Practice Test Geeks(CSM) Certified Sales Manager Practice Test
← All CSM Flashcard Decks

Market Research & Competitive Analysis Flashcards

7 cards from real CSM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Market Research & Competitive Analysis flashcards as text

  1. A sales manager wants to understand why the company lost three major accounts last quarter. Which research method is MOST appropriate?

    Answer: Win/loss interview analysis

    Win/loss interviews directly capture the reasons prospects chose a competitor or churned, making them the most targeted method for understanding lost accounts.

  2. Which competitive intelligence technique involves systematically tracking a competitor's job postings to infer their strategic direction?

    Answer: Talent signal analysis

    Talent signal analysis uses competitor job postings to deduce investments in new capabilities, products, or markets before public announcements.

  3. A company's Total Addressable Market (TAM) is $500M. Its Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM) is $150M. Its current revenue is $30M. What is its market share within the SAM?

    Answer: 20%

    Market share within SAM = ($30M / $150M) × 100 = 20%.

  4. Which Porter's Five Forces element is most directly affected when a new technology allows customers to easily switch between vendors?

    Answer: Bargaining power of buyers

    When switching costs decrease, buyers gain leverage to demand better prices or terms, increasing their bargaining power.

  5. In the context of competitive analysis, what does a 'blue ocean' strategy refer to?

    Answer: Creating uncontested new market space where competition is irrelevant

    Blue ocean strategy, coined by Kim and Mauborgne, focuses on creating new demand in uncontested market space rather than competing in saturated markets.

  6. A sales manager notices that a competitor recently slashed prices by 20% in the mid-market segment. What is the BEST immediate analytical step?

    Answer: Analyze the competitor's cost structure and margin sustainability

    Understanding whether the competitor can sustain the price cut long-term helps determine if it's a temporary tactic or a strategic shift before committing to a response.

  7. Which of the following is an example of PRIMARY market research?

    Answer: Conducting structured interviews with prospective buyers

    Primary research involves collecting original data directly from sources, such as conducting interviews or surveys, rather than analyzing existing published data.