Final answer:
The statement that personal selling decreases business owners' flexibility is false. Personal selling actually increases flexibility, as it allows direct interaction with customers, enabling adjustments to specific needs and building better customer relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that personal selling decreases business owners' flexibility in their presentation is false. Personal selling actually increases flexibility rather than decreasing it. This is because personal selling involves direct interaction between the sales representative and the potential customer. This direct communication allows the seller to adjust their message and technique to the specific needs, reactions, and behavior of each customer. In fact, personal selling is often praised for this high level of adaptability, which isn’t typically found in other forms of promotion like advertising or direct marketing.
Moreover, personal selling provides an opportunity to build strong customer relationships and gather immediate feedback that can be used to fine-tune the sales strategy or product offerings. For instance, when competition from firms with better or cheaper products arises, a flexible and attentive salesperson can quickly adjust their pitch to highlight the unique benefits of their own products or services in order to remain competitive.