Personality Management in Sales and Better Relationships
Management Insight
Do you adjust your personality in the Sales Process to build stronger relationship? If not, you should.
In sales, there are 4 primary types of people.
Professional – They are your standard business types. They are mostly all about business, but open to a bit of small talk. You can’t get a real strong handle on what kind of person they may be on the weekends, and typically keep conversation to numbers and features.
Urban – They are typically younger in age, have a very strong knowledge of pop culture and current events, and openly talk in slang terms and phrases.
Country – They are politically and ideologically Conservative. They have strong views on the world and typically grew up and still operate in heavily rural areas. They are simple, polite, respectful, and just want a fair deal.
Extra Firm – They are 100% business. They ask specific, firm questions. They offer very little in the way of personality, and what they do show you, is all serious. They demand a good deal, and will require extra attention post-sale.
Now that we have defined a few categories, now comes the important part. Do you adjust your personality and your conversation to match the Prospect? This is truly an art, and a crucial one. The reason why, is because you cannot simply “become” the person you are speaking to. If you did, it would come off as fake, in-genuine, and would likely end in a very poor relationship and they may likely walk away from your business. People can sense it very quickly when you are being fake. Be very careful to never come off as though you are acting.
However, if you can just lean in their direction, it causes them to feel as though you know them and understand them. They will become more comfortable, and more trusting, in a shorter period of time. People naturally gravitate to others of similar personality. If you can diversify yourself to match other people more often, you will have much stronger relationships.
Try this on your next few Opportunities: Try to lean your conversation and personality 33% in their direction. Take a look at the graphic below. Determine which category your Contact falls into as quickly as possible, and just lean their way, about a third as strong as they are in terms of personality. You’ll see results, and you will begin to master the art of Relationship building.
Republished from @salesSWAT
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