glossary

'G'

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Gap Level - Do other products currently meet this need and satisfy you? The greater the gap, the higher the expected consumer interest. The need level can be multiplied by the gap level to produce a need-gap score. A high need-gap means that the consumer sees the product as filling a strong need that is not satisfied by available alternatives.

Gatekeeper - An individual within an organization who is responsible for evaluating the potential value of a salesperson's product or service for a particular decision maker and taking action accordingly (e.g., passing them along to the appropriate person, asking them to send something in the mail, etc.) also called a screener.

GBS – A sales acronym... general benefit statement... an opening statement of the benefit(s) a customer will receive by purchasing a product or service.

Gender - Men & women tend to have different attitudinal & behavioral orientations, based partly on genetic makeup & partly on socialization practices. Women tend to be more communal-minded & men tend to be more self-expressive & goal-directed. Women tend to take in more of the data in their immediate environment; men tend to focus on the part of the environment that helps them achieve a goal. Gender differentiation has long been applied in clothing, hairstyling, cosmetics, & magazines. Some products have been positioned as more masculine or feminine.

General Need Description – When the buyer determines the needed item’s general characteristics and required quantity.

General Line Wholesalers - Carry only one or two lines.

General Merchandise Wholesalers - Carry several merchandise lines.

Generation - Many researchers are now turning to generation segmentation. Each generation is profoundly influenced by the times in which it grows up—the music, movies, politics, and defining events of that period. Demographers call these groups cohorts. Members of a cohort share the same major experiences, outlooks & values. Marketers often advertise to a cohort group by using the icons & images prominent in their experiences.

Generation 'X' Cohort - Shaped by bad economic times. This cohort puts the quality of personal life ahead of work life; they are not team players, and are cynical about advertising.

Generation 'Y' Cohort - Shaped by economic prosperity and the Internet; aged 23 & under in 2000. This is more idealistic & less cynical than Gen Xers.

Geoclustering - Marketers no longer talk about the average consumer or even limit their analysis to only a few market segments. Rather, they are increasingly combining several variables in an effort to identify smaller, better-defined target groups. Thus a bank may not only identify a group of wealthy retired adults, but within that group distinguish several segments depending on current income, assets, savings, and risk preferences. One of the most promising developments in multiattribute segmentation is called geoclustering. It yields richer descriptions of consumers and neighborhoods than traditional demographics. Clarita, Inc., has developed a geoclustering approach called PRIZM (Potential Rating Index by Zip Markets) that classifies over half a million U.S. residential neighborhoods into 62 distinct lifestyle groupings called PRIZM Clusters.  The groupings take into consideration 39 factors in 5 broad categories:  (1) education and affluence, (2) family life cycle, (3) urbanization, (4) race and ethnicity, and (5) mobility.  The clusters have descriptive titles such as Blue Blood Estates, Winner’s Circle, Hometown Retired, Latino America, Shotguns and Pickups, and Back Country Folks.  The inhabitants in a cluster tend to lead similar lives, drive similar cars, have similar jobs, and read similar magazines.  Here are four PRIZM clusters:

1. American Dreams — This segment represents the emerging, upscale, ethnic, big-city mosaic.  People in this segment are likely to buy imported cars, read Essence magazine, bank with a home computer, watch pro football, and wear designer jeans.  Their annual median household income is $59.000.

2. Rural Industria — This cluster includes young families in heartland offices and factories.  Their life-style is typified by trucks, Field and Stream magazine, fishing trips, and auto racing enthusiasm.  Annual median household income is $27,000.

3. Gray Power — These aging baby boomers live the good life in the suburbs.  They are likely to belong to a country club, subscribe to Modern Maturity, purchase cruise vacations, and watch the Travel Channel.  Annual median household income is $41,800.

4. Country Squires — This cluster comprises 1 percent of American households in the primary age group of 35-54 whose lifestyle is characterized by business trips by air, personal computers and personal digital assistants, gourmet coffee, classical radio, Saab 900s, and moderate Republican orientation.  Annual median household income is $75,000.

Geographical Organization - A company selling in a national market is likely to set up a vertically structured organization consisting of a sales vice president, regional sales managers, zone sale managers, district sales managers, and finally salespersons.

Geographical Shifts in Population - This is a period of great migratory movement between and within the countries. As foreign groups enter other countries for political sanctuary, some local groups start protesting. Even with opposition to the influx of the immigrants of Mexico, the Caribbean, and certain Asian nations, many have done very well. Forward-looking companies and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the growth in immigrant populations and marketing their wares specifically to these new members of the population.

Ghost Shopping - Companies can hire people to pose as potential buyers to report on strong and weak points experienced in buying the company’s and competitors’ products. These mystery shoppers can test how the company’s sales personnel handle various situations. Managers themselves should leave their offices fro time to time, enter company and competitor sales situations where they are unknown, enter company, and experience firsthand the treatment they receive. A variant of this is for managers to phone their own company with questions and complaints to see how the calls are handled.

Goal - A sales target (in revenue and/ or units) for a specified time period... also referred to as a quota, budget or forecast.

Go-Error - Occurs when the company permits a poor idea to move into development and commercialization.

Going Rate Pricing - In going-rate pricing, the firm bases its price largely on competitors’ prices. Where costs are difficult to measure or competitive response is uncertain, firms feel that the going price is a good solution because it is thought to reflect the industry’s collective wisdom.

Government-Based Income Streams - Cash flows paid by a government entity, either directly or through an insurance company.

Group Pricing - The Internet is facilitating a method whereby consumers and business buyers can join groups to buy at a lower price.

Guerrilla Warfare - consists of waging small, intermittent attacks to harass and demoralize the opponent and eventually secure permanent footholds. These include selective price cuts, intense promotional blitzes, and occasional legal actions. 

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