Final answer:
The prospecting stage in personal selling is the search for and qualification of B. potential customers.
Step-by-step explanation:
In personal selling, the prospecting stage is the process where salespeople identify potential leads or customers who may be interested in their product or service. The correct answer to the question is B. potential customers. During prospecting, sales representatives search for new customers or clients and determine whether these prospects have the need, authority, and financial capacity to purchase the product or service being offered.
This stage is crucial because it builds the foundation for the sales process and enables salespeople to qualify leads effectively before moving on to more resource-intensive stages, such as needs assessment and presentations.