Communication Focus in Selling – Measurement Model Inventory

Abstract

The Communication Foci in Selling—Measurement Model (Klarmann & Wouters, 2023) was developed to provide a nuanced, multi-dimensional assessment of communication strategies utilized by salespeople in Business-to-Business (B2B) selling environments. This scale addresses the need for more granular measurement tools in sales management research.

The measurement model is structured hierarchically, assessing four core communication foci, treated as second-order factors: Value Communication, Benefit Communication, Feature Communication, and Discount Communication. These second-order factors are measured across four distinct communication stages, which function as first-order factors: developing a proposal, presenting the offering, discussing the offering, and closing the sales encounter. The development process involved using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to compare proposed model structures and utilized Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to evaluate scale fit and factor structure, demonstrating strong reliability metrics across all dimensions.

Keywords

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

Authors

Klarmann, Martin; Wouters, Marc

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Communication Foci in Selling—Measurement Model is to systematically evaluate the extent to which B2B salespeople communicate four critical types of information during customer interactions: value, benefit, feature, and discount. By segmenting communication into these four foci, the instrument allows researchers and practitioners to analyze specific persuasive strategies employed throughout the sales cycle.

This detailed measurement enables a deeper understanding of how different communication emphases correlate with intermediate and final sales outcomes, thereby informing best practices in sales training and management.

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Communication Foci in Selling, which is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional, hierarchical construct. The model operates with four second-order factors (the foci) and four first-order factors (the communication stages).

The four second-order communication foci are: Value Communication (emphasizing overall worth and long-term gain), Benefit Communication (focusing on advantages the customer receives), Feature Communication (highlighting product specifications and attributes), and Discount Communication (stressing price reductions or cost savings). These foci are assessed as they manifest across four key stages of the selling process: 1. Developing a proposal, 2. Presenting the offering to the prospective customer, 3. Discussing the offering with the prospective customer, and 4. Closing the sales encounter.

Validity

Specific evidence regarding construct validity, convergent validity, or discriminant validity was not explicitly reported in the provided source materials. The study primarily focused on establishing the reliability and structural fit of the measurement model through advanced statistical techniques like Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling.

Reliability

The reliability analysis indicated very strong internal consistency across the measured factors, particularly at the composite level.

• Composite Reliability: All four communication foci demonstrated excellent composite reliability scores, suggesting high internal consistency: Value Communication (.98); Discount Communication (.94); Benefit Communication (.97); Feature Communication (.99).

• Individual Item Reliabilities: Item reliabilities varied, but generally showed strong performance: 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 (by Stage): Reliability was strong across the four communication stages:

  • 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

The scale structure was evaluated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), comparing three proposed models via chi-square difference tests to confirm the hierarchical structure of the four foci. The final evaluation of the measurement model relied heavily on Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), implemented using the R package lavaan.

The CFA results provided strong evidence for the distinctiveness and acceptable fit of the four communication foci, as detailed by the following fit indices (CFI = Comparative Fit Index; TLI/NNFI = Tucker-Lewis Index/Non-Normed Fit Index; SRMR = Standardized Root Mean Square Residual; RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; AVE = Average Variance Extracted):

• 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

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.

Keywords

Business Organizations, Commerce, Persuasive Communication, Sales Personnel, Organizational and Occupational Measures, Sales Management, Measurement Model.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available (Klarmann, Martin); No data is Available (Wouters, Marc)

Affiliation Email addresses: No data is Available (Klarmann, Martin); [email protected] (Wouters, Marc)

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

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions for use of the scale must be obtained by contacting the Corresponding Author (Marc Wouters). The instrument is not classified as commercial and no fee is required for its use. The scale was developed and published in 2023.

• Permissions: Contact Corresponding Author

• Commercial: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

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 Inventory

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

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