Communication Foci in Selling–Measurement Model Inventory

Abstract

The Communication Foci in Selling—Measurement Model (Klarmann & Wouters, 2023) was developed in the context of a study that explores four communication foci in business-to-business (B2B) selling. These foci differ in terms of the kinds of information communicated during sales interactions with customers, utilizing a sample of B2B salespeople. This development addresses recent calls for more nuanced measures in sales management (e.g., Alavi, Habel, and Linsenmayer, 2019; Hall and Lee, 2019). This measurement model assesses four communication factors (second-order factors): value, benefit, feature, and discount, through four first-order factors reflecting communication stages: developing a proposal, presenting the offering to the prospective customer, discussing the offering with the prospective customer, and closing the sales encounter. To arrive at single indices for the four communication foci in selling, scores for the individual dimensions were computed first and then aggregated to single scores. Using structural equation modeling, three proposed models focusing on the links between the four constructs were compared using chi-square difference tests. Aspects of reliability were examined, and confirmatory factor analysis using the R package Iaavan (Rosseel, 2012) was reported to have been performed to evaluate the scales.

Keywords

Benefit Communication, Business-To-Business Selling, Composite Reliability, Discount Communication, Feature Communication, Rational Influence Tactics, Salesperson-Customer Interaction, Value Communication.

Authors

Klarmann, Martin; Wouters, Marc

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Purpose

The purpose of this measurement model is to evaluate the communication of value, benefit, feature, and discount in business-to-business selling.

Validity

No validity is indicated.

Reliability

Composite Reliability: Value Communication (.98); Discount Communication (.94); Benefit Communication (.97); Feature Communication (.99).

Individual Item Reliabilities: Value Communication (Ranged from .80 to .95); Discount Communication (Ranged from .31 to .96); Benefit Communication (Ranged from .68 to .84); Feature Communication (Ranged from .55 to .82).

First Order Factor Reliabilities: Value Communication (Ranged from .89 (proposal stage) to .96 (presentation stage)); Discount Communication (Ranged from .68 (proposal stage) to .90 (closing stage)); Benefit Communication (Ranged from .84 (discussion stage) to .98 (closing stage)); Feature Communication (Ranged from .88 (closing stage) to .997 (presentation stage)).

Factor Analysis

Confirmatory Factor Analysis:

• Value Communication: CFI = .97; TLI/NNFI = .95; SRMR = .02; RMSEA = .13; AVE = .93.

• Discount Communication: CFI = .92; TLI/NNFI = .92; SRMR = .04; RMSEA = .12; AVE = .81.

• Benefit Communication: CFI = .92; TLI/NNFI = .92; SRMR = .04; RMSEA = .10; AVE = .91.

• Feature Communication: CFI = .97; TLI/NNFI = .95; SRMR = .03; RMSEA = .11; AVE = .94.

Instrument: Communication Foci in Selling—Measurement Model

• Test Type: Original

• Format: Inventory/Questionnaire

• Language Available: English, German

• Population Group: Human; Male; Female

• Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

• Population Details: Respondents were German B2B Salespeople.

• Test Methodology: Test Validity; Factor Analysis; Confirmatory Factor Analysis; Measurement Model; Structural Equation Modeling.

• Administration Method: Electronic

• Number of Items: This measure consists of 9 items for each of the four selling communication foci, totaling 36 items.

• Factors and Subscales:

  • Factors: Value communication; Benefit communication; Feature communication; Discount communication.

  • Subfactors: Developing a proposal; Presenting the offering to the prospective customer; Discussing the offering with the prospective customer; Closing the sales encounter.

• Test Items Available: No

Keywords

Business Organizations; Commerce; Persuasive Communication; Sales Personnel; Organizational and Occupational Measures.

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Authors

• Klarmann, Martin

  • Affiliation: Institute of Information Systems and Marketing (IISM), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Email Address: No data is Available

• Wouters, Marc

  • Affiliation: Institute of Management (IBU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Email Address: [email protected]

  • Correspondence Address: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Management (IBU), PO Box 6980, Karlsruhe, Germany, 76049, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

• Commercial: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

References

Klarmann, M., & Wouters, M. (2023). Benefits, discounts, features, and value as communication foci in selling: Exploring concepts, drivers, and outcomes. Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 43(1), 46–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2022.2082451

Items of the Communication Foci in Selling—Measurement Model

This measure consists of 9 items for each of the four selling communication foci. Specific item content is not available in the provided text.