+
Communication Styles:
Managing Selling
Relationships
+
Communication Style
“Your communication style is the
you that is on display every day—
the outer pattern of behavior that
others see. If your style is very
different from the other person’s,
it may be difficult for the two of
you to develop a rapport.”
4-2
+
4-3
Communication-Style Bias

Most frequently occurring form of bias

Not commonly understood

A state of mind that is difficult to explain

Develops when we have contact with another whose
communication style is different from our own
+
Adaptive Selling
 Describes
training programs that
encourage salespeople to adjust their
communication style to accommodate
styles of their customers
 More
than 7 million have completed
adaptive selling programs with Wilson
Learning
4-4
+
Communication-Style
Principles
1. Individual
Differences


4-5
Individual differences exist and are
very important
Each person displays individual
array of verbal and nonverbal
characteristics
2. Style as a Way
Thinking and
Behaving

A preferred way of using one’s
abilities

Ability = how well you can do
something

Style = how you like to do it
of
+
Communication-Style
Principles
3. Style Tends to Be
Stable over Time
4. There Is a Finite
Number of Styles

Based on hereditary and
environmental factors

Most people display one of several
behavioral clusters

Our “style” tends to remain rather
constant through life

We can often “label” a person’s
style
4-6
+
Communication-Style
Principles
5. Get in Sync with
Styles of Others

Style differences can be source of
friction

Develop an ability to adapt to
another person’s style
4-7
+
4-8
Improving Relationship Skills

First goal: understand your own preferred communication
style

Second goal: develop greater understanding and
appreciation for different styles

Third goal: manage selling relationships by adapting style
(style-flexing)
+ Communication-Style Model
FIGURE
4-9
4.9
+
Dominance Continuum
Low dominance

Cooperative

Like to control

Let others control

Initiate demands

Low in assertiveness

More aggressive
FIGURE
4-10
High dominance
4.1
+
Sociability Continuum
Low
4-11
High

Control feelings

Express feelings

Prefer solitude

Prefer interaction

More reserved

More outgoing

More formal

More informal
FIGURE
4.2
+ Emotive Style
FIGURE
4-12
4.4
+
Emotive Style Traits

Appears quite active

Takes social initiative

Encourages informality

Expresses emotional
opinions
4-13
+ Directive Style
FIGURE
4-14
4.5
+
Director Style Traits

Appears quite busy

May give the impression of not listening

Displays rather serious
attitude

Likes to maintain control
4-15
+ Reflective Style
FIGURE
4-16
4.6
+
Reflective Style Traits
 Controls
emotional
expression
 Displays
preference for
order
 Tends
to express measured
opinions
 Seems
know
4-17
difficult to get to
+ Supportive Style
FIGURE
4-18
4.7
+
Supportive Style Traits
 Appears
 Listens
 Tends
 Makes
to be quiet and reserved
attentively
to avoid use of power
thoughtful decisions in deliberate
manner
4-19
+
Discussion Questions

Think of people you know who are:
Emotives
Directors
Reflectives
Supportives
How
well do you currently communicate
with these people?
• How do you see your communication
style playing a role?
4-20
+
Popularity of Four-Style Model
 While
labels and terms differ, the
underlying concepts are similar in a
number of communication-style models
 See
Figure 4.8 on the next slide for a
comparison
4-21
+
Comparison of Styles
FIGURE
4-22
4.8
+
Minimizing
Communication-Style Bias

Salespeople often focus too much on the content and not enough
on the delivery of their sales presentation

It can be a barrier to sales success

One must work with people from all four quadrants

Become highly adaptable
4-23
+
Achieving Interpersonal Versatility

Versatility describes one’s ability to minimize communication-style
bias

Adapting to the customer’s preferred style can enhance sales
performance

Move toward a more mature style

Strength-weakness paradox

Intensity zones
4-24
+
Intensity Zones
FIGURE
4-25
4.9
+
Versatility Through Style Flexing
 Style-flexing: the
deliberate attempt to adjust one’s
communication style to accommodate others’ needs
 Learn
about each customer’s style during preapproach
stage
 Do
not become preoccupied with identifying style
during sales calls
 Analyze
4-26
call afterward for style clues
+
Selling to Emotives and Directors
Selling to
Emotives

Be enthusiastic

Don’t be too stiff or formal



4-27
Selling to
Directors

Keep as businesslike as
possible

Be efficient, time disciplined,
organized

Identify their goals

Ask questions and note
responses
Take time to establish
goodwill/relationships
Maintain eye contact
Be good listener
+
Selling to Reflectives and Supportives
Selling to Supportives
Selling to Reflectives
 Use
thoughtful, wellorganized approach
 Present
information in
deliberate manner
 Provide
 Never
documentation
pressure for
quick decisions
4-28
 Take
time to build the
relationship
 Listen
carefully to their
opinions and feelings
 Provide
assurances for
their views
 Have
patience, give them
time to comprehend
+
Words of Caution

Do not let labels rule behavior

Labels make people feel
boxed in or judged

Acquire additional
information

Do not classify people per se, classify their strengths and
preferences

Do not let labels justify your inflexibility
4-29