Successful Professional Salespeople . . .

Successful Professional Salespeople . . . • Are psychologists first, being students of ‘people’, sensitive to feelings and emotions, not anxious to rush into a presentation until they know the kind of person they are dealing with. • Understand people: • Have one thing in common: they’re different, so what appeals to one person may not work with another • Do business with people they like, all other things equal • Do business with people they like, all other things NOT equal (Lee Iacocca) • Must buy you before they will buy your product • Are excellent communicators

Psychological and Sociological Theories of Human Attitudes and Behavior • Transactional Analysis • Social Styles

What Does That Mean? • This morning, John said to Mary, “Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight?” Explain what John meant likely depended on how he asked the question.

Honey, Have You Seen My Car Keys? • Harry and Wilma are husband and wife. One morning, Harry is running late for work and can’t find his car keys. When he asks for Wilma’s assistance in finding them, they eventually get into an argument. Who’s fault was it?

Don’t Grump At Me • One summer evening recently, a lady walks into a restaurant of a well-known national chain. She places an order after waiting in line for another lady friend and four kids who are with her. After receiving her food, she discovers she did not get everything she ordered. She returns to the counter and complains, “First, I have to wait and wait to place my order. Then, you mess it up on top of that.” Robbie, who had taken her order makes a mistake in responding to the complaint. What did Robbie do? What should Robbie have done?

There’s A ‘Good’ Farmer • Luke’s father would often take the family for a drive around the countryside after supper on Sunday. His father liked to look at other farms. Luke’s father would sometimes say, “He’s a good farmer” when driving by a farm. What was the basis for his father’s conclusion?

Well It Worked the Last Time • Charlene had a very successful sales call when she called on Herman. She had ‘tons’ of information and Herman was seemingly interested in every detail, every number, every fact. When she gave the same presentation on her next stop with Paul it backfired. What went wrong and why?

Transactional Analysis • A model for explaining why and how: • People think like they do • People act like they do • People interact/communicate with others • Based on published ‘psychological’ work such as: • Games People Play (Dr. Eric Berne) • I’m OK - - You’re OK (Dr. Tom Harris) • Born to Win (Dr. Dorothy Jongeward)

Our Brain (according to Berne) • Determines what we think and how we act • Acts like a tape recorder while recording • Events • Associated feelings • Has 3 distinct parts or ego states • Parent • Adult • Child

Parent Ego State • Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based on messages or lessons learned from parents and other ‘parental’ or authoritarian sources • Shoulds and should nots; oughts and ought nots; always and never • Prejudicial views (not based on logic or facts) on things such as: religion dress salespeople traditions work products money raising children companies • Nurturing views (sympathetic, caring views) • Critical views (fault finding, judgmental, condescending views)

Adult Ego State • Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based on objective analysis of information (data, facts) • Make decisions based on logic, computations, probabilities, etc. (not emotion)

Child Ego State • Thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behavioral patterns based on child-like emotions, impulses, feelings we have experienced • Child-like examples Curious Eager to please Impulsive Self-centered Angry Fearful Happy Pleasure seeking Rebellious Happy

Ego Portraits • People have favorite, preferred ego state, depicted by larger circle in a diagram ParentAdultChild P P P A A A C C C

Human Interaction Analysis • A transaction = any interaction or communication between 2 people • People send and receive messages out of and into their different ego states • How people say something (what others hear?) just as important as what is said • Types of communication, interactions • Complementary • Crossed • Ulterior

Intonations: It’s the Way You Say It! What it means I was going to take someone else. Instead of the guy you were going with. I’m trying to find a reason why I shouldn’t take you. Do you have a problem with me? Instead of going on your own. Instead of lunch tomorrow. Not tomorrow night. Placement of the emphasis Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight? Why don’t I take you to dinner tonight?

Complementary ‘Transactions’ • Interactions, responses, actions regarded as appropriate and expected from another person. • Parallel communication arrows, communication continues. Example 1: #1 What time do you have? #2 I’ve got 11:15. P P A A C C

Complementary ‘Transactions’ cont’d Example 2: #1 You’re late again! P P #2 I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. A A C C

Crossed ‘Transactions’ • Interactions, responses, actions NOT regarded as appropriate or expected from another person. • Crossed communication arrows, communication breakdown. Example 1 #1 What time do you have? #2 There’s a clock on the wall, why don’t you figure it out yourself? P P A A C C

Crossed ‘Transactions’ cont’d Example 2 #1 You’re late again! #2 Yeah, I know, I had a flat tire. P P A A C C

Ulterior ‘Transactions’ • Interactions, responses, actions which are different from those explicitly stated Example #1 How about coming up to my room and listening to some music? P P A A C C

Some Selling Implications of TA • Develop an adaptive selling strategy for ‘parent’, ‘adult’, ‘child’ customers • ‘Best’ communication exchange for selling? • Remember to respond in ‘complementary’ manner • Most effective selling involves adult to adult • Strokes, or positive interactions, important • Verbal (e.g. hello, compliment) • Touch (handshake, pat on back) • A gift • Listening

Being a ‘Response Able’ Salesperson • Recognize you cannot control another’s behavior, but you can affect their behavior by the way you respond to them. • Remember you control your own behavior and thoughts. • Keep things in perspective • Don’t sweat small stuff • Give it test of time • Ask if it’s happened before • Distinguish what can be changed from what can’t • Focus on haves vs. have nots • Have realistic expectations • Life is not fair or perfect • Bad (good) things happen, usually don’t last forever • Things don’t always go according to plan • People don’t always act as you’d like (remember ego state explanations, people have ‘bad’ days, etc.)

Dealing with Difficult Customers • Keep ‘adult’ ego state in control of yourself. • Don’t get defensive, argumentative, emotional. • Don’t take it personally. • Move cautiously, stay cool, remember complementary transactions and strokes. • Do not need to take continued abuse. • If handled well (e.g. didn’t embarrass customer, allowed them to take something out on you), can turn out to be positive later.

Sales Quotes: Transactional Analysis • When a relationship is right, details are negotiable; When tension is high, details become obstacles.

Sales Quotes: Transactional Analysis • Rule #1: The customer is never wrong. • Rule #2: If the customer is wrong, read rule #1.

Successful Professional Salespeople . . .