Why it Sucks to be a Natural-Born Influencer
“You are a natural-born sales person.”
“Are you in sales? You should be.”
“You could sell ice to an Eskimo.”
Long before I got into sales, I heard comments like this and I always viewed them as a negative because the last business I wanted to be was a salesperson. After all, sales people are pushy, self-serving, unconcerned with others, and focus solely on their own agenda. Right?
Many sales people are perceived as possessing the ability to manipulate a conversation so they can get their prospect or customer to agree. In fact, there are dozens of courses that lecture people how to use words, questions, statements and approaches to influence someone’s choice. While I find these programs fascinating, I don’t believe that professional sales people need to resort to these tactics in order influence their prospects and customers.
If you have carefully listened to the responses people share with you after asking high-quality, high-value questions and you have properly positioned your solution, you don’t really need to influence the other person. They should see the value in our offering, right?
In a perfect world, yes. But, we don’t live in a perfect world, do we?
Last month, my post stated that most people sell in their natural style. That means there is often a disconnect between the way you sell and the way your prospect buys. This disconnect leads to missed sales opportunities.
“Hello, my name is Kelley and I’m an Influencer.”
As an Influencer, I admit to being a poor listener. I constantly have to work on my listening skills and I often catch myself wanting desperately to respond to a prospect as a replacement for of patiently waiting for them to end talking. I miss underlying clues, messages, and other information that could help me close a sale. I have a tendency to overstay my welcome because I will often go into overtime with my presentations and meetings usually because they lack focus and clarity. I take rejection very personally and can easily be hurt by an off-hand comment. Plus, my heart rate used to sky-rocket when I needed to question someone for their business or other commitment. Fortunately, I have learned to question for the sale without having a heart attack.
Because I’m an Influencer, I find it extremely challenging to have a sales conversation with an Analytical style individual. Their thirst for mountains of information and methodical approach drives me idiotic. I can’t read them because their poker face reveals small or no information. And getting them to talk…it’s like pulling teeth!
Type A personalities and Drivers also frustrate me. It would be nice if they could at smallest amount take a few minutes to talk before demanding a solution. Because we both have huge egos I feel like I’m in constant competition and their direct comments often seem like a personal attack.
Don’t get me incorrect; there are certain benefits to being an Influencer. We can use our powers of persuasion, personal charisma, and gift-of-the-gab to influence people. We are clear, optimistic and upbeat. And I’m very thankful to possess these characteristics especially since public speaking comes naturally and easily to me, and considering that’s how I earn my livelihood, it’s just a bit vital!
But, there are days when I wish I was a Driver. It would certainly make cold mission much simpler!