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Developing Sales Skills on
the Golf Course!
Is it possible to become a better
salesperson by walking around the golf course stroking a golf
ball?
Well yes of course - and actually a lot better!
The starting point is as follows.
When we have a question or problem, whether it is on the golf
course or in a sales situation, we will tend to find a solution
that is in fact based on our personality.
When a salesperson meets a
customer, he will often focus on some of the product's qualities
and point out some of the advantages that are more according to
his personality as opposed to the customer’s personality, needs
and way of approaching problems. In this manner the salesperson
can actually, be pushing aside other solutions and argu-ments
without even being aware of it. This is illustrated below:
Which sales arguments are you
more likely to use according to your nature?
For example the Results
orientated salesperson will stick to the red corner and by
nature behave and use arguments that can be illustrated by the
keywords in that corner. The arrows point to the solutions,
behavior and needs that this salesperson often will tend to
overlook, even though these may be the most important to the
customer.
In order to become a better salesperson, we must learn to meet
the customer where he is. Just how we do that is described below.
From the model we can divide our customers into four groups. The
Baser type, who puts emphasis on systems, punctuality and order
and will not be likely to embark on projects where risk is
involved. The Result orientated type who wants to go ahead, is
impatient and rarely interested in details. The Integrator type
who puts emphasis on the social aspects, who seeks consensus and
is not likely to make decisions that may cause disagreement. And
finally the Developer type who is the kind that puts emphasis on
the creative and innovative and is very open to changes.
Therefore, if you want to succeed selling to a Baser it is
important that you emphasize the qualities in your product that
appeal to the Baser. And the same with the other cus-tomer
types. It is important to meet the customer with arguments that
match your cus-tomer’s personality, decision style, needs and
preferences.
This is what sales training on the golf course is about.
By playing the game on the golf course the sales person will
learn to identify the differ-ent types and thereby understand
which needs, facts and arguments that are most impor-tant to the
individual customer.
The golf course is actually a fantastic and ideal place to begin
this learning in practice. And here your turnover will not be at
risk when you feel your way forward.
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