What is personal selling?

• A. A form of promotion that determines client needs and wants through planned, personalized communication.
• B. A casual conversation with no specific goal.
• C. A method of advertising using mass media.
• D. A regulatory compliance process.

Answer: (A)

Personal selling is a form of promotion that uses planned, personalized communication to determine client needs and wants and to guide the buyer toward a purchase. It relies on direct, two-way interaction, allowing the seller to tailor the message, ask questions, address objections, and build a relationship with the customer. This makes the process goal-directed and customer-specific, often through face-to-face meetings, product demonstrations, or personalized presentations.

In contrast, mass-media advertising reaches broad audiences with one-way messages that aren’t tailored to an individual, a casual conversation with no specific goal lacks a structured sales objective, and a regulatory compliance process isn’t about promoting products or influencing buying decisions.