175 TExES Marketing Education 8 - 12 Exam Practice Questions

1. Social behavior includes:

A. Social growth
B. Social withdrawal
C. Social relations
D. All of the above

2. List some formats used in mass media.

A. Newspapers and magazines
B. Overhead projectors
C. Tape recorders
D. Cell phones

3. An effective marketing campaign must be:

A. Spontaneous
B. In local dialect
C. Informal
D. Accurate and factual

4. Advertising can be placed:

A. On radio and television
B. In newspapers
C. On billboards
D. All of the above

5. Hiring professionals to create printed advertising avoids:

A. Slang
B. Lawsuits
C. Message being missed
D. Wasting money

6. Marketing is used to:

A. Share opinions
B. Sell something
C. Network
D. All of the above

7. The purpose of communication is to:

A. Convey information
B. Pass the time
C. Show off
D. Make money

8. Customer relationship management:

A. Ignores specific customers
B. Isolates customer needs
C. Studies employer behavior
D. Improves personal satisfaction

9. List some characteristics of an entrepreneur.

A. Arrogant
B. Caring
C. Wait for opportunities
D. Team builders

10. To be effective, a businessperson must:

A. Choose issues carefully
B. Set the highest goals
C. Demand compliance
D. Work around problems

ANSWER KEY EXAM 175

1. Answer: C

Hierarchal social behavior includes: Social Action is activity modified by actions and reactions of other individuals. Rational: Taken to reach a goal, usually without thought to consequences or means Instrumental: Planned, evaluated and taken after considering means and consequences Emotional: Expresses personal feelings Traditional: Taken simply because it is always done in a certain situation Social Interaction is a meeting in which the participants attach and interpret meaning to a dynamic situation and react accordingly. Accidental: Unplanned and probably won't reoccur Repeated: Unplanned, but will happen occasionally Regular: Unplanned, but very common; will be noted if missed Regulated: Planned and will definitely raise questions if missed Social Relations are interactions between individuals or groups in the same clan, social class, organization, country, gender or any other grouping of people with a common denominator. "Social" infers some kind of association based on mutual dependence and belonging.

2. Answer: A

The American Heritage College Dictionary defines mass media as, "a means of public communication to a large audience." The term was coined in the 1920s when radio networks and some newspapers and magazines became available nation-wide and began to influence society at large, rather than just the local population. News and entertainment can be spread in many formats; printed (books, newspapers, magazines) and electronic (radio, television, films, the Internet). The Internet, podcasts and blogs have had a profound effect on society. Information is abundant, readily available and easily accessible. People are turning to the World Wide Web for news of the day, analyses of current events, health information, financial transactions and security. With the advent of so many electronic formats, it is critical students are taught to dissect and discriminate the digital data and learn to scrutinize the sources from which it comes. They need to understand the benefits and the risks and how to evaluate information found on the Internet.

3. Answer: D

Effective marketing can have a profound effect on a business. Conveying the appropriate image is critical in today's global, competitive marketplace. Marketing is expensive; some media more than others, so if the campaign is not planned in detail, well written and produced in a professional manner, the impact will be negative and a waste of money. The first rule of any marketing campaign is to always respect the target audience, never talk down to them and never insult their intelligence with wild promises and ridiculous claims. The astute consumer will see the message for what it is and isn't anyway. The marketer should strive to develop a reputation for accurate, factual advertising. This will make it easier to attract clients and keep qualified buyers coming back. A potential seller or buyer may not need the services at the time he sees, hears or reads the advertising piece, but if the message is clear and concise, it will be remembered when services are needed.

4. Answer: D

For effective radio and/or television advertising, a script must be prepared and actors hired to read the parts; amateurs can ruin an effective, well written script. This type of media is expensive so it is important to consider the target buyers' listening and viewing habits when scheduling the days and times the commercials air. Newspaper ads and billboards have only about three seconds to grab the reader's attention, so it is vital the main message stands out. This is why pictures are effective. The layout should be uncluttered and come to the point quickly with information in large, easy to read font with clear, understandable graphics. The headline needs to either entice or inform, so the reader keeps reading. Newspaper ads are competing with other information on the page, so the copy should answer who, what, where, when questions. Unless the reader is stuck in traffic, billboards must literally be read on the run; so the fewer words used the better.

5. Answer: C

The first requirement for flyers, direct mail pieces and brochures is well-written words delivered in an attractive format that is easy to read. Poorly written and inadequately proofed copy will leave a negative impression and the main message may be missed. Hiring professionals to design, write and produce written pieces is a good way to insure a quality product that gets the right kind of attention and doesn't end up in the waste basket. To be competitive in today's market, it is important to have a presence on the World Wide Web. The web site should reflect the culture of the company and the integrity of the owners and staff. The site should have accurate, timely information, be easy to navigate and list phone and fax numbers and email addresses. Facts about the company and its history and professional biographies of key people should be included. For maximum impact, a professional should design and maintain the site.

6. Answer: B

Marketing is used to create an image (branding), sell a product or service or educate the public. No matter the purpose of the marketing campaign or what media is used, there are basic elements that need to be addressed and criteria met to create an effective marketing strategy. These include but are not limited to:

• Develop a realistic budget and stick to it
• Plan a campaign that reflects the company culture, people, products and services
• Know the target audience and what motivates them
• Choose the advertising media that appeals to that target group
• Use professionals to create the marketing pieces
• Have at least three people proof all material for spelling, grammar and content
• Use accurate facts, figures, pictures and other data
• Be sure to include who, what, why and any unique information about the company.
• Always follow FTC rules and regulations and state and local requirements.
• Analyze data about effectiveness of media used

7. Answer: A

The purpose of communication is to convey information, give advice and ask questions. The method can be verbal (speaking, singing, tone of voice) or nonverbal (body language, hand gestures, eye contact). Frequently, both methods are used in conversations, lectures and presentations. Communication requires a "teller" as well as a "receiver" and both parties must be actively engaged for the process to be effective. It doesn't matter if the information is spoken, written or gestured, if one person doesn't do his part, the process breaks down and the message is misunderstood, misinterpreted or missed altogether. Business communication can be internal and external. Internal communication is used to outline the corporate vision, plans and strategy, explain policies and procedures and inform employees and shareholders of changes. External communication reaches outside the company's four walls to create a positive image, inform, entertain, offer products and services and explain its commitment to customer satisfaction.

8. Answer: B

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a multi-layered method of capturing, storing and analyzing information about current customers. It identifies a company's best customers. It helps marketers understand those customers' specific needs, so they can plan and execute more effective marketing strategies. CRM helps management and sales teams develop relationships with the decision makers, which will ultimately lead to more sales. It is a well-known fact people buy from people, they don't buy from companies. By providing sales teams and marketers with information about the twenty percent of customers who buy eighty percent of the goods and services offered, sales and profits increase and customer satisfaction improves. Practitioners of CRM study customer behavior: How they buy, what they buy, when they buy and why they buy. To understand and be effective using customer relationship management, marketers must be familiar with psychology, sociology, anthropology and micro and macro economics. CRM is a powerful tool when used correctly and applied judiciously.

9. Answer: D

Entrepreneurs see a need, organize human and financial resources and combining passion, intelligence, knowledge and hard work create a product or service that answers that need. They believe in capturing market opportunities, developing products and/or services and offering them to a well-researched target market. They are leaders with sound management abilities and excellent team-building skills. They are always "big picture" people; they hire others to take care of the details. Entrepreneur Don Sheehan says, "Entrepreneurs don't just find opportunities lying around waiting to be discovered; they search for voids in markets and problems in need of solutions and then they come up with realistic solutions to those problems."

10. Answer: A

To be an effective businessperson, one must be able to make decisions and solve problems. The two characteristics are closely related. Both require creativity and the ability to identify issues and options and effectively implement solutions. A businessperson must choose issues carefully, set attainable objectives, develop workable solutions and enlist the support of those involved in and affected by the change. Whatever decision-making process is used, an effective businessperson always considers the reason for the change, how people will be affected and the probable consequences of the action. To do anything less will impact the end results and ultimately affect the bottom line.