A customer walks into a retail setting, looks away from the salesperson, and picks up a written brochure to read. The salesperson approaches, reaches out their hand, warmly introduces themselves to the customer and the customer turns toward the salesperson and coldly says, “I’m fine — I just want to look around.” The salesperson continues, “We have a special this afternoon on our 52” plasma TVs, would you like to check them out?” The customer says, “No, I SAID I was fine. If I want some help, I’ll let you know.”
The first few minutes of a sales conversation can either make or break an opportunity to sell in a retail environment. Salespeople in retail settings are trained to be friendly, outgoing, and take the initiative to reach out, go first, and establish a warm greeting for the customer, attempting to get the customer to feel relaxed, welcome, and comfortable. This approach is effective with many and even most customers, but not everyone. Why?
The answer lies in the Selling Style® of the seller or the Buying Style® of the buyer. Buying styles® and Selling Styles® are patterns of behavior that a buyer or salesperson uses, by habit, in order to accomplish their respective goals. Researchers at Behavioral Sciences Research Press® in Dallas TX have identified at least 6 distinct Selling ‘Styles’® that salespeople utilize when attempting to influence buyers to make purchases.
There are six ‘Selling Styles’® including these four:
IMAGE ORIENTED® SELLING STYLE
These salespeople focus on the way the product or service will enhance the image of the customer among their peer group. They emphasize how the ‘brand’ of the product will enhance the customer’s image. If we use the example of selling cell phones, the salesperson will appeal to the fact that the brand is the most desired, the latest, the most impressive, and how others will be impressed when they see the customer is using the #1 brand product with the latest and coolest capabilities.
RAPPORT ORIENTED® SELLING STYLE
These salespeople are some of the most relationship oriented of all professionals. They greet customers warmly and attempt to make them feel more relaxed, comfortable and at ease. They attempt to connect first to the buyer as a person, then focus on the sale. Rapport oriented® salespeople typically begin by asking ‘safe’ personal questions to help the customer feel welcome, feel appreciated, and feel valued by the salesperson. These salespeople take their time to make sure the customer is appreciated and comfortable before they talk about the purchase.
SERVICE ORIENTED® SELLING STYLE
These salespeople emphasize the after purchase value and durability of the product or service they are selling. They emphasize the peace of mind after the purchase, the warranties & guarantees and after purchase service. They will also emphasize their own personal commitment to follow-up, and extol the benefits of purchasing something that the customer will be happy enjoying for a long, long time.
COMPETITIVE ORIENTED® SELLING STYLE
These salespeople know the most about their competition and know how to ‘beat’ their competitors. They compare brands and then strongly influence buyers to make the ‘best’ buying decision, which is always to purchase from them. They love to promote ‘deals.’ They bring urgency to the buying process, and never hesitate to influence and strongly persuade, as they hate to lose any deal to the competition. These salespeople often utilize other styles, but then rely on their competitive style to bring home the sale. They are the strongest closers by far.
There are 2 additional Selling Styles® and 6 Buying Styles® not yet described, but are also important for salespeople to understand in order to be more effective in their selling conversations.
THE KEY IS RECOGNIZING AND ADJUSTING
When the salesperson can recognize the Buying Style® of their customer, and then quickly adjust to a buyer’s Buying Style®, they will be more successful. The challenge is that many salespeople never adjust their Selling Style® to match the way the customer is trying to make their purchase.
Not all selling approaches work well with buying approaches. That’s why the TV salesman could not connect with his buyer. He was using a Competitive Oriented® selling style with a customer using a more Product-Oriented® buying style.
DETERMINE YOUR STYLE AND FLEXIBILITY
It’s possible to objectively measure your own Selling Style® and to find out how flexible you are to adjust and use the other 5 Selling Styles®. You can also determine what Selling Style® your company as a whole uses and how flexible your sales team is when selling to all types of Buying Styles®. The assessment is called the Selling Styles Preference Analysis®.
For more information on how you can determine your Buying Style®, and those of your sales organization, and to determine how flexible your approach to selling is, contact us and find out how you can take the SSPA® assessment or learn about our classes that teach the power and advantage of Selling and Buying Styles®.