Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building

Transcription

1 CHAPTER 5 Adaptive Selling for Relationship Building Some questions answered in this chapter are: What is adaptive selling? Why is it important for salespeople to practice adaptive selling? How can salespeople adapt their sales strategies, presentations, and social styles to various situations? 6-1

2 I ve learned the importance of adapting to the specific needs of each customer. ~Katherine Bowe Account Executive IGN Entertainment 6-2

3 TO INCREASE INFLUENCE: BE ADAPTABLE IN TWO AREAS CONTENT WHAT you say / offer STYLE HOW you say it Match your message to other person's needs and desired changes Be aware of how your style matches with other person's style of interaction 6-3

4 COMMUNICATIONS MODEL SENDER Influence Idea, Value Proposition (Synapses) ENCODE Message Symbol / Sound Verbal Non-verbal TRANSMIT Air / Soundwave Lightwave Paper / Voice / Body DECODE Sense / Translate Interpretation Filters / Experience MEANING RECEIVER Understanding Evaluation Judgment VALUE NOISE Local Distractions Voice / Appearance Body Language Attitude / Enthusiasm STYLE of Interaction MIRROR / MATCH your STYLE with CUSTOMER = LESS NOISE and... = LESS DISTRACTION from your MESSAGE 6-4

5 TO INCREASE INFLUENCE: BE ADAPTABLE / FLEXIBLE CONTENT WHAT you say / offer STYLE HOW you say it Rather than list 10 things... Expand your skillset! Instead, discuss only the Be able to switch modes... 2 items that are of You don't have to change MOST IMPORTANCE who you are... just meet to the other person the other person half-way! 6-5

6 Being Adaptive Is your BEHAVIOR and STYLE of COMMUNICATION different at a restaurant if you are there with your best friends rather than with your boss?

7 Salespeople practice adaptive selling when Adaptive selling they use different sales presentations to address different customer needs and alter their communicative style and/or message to match each particular sales situation.

8 Getting the Customer's Attention Establishing Rapport, Credibility and Trust Collecting Information Identify needs, problems MAKING ADJUSTMENTS Develop Sales Strategy to address needs Sales Presentation links Features to Benefits Handling Objections Gaining Commitment

9 Types of Presentations CANNED = MEMORIZED Completely memorized sales talk Ensures salespeople provide complete and accurate information Limited effectiveness OUTLINED PRESENTATION Prearranged approach that usually includes standard introduction, demonstrating value, time for Q&A, and a standard method for getting the customer to place an order Effective because it is well-organized 6-9

10 Types of Presentations (continued) CUSTOMIZED PRESENTATION Written and/or oral presentation based on a detailed analysis of the customer s needs Allows the salesperson to demonstrate empathy for customer s needs / concerns COMPARE APPROACHES: Canned, memorized presentations can be delivered at LOW COST, by less-skilled salespeople Customized / adaptive presentations may be VERY COSTLY, requiring highly-skilled people to analyze the customer s needs 6-10

11 Adaptive Selling = Increased Influence Adaptive selling forces the salesperson to practice the marketing concept. Different people have different desires. Salespeople should adapt their style and message to each customer s specific situation desires needs. 6-11

12 Knowledge Management Knowledge about your own product or service and your own company Salespeople need to have an advanced understanding of their company products, services --and competitors. Knowledge about prospective customer circumstances and sales situations 6-12

13 Knowledge Management (continued) OBTAINING KNOWLEDGE Ask top company salespeople Feedback from sales managers Sales meetings Company sales manuals OTHER SOURCES Industry Websites Business and trade publications Competitor s Web pages Competitor displays at trade shows Customer site visits ASK QUESTIONS 6-13

14 Knowledge Management (continued) Retrieving knowledge from the corporate knowledge management system Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems (capture, store and access data about customers in central database) Expert Systems (capture knowledge of various company experts into database) 6-14

15 Adaptive Selling and Sales Success Different people have different SOCIAL INTERACTION STYLES (i.e., COMMUNICATIVE STYLES) Salespeople should adapt to each customer s desires for a specific style of relationship. Folks desiring to influence others should develop their PERSONAL SKILLSET to include multiple / flexible communicate styles. Adaptive selling gives salespeople the opportunity to communicate the most effective sales presentation to match each customer / selling situation. 6-15

16 The Social Style Matrix The social style matrix is a popular training program that many companies use to help sales people become aware of ways to adapt their communication styles. Dimensions of social styles Assertiveness Responsiveness 6-16

17 Quiet Talkative Using Feelings Using Facts Slow to Decide Fast to Decide Emotional Un-Emotional Going Along Taking Charge Easy to Know Hard to Know Supportive Challenging Warm Cool Ask Questions Make Statements Excitable Calm Cooperative Competitive Animated Poker-Faced Avoid Risks Take Risks People-Oriented Task-Oriented Slow-Studied Fast-Paced Spontaneous Reserved Stay in Background Take Lead Humorous Serious Mellow Directive Easy Going Intense TOTAL Divide above total by 10 to get: ASSERTIVENESS SCORE: (Plot on HORIZONTAL Axis) TOTAL Divide above total by 10 to get: RESPONSIVENESS SCORE: (Plot on VERTICAL Axis)

18 The Social Style Matrix Dimensions of social style Assertiveness Efforts to INFLUENCE others Low asserts = ASK or enlist support High asserts = TELL or direct others Responsiveness Efforts to CONNECT with others (EMOTE) Low response = CONTROL emotions High response = EMOTE: show emotion 6-18

19 Indicators of Assertiveness 6-19

20 Indicators of Responsiveness 6-20

21 SOCIAL STYLE MATRIX (Control Emotion) Low Response 1 Low Assertive Analytical 2 Driver (TELL and Direct Others) High Assertive (ASK and Elicit Support) Amiable 3 Expressive 4 High (EMOTE and Connect Response with Others)

22 Social Style: Strengths / Weaknesses Analytical Strengths: Industrious, persistent, serious, exacting, orderly. Weaknesses: Critical, indecisive, stuffy, picky, moralistic Amiable Strengths: Supportive, respectful, willing, dependable, agreeable Weaknesses: Conforming, unsure, pliable, dependent, awkward Driver Strengths: Strong-willed, independent, practical, decisive, efficient Weaknesses: Pushy, severe, tough, dominating, harsh Expressive Strengths: Enthusiastic, ambitious, stimulating, dramatic, friendly Weaknesses: Manipulative, undisciplined, egotistical, excitable, reacting

23 WHICH APPROACH IS BEST? The best social style for a salesperson is? 1. Amiable 2. Driver 3. Expressive 4. Analytical

24 Social Styles and Sales Presentations There is no one best social style for a successful salesperson. The salesperson s personal social style often tends to determine the sales approach he or she typically uses. (BRANCH OUT!!) Effective selling involves more than just communicating product benefits. Salespeople must recognize each customer situation has different needs / expectations. 6-24

25 Selling to Various Social Styles DRIVERS Direct, businesslike, organized presentation with quick action and follow-up. EXPRESSIVES Demonstrate how products will help the customer achieve personal status and recognition. AMIABLES Build a personal relationship. ANALYTICALS Use solid, tangible evidence when making presentations to analyticals. 6-25

26 Identifying Customer s Social Styles Concentrate on the customer s behavior and disregard your personal feelings about the behavior. Avoid assuming that specific jobs or functions are associated with a social style. Look for cues in person s style of dress or office layout / decor Continuously test your judgments. 6-26

27 Cues for Recognizing Social Styles 6-27

28 Social style matrix: Customer Expectations Analytical Atmosphere: Open, honest Interview Pace: Deliberate Information provided: Evidence of salesperson s expertise in solving problems Driver Atmosphere: Businesslike Interview Pace: Quick Information provided: Salesperson s qualifications; value of product Amiable Atmosphere: Businesslike Interview Pace: Deliberate Information provided: Evidence that salesperson is trustworthy, friendly Expressive Atmosphere: Open, friendly Interview Pace: Quick Information provided: What salesperson thinks; whom s/he knows 6-28

29 Versatility Versatile salespeople are much more effective than salespeople who do not adjust their sales presentations. 6-29

30 Develop Skills for Influence FIND CUES for SOCIAL STYLES Salespeople learn the cues for identifying the different customer categories or types. BECOME ADAPTABLE Salespeople learn which adjustments they need to make in their communication style to be effective with each customer type. 6-30

31 Adaptive Behaviors Less adaptive I ll tell you how it should be done. I m right. It s always been done this way. You re wrong. Take me or leave me. More adaptive Let s discuss it. I see your point. Let s try it your way. I m always looking for new ideas. I want to understand. How can I accommodate you? 6-31

32 Adjusting Social Styles Reducing assertiveness Ask for customer s opinion Acknowledge merits of customer s viewpoint Listen without interruption Be more deliberate; don t rush Let customer direct flow of conversation Increasing assertiveness Get to the point Don t be vague or ambiguous Volunteer information Be willing to disagree Take a stand Initiate conversations 6-32

33 Adjusting Social Styles Reducing Responsiveness Become businesslike Talk less Restrain enthusiasm Make decisions based on FACTS Stop and think before you talk Increasing Responsiveness Verbalize feelings Express enthusiasm Pay personal compliments Spend time on relationships rather than business Socialize, engage in small talk Use nonverbal communication 6-33

34 Systems for Developing Adaptive Selling Skills Training methods such as the social style matrix and expert systems are simply a first step in developing knowledge for practicing ADAPTIVE selling. Salespeople should avoid rigidly applying the style matrix classification rules. 6-34

35 Alternative categorization systems Buzzota and Lefton Warm-Hostile Dominant-Submissive Manning and Reece Dominance Sociability Alessandra Supporting-Controlling Direct-Indirect

36 Summary Extensive knowledge of customer and sales situation types is a key ingredient in effective adaptive selling. Experienced salespeople organize customer social styles into categories. The social style matrix illustrates the concept of developing categorical knowledge to facilitate adaptive selling. The social style matrix is just one categorical scheme salespeople can use to improve their knowledge and adaptability. 6-36

37 Social Style Matrix Do you agree with these? Do people switch styles in different situations? 6-37

38 Social Style Matrix Do you agree with these? Do people switch styles in different situations? 6-38

39 Social Style Matrix 6-39

40 Social Style Matrix 6-40