Oh Behave!

One of the most fascinating attributes of a gifted salesperson is their ability to relate to people from all walks of life and make them feel comfortable and at ease. They think that the salesperson is just like them. Obviously, the salesperson can’t be just like everybody, but talented salespeople have that uncanny knack of making you believe they are. How do they do it?

On the other side of the equation, we have those people who always seem to have personality clashes with everyone around them. Customers take an instant dislike to them and they’re prone to be involved in arguments and disputes more often. Worse yet, they don’t know why. In both scenarios, the answer is the same. Behavioural styles!

Having the ability to accurately read a person’s behavioural style (personality type) undoubtedly gives you a huge advantage in sales, because people like dealing with people who are just like themselves. Once you know the style of the person or people you’re dealing with, you can then modify your own style to more closely match theirs. It’s a bit like being in a foreign country and knowing how to speak the language. You’ll get along much better than someone who doesn’t.

Modifying your behavioural style isn’t as complicated as it seems. The key lies in correctly identifying their style.

Why do they think I’m bossy, arrogant, cold and uncaring and why is it a problem?

Task focussed, fast paced Director types often don’t see that being fast paced and task focussed can be problematic. They would tell you that these are two of their most sterling characteristics and they’d be right some of the time. The problems arise when they run into slow-paced customers or relationship focussed customers or worse yet, people who are a combination of both. They see the Director –type as overbearing, dominating, pushy, chauvinistic and unfeeling and why would anyone want to do business with someone like that?

Why do people always interrupt me when I’m speaking?

Slow paced, task focussed Thinker types love to get down to the nitty gritty. They revel in the detail and will happily tell you every little thing there is to know about whatever it is they happen to be selling. That’s fine if the customer is another Thinker who would enjoy knowing all that stuff. The problem is that three quarters of the population aren’t thinkers and all they want to do is finish your sentences for you and move on.

Why am I always over-looked?

Slow paced, relationship focussed Relater types could chat with you all day about their next door neighbour’s hernia operation, if you let them. They’re kind, caring and genuine but when it comes to getting the job done, it’s difficult to have faith in them because they seem a little too soft, they waffle on a bit. They’re not the least bit pushy, so tend to get left to the back of the line.

Why don’t they take me seriously?

Fast paced, relationship focussed Socialiser types are serious about relationships. Who you are and who you know are important to them. If you know someone in common, even better. If you’re one of the fifty percent of people who aren’t relationship focussed, you could be forgiven for thinking socialisers are shallow, vapid and pre-occupied with their social life and your social status or lack thereof. If you’re one of the fifty percent of people who are slow paced, you might even think that Socialisers are completely over the top and to be avoided at all costs because it’s too tiring keeping up with them.

Our saving grace is that each of us possesses some of the qualities of each of the styles, the difference between us lies in the degree. Therefore, each of us has and is able to draw upon the characteristics we need to be able to relate to people who seem so different from us. If you’re fast paced and your customer is slow, take a deep breath and tone it down. If you’re a people person and you’re dealing with a task oriented person, avoid the social chit chat and get down to business.