charm, persuade, excite, and inspire people makes them great motivators. Unfortunately, nitty-gritty details that


require daily attention get left by the wayside. Furthermore, their need to fulfill their dreams can push them to become overbearing and unrealistic. Expressives are easy to sell to because they are comfortable with other people and themselves. Get them talking about themselves and the rest is a coast to the close. Show them how your product can make their dreams come true. Since ex- pressives tend to forget details, you should discuss them later – focusing instead on the personality of the sales call. Expressives like new ideas, so be bold in your approach. Expres- sives often will buy without even a formal contract or proposal. Close when the time feels ripe.


4) THE DRIVER STYLE Drivers are task oriented; they know where they’re going and what they want. They must “get to the point” quickly, express themselves succinctly, make independent decisions, and get results. Their ability to take sound risks and get things done makes them valued workers.


All this emphasis on the short term, however, can undermine long- range gains. When drivers take their decisiveness too far, however, they become domineering and unfeeling. The driver doesn’t want you to waste his or her time. Get to the point. Let the driver know you won’t waste valuable time. Be precise, effective, and organized. Stress the benefits for the company and pros- pect. Back up your statements with solid information and facts. Focus on the driver’s goals and the company’s goals. Assure him that your product can meet the goals, and follow up after the sale with confirmation of your facts – emphasizing that the benefits will be there as promised. Clearly define the pros and cons of a buying decision. Be definite about closing. Be firm and sure of yourself with a driver.


VIDEO: THE IMPACT OF CHANGE ON SALES TRAINING


BE AN INDIVIDUAL We are all four-style people, yet everyone has one style he or she feels most comfortable with – one that requires less energy and produces less stress than the others. Although we may alter our predominant style through effort and training, our basic pattern remains intact. We must change in order to grow, but not by changing our style – just by using it to our advantage. Remember: In some ways, each person is like all other people and like no other person.


BUILD BRIDGES Your automatic response to a situation isn’t always your best response. Now you can use the four-style guide to de- velop more flexibility with more clients. The rewards are just waiting for you. It is not necessary to change yourself – only to accent the behaviors you have in common with your prospect. For example, a driver who had to communicate with an amiable decided to alter his usual style in three ways. • He consciously spoke more slowly and left more periods of silence in the conversation.


• He invited the amiable to state his opinions and refrained from judg- ing any part of what the amiable said until he fully understood the whole idea.


• He stated his opinions less force- fully than usual.


These changes contributed to a


much more productive working rela- tionship. It was worth it to the driver to be flexible. Cooperation with this amiable-style prospect was essential to the driver’s own success. As a caution, keep in mind that people who always adapt their be- havior to the “room” may be viewed as untrustworthy or insincere. The important concept here is style coop- eration rather than style submersion. A discussion with a major customer, a price increase in your company’s product, and a meeting with a com- pany president are all situations where you’ll want to use style flexibility to achieve your objectives.


Be flexible in your style when you see signs of high stress in another per- son. Use it to avoid creating additional tension that could push that person to tune you out or to overreact. The beginning of a conversation is often very stressful for people and can set the tone for the rest of the con- versation. This is a time for building rapport. If you temporarily adopt a similar social style, you’ll put the other person at ease.


SUCCEED WITH YOUR SOCIAL STYLE


No matter which social style you use, you can be a success. By emphasizing your strong points and playing down your weaker areas, you can develop abilities that take you beyond where you are to where you want to be. 


SELLING POWER MAY/JUNE 2020 | 7 © 2020 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


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