Communication Styles: Managing Selling Relationships

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Communication Styles Managing Selling
Relationships
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Learning Objectives

• Discuss communication-style bias and how it
  influences the relationship process
• Explain the benefits derived from an
  understanding of communication styles
• Identify the two major dimensions of the
  communication-style model

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Learning Objectives

• List and describe the four major communication
  styles in the communication-style model
• Learn how to identify your preferred
  communication style and that of your customer
• Learn to overcome communication-style bias and
  build strong selling relationships with style
  flexing

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Communication Style

• Your communication style is the you that is on
  display every daythe outer pattern of behavior
  that others see. If your style is very different
  from the other persons, it may be difficult for
  the two of you to develop a rapport.

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Communication-Style Bias

• Most frequently occurring form of bias
• Not commonly understood
• A state of mind that is difficult to explain
• Develops when we have contact with another whose
  communication style is different from our own

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Adaptive Selling

• Describes training programs that encourage
  salespeople to adjust their communication style
  to accommodate styles of their customers
• More than 7 million have completed adaptive
  selling programs with Wilson Learning
• See details of Wilsons Social Style Series

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Communication-Style Principles

• 1. Individual Differences
• Individual differences exist and are very
  important
• Each person displays individual array of verbal
  and nonverbal characteristics

• 2. Style as a Way of Thinking and Behaving
• A preferred way of using ones abilities
• Ability how well you can do something
• Style how you like to do it

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Communication-Style Principles

• 3. Style Tends to Be Stable over Time
• Based on hereditary and environmental factors
• Our style tends to remain rather constant
  through life

• 4. There Is a Finite Number of Styles
• Most people display one of several behavioral
  clusters
• We can often label a persons style

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Communication-Style Principles

• 5. Get in Sync with Styles of Others
• Style differences can be source of friction
• Develop an ability to adapt to another persons
  style

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Improving Relationship Skills

• First goal understand your own preferred
  communication style
• Second goal develop greater understanding and
  appreciation for different styles
• Third goal manage selling relationships by
  adapting style (style-flexing)

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Communication-Style Model
4.9
FIGURE
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Dominance Continuum

• Low dominance
• Cooperative
• Let others control
• Low in assertiveness

• High dominance
• Like to control
• Initiate demands
• More aggressive

4.1
FIGURE
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Sociability Continuum

• Low
• Control feelings
• Prefer solitude
• More reserved
• More formal

• High
• Express feelings
• Prefer interaction
• More outgoing
• More informal

4.2
FIGURE
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Emotive Style
4.4
FIGURE
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Emotive Style Traits

• Appears quite active
• Takes social initiative
• Encourages informality
• Expresses emotionalopinions

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Directive Style
4.5
FIGURE
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Director Style Traits

• Appears quite busy
• May give the impression of not listening
• Displays rather seriousattitude
• Likes to maintain control

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Reflective Style
4.6
FIGURE
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Reflective Style Traits

• Controls emotional expression
• Displays preference for order
• Tends to express measuredopinions
• Seems difficult to get to know

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Supportive Style
4.7
FIGURE
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Supportive Style Traits

• Appears to be quiet and reserved
• Listens attentively
• Tends to avoid use of power
• Makes thoughtful decisions in deliberate manner

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Discussion Questions

• Think of people you know who areEmotives Direct
  orsReflectives Supportives
• How well do you currently communicate with these
  people?

• How do you see your communication style playing a
  role?

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Popularity of Four-Style Model

• While labels and terms differ, the underlying
  concepts are similar in a number of
  communication-style models
• See Figure 4.8 on the next slide for a comparison

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Comparison of Styles
4.8
FIGURE
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Minimizing Communication-Style Bias

• Salespeople often focus too much on the content
  and not enough on the delivery of their sales
  presentation
• It can be a barrier to sales success
• One must work with people from all four quadrants
• Become highly adaptable

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Achieving Interpersonal Versatility

• Versatility describes ones ability to minimize
  communication-style bias
• Adapting to the customers preferred style can
  enhance sales performance
• Move toward a more mature style
• Strength-weakness paradox
• Intensity zones

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Intensity Zones
4.9
FIGURE
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Versatility Through Style Flexing

• Style-flexing the deliberate attempt to adjust
  ones communication style to accommodate others
  needs
• Learn about each customers style during
  preapproach stage
• Do not become preoccupied with identifying style
  during sales calls
• Analyze call afterward for style clues

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Selling to Emotives and Directors

• Selling to Emotives
• Be enthusiastic
• Dont be too stiff or formal
• Take time to establish goodwill/relationships
• Maintain eye contact
• Be good listener

• Selling to Directors
• Keep as businesslike as possible
• Be efficient, time disciplined, organized
• Identify their goals
• Ask questions and note responses

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Selling to Reflectives and Supportives

• Selling to Reflectives
• Use thoughtful, well-organized approach
• Present information in deliberate manner
• Provide documentation
• Never pressure for quick decisions

• Selling to Supportives
• Take time to build the relationship
• Listen carefully to their opinions and feelings
• Provide assurances for their views
• Have patience, give them time to comprehend

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Words of Caution

• Do not let labels rule behavior
• Labels make people feelboxed in or judged
• Acquire additionalinformation
• Do not classify people per se, classify their
  strengths and preferences
• Do not let labels justify your inflexibility