Purpose It is well known that job stress is major cause of salesperson job dissatisfaction and turnover. Salespeople require the resources to cope adequately with a multitude of job stressors, and the purpose of this study is to demonstrate that salesperson wellness promotes the ability of salespeople to use effective coping strategies in the workplace and as a result decrease their intentions of leaving the firm. Design/methodology/approach Data including measures of coping strategies and a wellness lifestyle orientation were collected from a sample of 441 full-time professional salespeople in two metropolitan statistical areas of the USA. Structural equation modeling was used to demonstrate the relationship of a wellness lifestyle to coping strategies and in turn the relationship of coping strategies to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Findings The study demonstrated the influence of the wellness lifestyle on salespeople's ability to cope effectively with job stress. It extends previous research by demonstrating the direct influence of salesperson wellness on coping behaviors and demonstrates the nomological validity of the wellness lifestyle construct by modeling its relationship with job satisfaction and the intent to leave the organization. Research limitations/implications - The study recommends new research on the synergies that might be produced by simultaneous consideration of the social, physical, and psychological elements of the multicomponent wellness lifestyle. This should be particularly valuable in the context of the Challenger Sale. Practical implications - Wellness programs may be introduced or improved following an assessment of coping resource weaknesses of the sales force. New employees could be screened by examining their wellness profiles. Originality/value - Major firms have promoted wellness lifestyle programs for years, but no studies have examined the influence of such programs on coping with job stress by salespeople. The paper demonstrates the value of the salesperson wellness lifestyle by showing that it promotes the most adjustive form of coping strategy, problem-focused coping.

The domain of personal selling research provides a foundation for the importance of understanding the relationship between a salesperson’s ability to cope with job-related stress and its influence on that salesperson’s overall selling and job performance. However, research clarifying what variables facilitate the development of coping resources necessary for a salesperson to develop more effective adaptive coping strategies for job-related stress is lacking. Coping resources are factors in place before the stressors occur—factors salespeople can draw upon that enhance their abilities to better manage the effects of job-related stress. A wellness lifestyle, one promising factor, has been hypothesized to potentially enhance a salesperson’s coping resources necessary for the development of effective coping strategies. However, empirical research investigating a wellness lifestyle construct has been slow to develop. This study develops a measure of salesperson wellness lifestyle, assesses its psychometric properties, and presents managerial implications and directions for future research.

Sales practitioners and researchers have recognized that “one-size-fits-all” selling strategies may not be appropriate for all customers. In this study, we employ the Weitz [J. Mark. 45 (1981) 85] Contingency Model to investigate the effect of the selling situation encountered by a salesperson on the relationship between selling strategy and sales performance. More specifically, we investigate the moderating effect that the selling situation has on the adaptive selling strategy–sales performance relationship. Results of the study suggest that an adaptive selling strategy will generally enhance performance outcomes, and that this relationship is stronger in a modified rebuy and new buy situation.

The present study introduces the concept of a wellness lifestyle into the sales literature. In performing the role of an organizational boundary spanner, a salesperson may encounter an environment that generates a great deal of job stress. The stress-inducing situations are often broad in scope and influenced by multiple sources. Clarifying and expanding the knowledge of factors that influence salespersons’ abilities to cope with their stressful environments is important to sales organizations. We explore the notion of a salesperson practicing a wellness lifestyle and its potential to positively influence the development of coping strategies and organizational outcomes. Research propositions are presented.

Based on Weber's theory of social hierarchies, we employ the “salesperson-customer relationship status” concept to characterize strength of the salesperson-customer bond. Different levels of relationship status are described, tracked over time, and empirically related to strategic goals of customer retention and enhancement. We examine relationship selling activities to explain changes in salesperson-customer relationship status. Survey results suggest greater contact by salespeople contributes significantly to maintenance or improvement in customer rated salesperson status, service retention rates, and additional service purchases. However, customers classifying salespeople in the second highest status are most likely to replace current products with competing products.

We investigate a mail survey research issue that has received little attention in the literature: the timing of follow-up efforts. Our data indicate that there is no relationship between the number of elapsed days between waves and response rate; these findings are based on follow-up mailings sent to each of 20 different treatment groups, testing follow-up intervals ranging from three to 60 days. The implications of these findings are quite meaningful. When timeliness of mail survey responses is an important consideration, or when history and maturation biases are legitimate concerns, survey researchers should follow up sooner rather than later. A quick follow-up strategy will not jeopardize response rates.

An elaborate, complex knowledge structure has been hypothesized to affect a salesperson's predisposition to practice adaptive selling. This study investigates a conceptualization of cognitive complexity, attributional complexity, within the adaptive selling framework. The research findings suggest that an elaborate/cognitive complex knowledge structure will have an influence on a salesperson's predisposition to practice adaptive selling. Implications for research and practice are developed that recognize the importance of understanding the relationship between cognitive complexity and adaptive selling.

Investigates the relationship between brand characteristics ‐ awareness level and image ‐ and their influence on consumers’ perceptions of retail image. Proposes a model of relationships between the number of recognizable brands carried by a retail establishment, the presence/absence of an anchor brand, and perceptions of retail image. Presents the analysis and results of a study designed to test the model. In addition, develops and tests a measure of retail store image. Indicates that one tactic for ensuring a favorable retail store image is a merchandise mix composed of a relatively high number of brands possessing high brand awareness, and one or more brands with a strong brand image. Offers recommendations for both brand and retail managers.