manner

26: One of the foundational aspects of business development, is to assess the current assets of the company as they relate to the maintenance and expansion of the business.

A.   True

B.   False

27: What is the best way to service a last minute, highly critical request from a prospective client in an area in which you don't have the expertise?

A.   Politely excuse yourself while sympathising with the problem

B.   Stay on, ask questions, confer with people to ask for help, and coordinate to deliver the service until the issue is resolved

C.   Tell your boss and ask him to handle this

D.   Refer them to the competition

E.   Tell the client that it is not your area and give the numbers of the person to be contacted

28: Which of the following is a concern caused by a incentive based compensation plan?

A.   Complicated scenarios involving team sales

B.   Timing of compensation can become complicated

C.   All of these are potential issues

29: Identifying how to communicate with customers is a __________ strategy:

A.   Market Penetration Strategy

B.   Communications Strategy

C.   Distribution Strategy

30: What does market share mean?

A.   Ownership stake in a public company

B.   Opportunities to share in greater market profits

C.   the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product.

31: How can you differentiate a "champion" from the crowd?

A.   They call you back right away.

B.   They can introduce you to decision makers in the organization and are willing to advocate on your behalf.

C.   They ask good questions and want to discuss pricing.

D.   They are always willing to take a meeting with you.

32: True or False The definition of a product life cycle is: the time and maturation of a product between it's initial introduction to the market and eventual removal.

A.   True

B.   False

33: Which of the following techniques will be most likely to generate a response from a voicemail?

A.   Leaving a voicemail with a reference, an introduction, the way you can solve a business problem, and leaving off with your contact information

B.   Leaving a voicemail on a Sunday

C.   Leaving a voice mail on a weekday after hours

D.   Leaving a voice mail with little detail except for explaining that you would like them to contact you and leaving your information

34: What determines the types of data to leverage?

A.   Demographics are always relevant.

B.   Gender is almost always relevant.

C.   It depends on what is relevant and what is available.

D.   Age is usually a pretty solid indicator of segments.

35: Business development combines which two of the following business functions?

A.   Finance and Sales

B.   IT and sales

C.   Marketing and IT

D.   Marketing and sales

E.   Finance and Marketing

36: True or false? Maintaining a relationship with a customer after a sale is worthless.

A.   False

B.   TRUE

37: Most Companies Business Models are:

A.   Anti-Cyclical

B.   Cyclical

38: PPC is a common term for internet companies meaning:

A.   Person to Person Chatting

B.   Pay Per Click

C.   Power, Perception and Challenge

39: True or False: Narrowing the target for potential clients helps because it: Concentrates sales efforts to a selective group that is most likely to be most profitable

A.   True

B.   False

40: Which of the following qualities would help close the most deals?

A.   The ability to smooth talk with a prospect

B.   A knowledge of which features bring maximum benefit to his employer

C.   A knowledge of how the product can help the customer and a genuine belief in the product.

D.   None of these

E.   A high energy level

41: True or False: Start up companies are almost always succesful in the first few years.

A.   False

B.   True

42: For which of the following reasons is cold calling generally discouraged?

A.   Cold callers dont know for sure if they are talking to the prospect

B.   The prospect is generally unprepared for an interruption

C.   The prospect may not have a need for a solution or a problem

D.   All of these

43: Underservicing a territory will hurt sales because ________.

A.   Both of these

B.   fewer leads will be pursued

C.   prospects will receive less attention

44: Which of the following provides value to a business?

A.   All of these

B.   Capital

C.   Real Estate

D.   People

45: Business development is the creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships.

A.   False

B.   True

46: True or Fales: An Organization Chart is a diagram that shows the structure of an organization and the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs.:

A.   False

B.   True

47: Which of the following parties does a business have to manage relationships with?

A.   Partners

B.   Employees

C.   Customers

D.   All of these

E.   The press

48: B2B stands for business to business, True or False

A.   False

B.   True

49: Which of the following does Sales Management Information include?

A.   All of these

B.   Top performing salespeople/channels

C.   Sales of products and services

D.   Reasons for wins/losses

50: True or False? Business development involves creating relationships of long term value.

A.   False

B.   True

51: Business networking is a relevant tool in business development.

A.   True

B.   False

52: International sales can be hampered by:

A.   All of the above

B.   Regulatory Issues

C.   Cultural Differences

D.   Language Barriers

53: Long term relationships are important to business development.

A.   True

B.   False

54: SEO is a common internet term meaning?

A.   Staff Enabled Options

B.   Search Easy Online

C.   Search Engine Optimization

55: Which of the following should be avoided when setting up a breakfast meeting with a prospect?

A.   Setting the meeting in a restaurant with a quiet ambience

B.   Setting the meeting where there are only a few items on the menu to choose from

C.   Setting the meeting in a popular and noisy restaurant

D.   Setting the meeting in the prospects hotel in which he is staying

E.   Setting the meeting on the route which the prospect takes to his office

56: What is the definition of the common business development term "pipeline"?

A.   The flow of potential clients which a company has started developing

B.   The company's plumbing

C.   None of these

D.   The amount of potential prospects which a company has not made contact with yet

57: When a prospect raises objections in a sale, a salesperson should...

A.   Ignore the objection and point to the other positive points

B.   Explain that the objections have no basis

C.   Mention that objection is valid and that they will answer at a later date

D.   Defend the point of view against objection

E.   Expect them and be prepared to answer

58: Which of the following traits distinguishes an excellent salesperson from a good sales person?

A.   The ability to hold a conversation

B.   The ability to answer objections

C.   Any of these

D.   Tenacity

E.   Demeanor

59: True or false? Salesmen are generally not protective of their territory and enjoy the opportunity to move to new locations.

A.   True

B.   False

60: Which of the following is a common email syntax?

A.   Last name + Middle Name + First Name@domain.com

B.   first initial + last name@domain.com

C.   first name + domain@domain.com

D.   None of these

A.   SugarCRM

B.   Salesforce

C.   Google Analytics

D.   Adwords

62: Which of the following should segmentation impact?

A.   Customer Service

B.   Hiring

C.   Branding

D.   Every facet of business.

63: Selling someone a complimentary good along with a primary good, is an example of ________.

A.   down selling

B.   cross selling

C.   over selling

D.   (none of these)

64: True or False? Business development units have a monopoly on new business opportunities.

A.   True

B.   False

65: ______ is the process of acquiring information to ensure that clients will benefit from a product .

A.   Prospecting

B.   Correlating

C.   Pre-Purchase

D.   None of these

66: Gathering data on consumers during marketing campaigns is important because:

A.   Need to track impact of campaign

B.   Need to understand competitors more effectively

C.   Want to verify profitability

67: One common method for selecting prices is using discriminatory pricing strategies. This means:

A.   Comparing to market norms and adding/subtracting premium based on perceived quality

B.   Estimating price consumers wish to pay

C.   Attempting to provide different prices (discounts, coupons) to different groups of people (Ladies Night, Sr Citizens)

68: NPV and ROI agree except when:

A.   Projects with multiple non-continuous profitable years, will not be calculated correctly

B.   Interest Rates are high

C.   Projects last for extended periods

69: NPV takes into account all but:

A.   Cash Flows

B.   Time

C.   Risk

D.   All of the above

70: What is the definition of selling in a business development sense?

A.   Having a stock of something or a product available for sale

B.   Giving or handing over something in exchange for money

C.   None of these

D.   Persuading or inducing someone to buy something

E.   Selling is done when a deal is signed, executed and delivered to the customer to his satisfaction.

71: Which of the following is NOT an important question to answer concerning a product's distinguishing characteristics?

A.   What are the demographics of the group and where are they located?

B.   How is the cost structure impacted by the current Inventory Management?

C.   Are there any seasonal or cyclical purchasing trends that may impact your business?

D.   What are the critical needs of your potential customers?

72: Which of the following is NOT part of the SMART sales framework?

A.   Sellable

B.   Measurable

C.   Attainable

D.   Realistic

73: Which of the following is an example of a compelling elevator pitch?

A.   "I am a sales executive who advises customers on what they need to be doing."

B.   All of these

C.   "I serve customers and stakeholders in IT, uncover their business problems, prioritize and resolve them, and deliver effective solutions through collaboration and teamwork, thereby increasing revenues and satisfaction."

D.   "I am a sales manager managing a $1 million business."

E.   "I am a sales executive specializing in serving customers in IT."

74: True or False: allowing time to accumulate between touches (ie. voicemails, emails, etc) will always "kill" a deal.

A.   True - The more time between touches, the more you become less of a priority.

B.   False - Properly timed delays show both respect and persistence.

75: Why are breakfast meetings effective?

A.   Prospects make an uncommon investment of time during breakfast

B.   Prospects know a breakfast meeting is for a definite action

C.   The menu is simple and likely not to distract either party from the business at hand

D.   All of these

E.   The prospect is fresh

76: Segmenting your sales team to correspond with prospect locations is an example of _________.

A.   upselling

B.   All of these

C.   territory design

D.   prospecting

77: Which of the following is NOT a benefit of customer segmentation?

A.   Increased customer retention

B.   It allows for one easy strategy

C.   Identifies new market opportunities

D.   Prioritizes where to invest resources

78: True or false? Total closed deals is always the best measure of performance.

A.   TRUE

B.   False

79: When is a good time to roll out your segments?

A.   After you've validated them

B.   3-6 months after initial research

C.   Right after you create the segments

D.   Once you've gathered all of your data

80: What is customer segmentation?

A.   A way to sell multiple products which will appeal to a particular customer's varied interests.

B.   A means of identifying and organizing current and future customers.

C.   Segmenting a customer into smaller pieces.

D.   A customer loyalty plan based on customer demographics.

81: In general, business development is another name for traditional sales.

A.   False

B.   Correct

82: ________ in one territory may cause you to lose sales in other territories.

A.   Cross selling

B.   Overselling

C.   Underselling

D.   Upselling

83: Which of the following functions generally does NOT fall under business development?

A.   Sales

B.   IT

C.   Production

D.   Marketing

E.   R&D

84: What is one way to gather primary data?

A.   Site analytics

B.   Customer service

C.   Interviews

D.   Order info

85: Many deals are lost due to the perception that the vending organization does not understand the needs of the client organization. What percentage of potential clients think that way?

A.   About 60%

B.   About 10%

C.   About 20%

D.   About 40%

86: After you've gathered data, what is the second step in customer segmentation?

A.   Interview consumers

B.   Create segments

C.   Analysis

D.   Validate those segments

87: Dividing Expenses by sales gives you the ____%.

A.   Commission

B.   Sharpe

C.   Sales for Expenses

D.   Metric

88: How long is the typical B2B selling cycle?

A.   2-4 weeks

B.   1-3 months

C.   1-2 years

D.   6-12 months

89: After you've launched, when is a good time to perform customer segmentation?

A.   After 1 month.

B.   After 3 months.

C.   When you have 6-12 months of data.

D.   Anytime.

90: Which of the following is an example of a Columbo Close?

A.   "Just one more thing...i will call you again to ask you about your decision."

B.   "Just one more thing, you will find us the best in this business"

C.   "Just one more thing...you will gain more revenue from us in business"

D.   "Just one more thing..." and tell them the price

E.   "Just one more thing..." and ask a question when the prospect's guard is down

91: Which of the following is NOT a Salesforce report type?

A.   Summary

B.   Tabular

C.   Matrix

D.   Provisional

92: True or False: A salesperson should close a deal by asking, "What's the next step?"

A.   True

B.   False

93: An enthusiastic lead within a larger company is generally called a/an ___________.

A.   evangelist

B.   inside salesman

C.   angel

D.   stakeholder

94: Sales potential is calculated by:

A.   Number of possible accounts x Buying power

B.   Population x Buying power

C.   None of these

D.   Buying Power divided by Competition

95: True or False: Voicemail is an effective technique in sales calls.

A.   False

B.   True

96: Which of the following is a good time to perform customer segmentation?

A.   After you've identified a solid target consumer

B.   Anytime is a good time.

C.   When you are looking to expand into new markets.

D.   It's never a good time to do this.

97: Marketing Strategies can be composed of:

A.   Poison Pill

B.   Growth Strategy

C.   Funding Allocations

D.   SWOT

98: In the Competitive Analysis It's Important to include:

A.   Financial Statements

B.   Potential Barriers to the Market

C.   SWOT Analysis

99: What type of question should you ask once you've determined your customer personas?

A.   What's on their playlist?

B.   What is relevant to your business?

C.   Are they decision makers?

D.   How price sensitive are they?

100: A customer is interested in a fixed price of $2M for a service offering. The salesperson has $2.2M as his lowest price. How should he go about closing the deal?

A.   Check with his manager for permission to provide additional discounts

B.   None of these

C.   Explain the price in terms of smaller chunks, such as daily or monthly installments

D.   Provide an extra service for $200,000 in order to receive the $2.2M

E.   Reduce the price by $50,000 and accept $2.15M