FEATURE | SALES BEHAVIOURS
UNLOCKING BRAIN POWER MARK ERSKINE says advances in psychometric and behavioural profiling offer huge potential benefits in sales
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he study of neuroscience has told us that nine out of ten decisions are made by the subconscious mind. Yet sales organisations continue to focus too highly on product features and benefits, rather than how their salespeople engage with the customer. The marketing profession has embraced neuroscience in its design of marketing campaigns, so why leave it to the intuitive skills of salespeople to make key emotional connections directly with their customers? BECOMING SALES CHAMELEONS For some 35 years, marketing scholars have been writing about optimal sales encounters being adaptive and personally dynamic. Salespeople can and should be taught to be more consciously adaptive and select a sales strategy based on the behavioural profile of their customer. In his article, “Harnessing the science of persuasion” for Harvard Business Review, Robert Cialdini, professor of psychology of Arizona State Business School, wrote: “Do you have it – that magical power to capture your audience, sway undecided customers and convert opponents? Is persuasion really magic? Must we ordinary types struggling with leadership’s greatest challenge – getting things done through others – despair of ever mastering this art? Good news from behavioural science: persuasion works by appealing predictably to deeply rooted human needs.” There are four core behavioural styles or orientations – the way in which we all live and work. We are all a blend of these orientations, but typically have a preferred outlook on the world. The golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you”, is an important moral concept, but not an effective sales strategy – because not everyone wants to be treated the same way. Bridget Biggar and Allan Katcher of profiling tool Life Orientations recommend a new golden
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rule: “Do unto others as they want to be done unto.” Adaptive selling techniques essentially teach people to become sales chameleons who adapt to the orientation of their prospects. There are rules of engagement to observe at each stage of the sale, and the first rule is self-awareness – knowing your own orientation. As American billionaire W. Clement Stone once said: “Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman, not the attitude of the prospect.” Before even meeting a potential customer, social media can indicate the likely orientation of your prospect by the language they use and what they are recommended or endorsed for. Even their photograph can give visual clues – how they present themselves in terms of facial expression and dress style. This will guide the best prospecting media and approach and what language and reasoning to use to resonate with their orientation. It is often quoted that people make their minds up about someone within three seconds. This is our reptilian brain’s instinctive reaction as to whether this person represents friend or foe. Anticipating their orientation minimises the risk of the wrong reaction as we adapt. Ongoing use of this technique with a prospect means the salesperson feels on their wavelength, understands their perspective and anticipates their needs. Throughout the sale there are further do’s and don’ts in negotiating style and closing techniques that increase the chance of success. A comprehensive study by Louisiana State University has revealed a scarcity of adaptive sales training in initial sales training programmes. But adaptive selling was shown to have a positive influence on a salesperson’s performance. The study concluded: “In the midst of increased competition and rising training costs, management should consider incorporating adaptive sales training into their training structure. Salespeople in this study buy into adaptive selling as an effective method. It has been shown to increase sales performance, and salespeople have indicated ISMM.CO.UK
15/07/2015 16:15
