Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Certification Practice Test

Which statement describes sales orientation?

1. Emphasizing product quality

2. Anticipating customer needs

3. Persuasively encouraging purchases

4. Creating marketing campaigns

The correct answer is: Persuasively encouraging purchases

Sales orientation primarily focuses on the techniques and strategies that encourage customers to make purchases, often prioritizing sales volume over customer satisfaction or long-term relationships. This approach stresses the importance of persuasive sales tactics, which means that organizations engaging in a sales-oriented strategy will implement aggressive selling techniques to close sales and reach their targets. In contrast, the emphasis on product quality relates more to product orientation, where the belief is that a high-quality product will naturally attract customers. Anticipating customer needs is a hallmark of market orientation, where businesses seek to understand and meet the demands and preferences of their target market. Similarly, creating marketing campaigns is aligned with a broader marketing strategy that can be utilized in various orientations, including market and societal orientations. Thus, focusing on encouraging customers to make purchases through persuasive efforts is the hallmark of sales orientation, highlighting the direct and tactical means companies use to drive sales.