What's Your Selling Style?
by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz
In the Go for No! workbooks we recently released, we shared a 4-quadrant grid that identifies four types of "selling styles."
These four styles emerge from a simple model: the two primary concerns that drive most sales behavior.
The two concerns are: Results and Relationships.
Result: Was value exchanged? Did a transaction take place? Did a sale happen or is it in the process to happen?
Relationship: Was a friendship started? Or better, was bond begun? Did the customer enjoy the process? Do they feel good about knowing the salesperson and going business?
Think of a salesperson that has a high concern for results but a low concern for relationships.
This is a style we call, The Adversary.
This is a person who goes into every interaction with the attitude that what is taking place is a battle—a war of wills in which either they or the prospect will emerge victorious. Their goal is to “WIN” the sale, and of course the customer must lose. Selling is about tricking or convincing. These people are responsible for creating the negative reputation “selling” seems to have for many people, both
buyer and seller.
Contrast this with the exact opposite style. The style that has a very high concern for relationships but low concern with results.
We call this style, The Friend.
The Friend is great. How could they not be? They’re fun, empathetic, and always willing to help. The biggest challenge The Friend has is that they border on obsessed with not coming across like they are selling. They’re terrified of being seen as The Adversary. They live to serve, but they’re ashamed to sell. They are also the people that have the biggest challenge being willing to go for no.
Go for No! is never about being The Adversary.
Consider the style who has a high concern for both results and relationships.
We call this style, "The Advisor."
The Advisor doesn't see sales and service as opposites, like it's a choice between one or the other. They know you can do both simultaneously. They are persistent. They are patient and follow up. They ask great questions. They aren't just order takers (they love to make
recommendations) and they don't bully anyone into a bad yes if no is the right answer for their prospect.
They have the courage to sell.
So, which style are you?
