Personal selling plays a very important role in the introduction stage of a new product because it helps in:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → persuading customers about the merits of the product
Option (1) inducing people to break away from their regular buying behaviour and try the new product — Incorrect. Making people break away from their regular buying and try a new product is how sales promotion helps when a new product is launched. It works through incentives.
Option (2) persuading customers about the merits of the product — Correct. When a product is new, buyers know little about it. The salesperson meets them face to face and persuades them about its merits. So personal selling plays a very important role at this stage.
Option (3) reaching a large number of people over a vast geographical area — Incorrect. Reaching a large number of people over a vast area is the mass reach of advertising. A salesperson can meet only a limited number of people.
Option (4) presenting favourable news about the product in the mass media — Incorrect. Favourable news about a product in the mass media is publicity. It is unpaid and has no identified sponsor.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Importance to Businessmen … (vi) Personal Rapport: Development of personal rapport with customers increases the competitive strength of a business organisation. “Merits of Sales Promotion (i) Attention Value: Sales promotion activities attract attention of the people because of the use of incentives. |