Jane Thompson was hired recently by a national cosmetics manufacturer. She just graduated from college. Having no previous work experience, she always felt nervous about making sales presentations. Her largest customers made her especially nervous. However, for the month she was in her territory, Jane only took orders, which relieved much of the pressure, and the salespeople whom Jane replaced did an excellent job; customers seemed to accept Jane because of this. In today's mail, Jane receives information on products the company wants the sales force to emphasize next month. She is instructed to review the material and come to next week's sales meeting prepared to discuss the information. Of the four products to concentrate on, one product will receive special emphasis. Claire Super Hold hair spray will have the following sales promotion aids and price allowances:

¦ Floor stand containing 12 8-ounce and 36 12-ounce sizes.

¦ Counter display containing 6 8-ounce and 6 12-ounce sizes.

¦ $1 floor stand and counter display off-invoice allowance.

¦ 10 percent co-op advertising allowance requiring proof of advertising.

¦ 10 percent off-invoice discount for each dozen of each size purchased.

The 8-ounce size has a suggested retail price of $1.39 and has a normal invoice cost of 83¢, or $9.96 a dozen. The more popular 12-ounce size retails for $1.99 and costs $1.19 each, or $14.28 a dozen. Jane knows that she, like each salesperson, will be called on at the meeting to give her ideas on how to sell this product in front of the 10 salespeople in her district. Her boss will be there and, it is rumored, the national sales manager will be in the area and may attend. This makes her really nervous.

Questions

1. What can Jane do to prepare herself for the meeting and reduce her nervousness?

2. If you were attending the meeting, what ideas would you present?