This article considers the psychology of influence and how great salespeople motivate people to act.
The ability to positively influence others is an essential skill for any sales professional. It is central in guiding clients toward wise purchasing, making connections with new prospects and building stronger relationships with partners and colleagues.
While influential people may seem like they possess an innate gift, motivating others is something that can be learned. Salespeople can improve their power of influence once they have learned to identify and deploy the five distinct influencing styles.
The first step toward improving your influencing skills is to identify your own style by reflecting on your approach to motivating others. Increasing this awareness will help you pick up cues from others about their default styles. This will allow you to see when your approach isn’t working and help you determine how to adjust your style to one that will achieve a better outcome.
- Bridging
Sales professionals who use a bridging style of influence tend to motivate by using reciprocity, consultation, and personal relationships.
Scenario: When discussing a new product with a client, you notice they keep mentioning their colleagues’ opinions. Recognizing their bridging style, you offer to set up a meeting with other satisfied customers so the client can hear their experiences firsthand. By bringing more people into the conversation, you’ve used the bridging style that resonates with the client while providing them with genuine testimonials.
2. Rationalizing
Sales professionals with a rationalizing style use logic and reasoning to persuade others.
Scenario: A prospective client is considering a product that you feel doesn’t fully align with their needs. When questioned, they cite research and data to support their stance, revealing a rationalizing style. You acknowledge their reasoning and present additional data and facts that highlight how an alternative product better suits their requirements. By appealing to the client’s trust in data, you’ve helped them consider a more suitable option.
3. Asserting
Sales professionals with an asserting style use authority and assurance to motivate others.
Scenario: When discussing a potential partnership with a colleague, you notice their direct communication style. Meeting their asserting style, you confidently state your company’s unique value proposition and how it aligns with their needs. By being clear and assured, you’ve demonstrated your expertise and the benefits of collaboration.
4. Inspiring
Sales professionals with an inspiring style use examples and comradery to motivate others.
Scenario: During a product demonstration, you notice a client seems disengaged. To make the information more relatable, you share a story about how another client in a similar situation benefited from the product. By connecting emotionally and providing a relevant example, you’ve inspired the client to see the potential value for their own business.
5. Negotiating
Sales professionals with a negotiating style search for a middle ground to motivate others.
Scenario: A client is interested in a product but hesitant about the cost. Recognizing their openness to negotiation, you propose a tiered pricing structure that allows them to start with a basic package and upgrade as their needs grow. By finding a mutually beneficial compromise, you’ve addressed the client’s concerns while maintaining the integrity of the product’s value.
Summary
According to Musselwhite and Plouffe, all five influencing styles can be effective, but no single style can address every situation.When you influence from a place of habit and lean too heavily on your primary style, you will reduce your odds of being heard and limit your ability to motivate others.
Sales professionals should practice active listening, empathy and adaptability to determine and match others’ styles. By mastering these influencing techniques and prioritizing the client’s best interests, sales professionals can build trust, create meaningful connections and guide clients toward decisions that genuinely meet their needs.
Like learning a new language, mastering different the influencing styles takes practice. Here are a few tactics that can help you implement all five influencing styles in your everyday practice:
- Keep an open mind, enter meetings without assuming you know the problems or solutions.
- Consider your body language. Just like your words, your body language is sending a message. Keep your shoulders back and face your torso toward the other person. Avoid slouching and crossing your arms.
- Ask questions and listen carefully. Notice the tone, the body language, and the way people structure their ideas. What are their concerns? When are they most animated? Write down or make a mental note of when people say or do something that indicates what motivated them.
- Review the evidence. Based on your observations, what has the person revealed to be their influencing style?
- Match their style. Meet them with the same communication style that they use—the one they’re most comfortable with. Practice empathy and pay close attention to how your influence is received. Adapt as the conversation progresses.
To find out how the ISP can inspire your sellers and transform your business, please contact me at: andrew.hough@the-isp.org