Chapter 6: People Issues
Selling to Different Personalities
If you don’t sell, it’s not the product that’s wrong, it’s you.
ESTÉE LAUDER, COSMETICS EXECUTIVE
The human species is very complex. Each of us thinks differently. We have our own way of making decisions and have a unique need to be able to influence people and events. By understanding your potential buyer better and adjusting your style to suit him, you increase your chances of influencing him. If you find your style and the buyer’s style similar, your chances of success increase dramatically. If your styles are different and you make no adjustment, your probability of a sale declines measurably.
A useful (though oversimplified) model of personality classification comes from Carl Jung, who believed that every person is predominantly one of these four types:
feeling
thinking
intuitive
sensing
Feeling people. They make decisions based on people. You will notice that they
enjoy chit-chat
are as interested in you as they are in what service or product you offer
need to see a human value to their purchase
need to feel comfortable with you before reviewing what you have to offer
You can spot a feeler by noticing
items of a personal nature in their office, such as family photos and mementoes
decorations that show people more than things
an emphasis on people in their communications
a preference to meet in a more informal setting, away from the office
a focus on benefits for people
a tendency to be more open to listening and compromise
To influence feeling people you should
show the benefits of your product/service to the human side of the organization
avoid a strong emphasis on monetary benefits
behave in an open, warm, and friendly way
take an interest in the buyer on a personal level
Thinking people. They make decisions based on logic.
They prefer
appearing impersonal
focusing on the bottom line
being brief and businesslike
analyzing the smallest details
You can spot a thinker, as thinkers tend to
be neatly and conservatively dressed
have more electronic gadgets than others
ask tough questions
appear blunt and “to the point”
To influence thinkers, you need to
get to the point quickly
prove your case with figures, charts, and facts
prove your case based on merit
dress conservatively
Intuitive people. They are forward-looking and tend to be creative in their problem solving. They are distinguished by
creativity
keen intellect
interest in “the big picture”
You can spot an intuitive person by noticing
her questions, which focus on issues rather than details
the reference or philosophy books on her shelves
the abstract art and charts on the wall
To influence intuitive people, you need to
describe benefits in relation to the long-term future
describe benefits in general terms
show her how your product/service fits into the overall strategy of the client organization
allow time for her to imagine benefits
Sensing people. They tend to operate in the world by making effective use of their five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. They tend to be
detail-oriented
decisive
pragmatic
impatient
You can spot a sensing person because he
focuses on what’s in front of him instead of on the future
thinks aloud (talks before thinking)
usually has a messy office
is surrounded by action pictures on the wall
dresses more casually, without a jacket or tie
To influence sensing people, you need to
focus on getting things done, suggesting action steps
be brief and to the point
show examples, allowing him to see, touch, and smell (if appropriate) what you are offering
present only viable options to expedite decision-making
Communication: Avoiding Breakdowns
Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.
JIM ROHN
Getting on the same wavelength as the buyer is key to closing a sale. Here are the most common causes of a communication breakdown:
Problem: Distractions
Sometimes the sale is taking place in a busy area, such as an open workspace or restaurant, with lots of things happening around. People might be stopping to converse with your buyer. All of this will prevent her from giving you her full attention.
Solution: Maintain eye contact, raise your voice slightly, and ask the buyer a question to confirm her understanding.
Problem: A disorganized presentation
Your presentation will cause the buyer to become agitated if you
do not follow a step-by-step sequence
can’t find the appropriate documents
are presenting generic, rather than customized, information
Solution: Stop! Ask the buyer if you can use the washroom. Take the time to think about what you are doing wrong, clear your head, and go back. Then describe to the buyer what you would like to do (don’t apologize, as this will draw attention to your incompetence!). Then, start again and keep asking for confirmation anytime the buyer’s body language suggests that he is losing interest again.
Problem: Information overload
Your buyer may not be a detail person, nor may he need the level of detail you are presenting. Don’t bore him!
Solution: Explain the level of detail you can go into and confirm that this would be of interest.
Problem: Poor listening
If you fail to understand the needs of the client, you may as well be talking to a wall.
Solution: Stop talking. Listen. Ask open-ended questions and keenly observe non-verbal cues.
Problem: Undue sales pressure
You may be under pressure to produce sales. The buyer is not. If your badgering does not stop, you will lose the sale.
Solution: Slow down. Back off. Give the buyer some space and time to think. Then ask questions to find where she is at and work with her to deal with outstanding issues.
Problem: No need for your product/service
Carrying coal to Newcastle is pointless.
Solution: Move on to people who may have a need. Thank the person for his time and ask whether he knows of anyone who could use your product/service.
Problem: Perceptual barriers
You may be operating on a totally different wavelength if you and the buyer see things from different cultural perspectives.
Solution: If you don’t understand your buyer, listen more. Ask questions until you have a clear picture of their frame of reference. And next time, research that type of buyer, especially if they are becoming increasingly important to you. Alternatively, pass them on to a colleague who does understand them.
Problem: Overly sophisticated concepts
A presentation that is too technical may go over the head of the buyer, causing frustration and feelings of inadequacy.
Solution: Use the KISS principle — Keep It Short and Simple. But don’t treat people like children. Know your client’s level of understanding and make your pitch accordingly.
Problem: Complicated language
When talking to clients, avoid trying to impress them with words and language that they can’t understand. If you do, they’ll wonder about the meaning and be too embarrassed to ask. In turn, your idea might be lost.
Solution: Use everyday language. Make sure that the buyer understands you by asking specific questions from time to time.
Difficult People: How to Handle Them
To handle yourself, use your head.
To handle others, use your heart.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT (1884–1962), AMERICAN HUMANITARIAN
Salespeople can come into conflict with people at every turn, from secretaries who “protect” their bosses, to distribution people who might have different priorities about delivery, to accounts payable people who are delaying payment on bills. Learning how to work with people that are intransigent is important. So, here are some ideas to deal with people who may be standing in your way:
The easiest way to handle difficult people is to avoid them if you can. Watch out for those who
rejoice when you stumble
make decisions without consulting you
cut you off when you’re speaking, particularly at meetings
bad-mouth others when they’re not around; such people probably do the same behind your back
exaggerate, mislead, obfuscate, and otherwise lie
put their own priorities ahead of the group’s
Since you can’t always avoid these people, here’s how to deal with them:
Find out their good qualities — there must be some! — and stay focused on those.
If the positive qualities are hard to identify, avoid dealing with such people in person or on the phone. Use your fax or e-mail to do the dirty work, or send a note.
If avoidance is impossible and you have to deal with the personality conflict head-on, try these techniques:
Focus on the issues. Avoid personal criticism, as this will probably only provoke more of the behavior you dislike.
Give some feedback. Let the other person know what’s going on. This is very sensitive stuff, so tread carefully. But well-considered feedback should make things better rather than worse.
Before you criticize someone else, ask yourself whether you are blameless. Perhaps others find you as problematic as you find them. Make an effort to improve yourself and those around you will reciprocate.
You must have something in common with the people you don’t like. Find it. You may not be so different after all. And the better you know the person, the better you’ll be able to understand him.