Selling Styles – How Many Styles Should Your Salespeople Have?

We were invited to see and hear a friend’s son perform in the Royal School of Church Music of America.  We were very impressed with the voices, performance and beautiful church service.  It was very memorable.  While we were there, I noticed that some of the choristers appeared to be in trances; lost, disengaged and almost catatonic.  However, as soon as the choir director lowered his baton for the first beat, those children suddenly morphed into the most passionate, powerful, wonderful, young singers I had ever seen.  You just wouldn’t believe the transformation!

Terrific salespeople make that transition too.  They morph from laid-back but confident, to powerful, animated and charismatic when it’s time to present.  Most salespeople however, don’t make that transition because it doesn’t feel authentic to them or they fear that they might look and sound like salespeople.  Isn’t that sad?  Salespeople worrying that they might be mistaken for salespeople?

If you’ve met me and also heard me present a keynote address, you’ve witnessed this transformation.  My one-on-one style is a direct contradiction to my public speaking style.  Why?  If I appeared on stage with my one-on-one style, I don’t believe anyone, regardless of my message, would really pay attention.  If we were to meet – just you and me – and I began with my public speaking style, it would feel very threatening and inappropriate.  You would hate me.

There is a balance to all of this and the proper selling style, at the proper time, in the proper place, with the proper people, will work quite effectively.  However, most salespeople have only a single style and they aren’t even aware of it!  If they aren’t consciously aware of it, they usually aren’t able to adapt to the situation in which they find themselves.

This is where video recording can be quite useful.  The ability to show salespeople how they look, sound, act and respond to varying situations is just the medicine they need to adapt, make the necessary changes and become more effective.

Steady and predictable is generally a good formula for success, however, when we need to convince people to buy what we have, flexibility and the appropriate style will always be more effective.