Effective personal selling is about shaping (some call it manipulating) Consumer Behavior. Knowing what individual variables a consumer possesses can help a salesperson tailor their pitch or approach. For this, you need to watch one hour of a network selling channel (QVC or Home Shopping Network) or watch at least an hour-long infomercial. Note which individual influences the host targets in their pitch process. Do they use self-concept, how the consumer would feel or how the consumer would look at among their peers? (to name a few) There are a plethora of ways that these "hosts" sell products. Look for those individual difference variables that are unique to the individual and those that influence behavior. These variables include:

1. personality
2. self-concept
3. values
4. involvement
5. motivation
6. beliefs and attitudes
7. perception
8. learning

Consumers are motivated to act by internal or external stimuli. Typically, these actions are directed at satisfying unfulfilled needs. There is a very strong linkage or relationship among attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. An attitude is a predisposition to react to a stimulus in a consistent manner. In other words, if we are favorably disposed to a product, we are likely to react in a positive way to anything related to that product. Marketers are very interested in attitudes and beliefs because they are highly correlated with behavior in the marketplace. Brand loyalty is one indication of a strong positive attitude in a consumer about a particular brand.

It is important to note that while these factors deal with individual behavior, marketers attempt to group consumers who share the same profile into segments that are large enough to be targeted.

Topic 1:Watch one hour of a network selling channel (QVC or Home Shopping Network) or watch at least an hour-long infomercial. This is essentially the introduction area where the analysis needs to explain where the selling was observed (cable, youtube, etc.).

Identify who the host was by name, what time you watched and how you watched.As well, go over the brand(s) and product(s) being sold during your hour of observation.Also, identify one key target groups that the host was "speaking" too.Identify two clear segmentation bases that were used to group the target.Often, hosts refer to roles that consumers have that may help identify these targets.To support, present the ways in which the personal seller used techniques to show/understanding differing consumer segments for using the product.

Topic 2:Identify the individual difference variables that influenced/shaped the hosts pitch. Identify (using sub-headings, Topic 1-a, Topic 1-b, Topic 1-c) three of the seven factors discussed above that you believe the host utilized to better connect with target groups.Based on your knowledge of the behavior of other consumers, discuss the individual difference factors that affected their sales approach giving examples of concepts that we've learned under each appropriate heading (ex. discuss repetition of message under the heading LEARNING when talking about classical conditioning).

Topic 3:Rate the effectiveness of the host (1- not at all effective, through 10- extremely effective). Explain the rating.

Do not repeat product categories or brands that other students have used in conference analysis prior to your own post.Better responses include citations (end/foot notes) from the readings.Outside research isrequired just be sure to cite within the text response and provide the whole citation entry at the bottom of the post.Also part of the discussion rubric is that each student must comment and post to two other peer posts during the week. Include a reference list of sources.