Everyone is looking for the magic formula for sales. Well there is no magic formula but there are some things that can be derived to create a repeatable formula for success in sales.
Bonding & Rapport + Equal Stature = Pain Discovery
Pain + Appropriate Budget + Fair Decision Process = Qualified Prospect
Qualified Prospect + Good Solution = Sale
So let’s take a look at the formula one piece at a time. What we’re after is a predictable repeatable selling process. When it comes to Bonding & Rapport human behavior is very predictable. To illustrate this, here is an example of a statement from an adult:
“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They contradict their parents, chatter in front of company, and tyrannize their teachers.”
Sound like a modern day adult lamenting in these connected times of internet access, cell phones and texting? Here’s the surprise, this is an excerpt credited to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates about 2400 years ago. Human behavior is very predictable.
David Sandler developed this simple rule 40 years ago.
All things being equal people buy from people they trust. All things not being equal, people buy from people they trust. People trust people that are like them.
So what is bonding and rapport? It’s a human to human connection that goes much deeper that the facade of 2 people smiling and shaking hands in a sales meeting. Last week I asked a group of salespeople who had issues with creating bonding and rapport. Only one of about 30 raised his hand. Salespeople believe they are naturals at building rapport but the prospects are lulling them into a false sense of rapport just by acting in a socially acceptable manor. The science of DISC analysis proves this. DISC analysis was developed early in the 20th century by Carl Gustav Jung, one of the original behavioral scientists. DISC tells us we are a blend of behavior styles but usually dominated by one of the following four:
D – Dominate – Think of General Patton, John McEnroe, Coach Bobby Knight
I – Influencing – Think of Robin Williams or Ashton Kutcher
S – Steady Relater – Think of Mother Teresa or Gandhi
C – Cautious Thinker – Albert Einstein or Al Gore
People will more naturally bond with others that have a similar style of DISC.
16% of the population has D as the primary style. The others I, S, C are pretty equally split between the remaining 84%. So at best salespeople have a 28% chance of naturally bonding with their prospect. When you add in the secondary DISC components or the blend that we all have the % drops even more.
So how do we create rapport with people that we are not naturally like? Don’t assume you being your natural self will create rapport. Chances are it won’t. Leave your personality at the door when you walk in and if you’re with a:
D – Be direct brief and to the point, make sure they “win”
I – Allow time for socialization and have fun, talk about people and feelings
S – Be patient and slow down, build trust slowly one step at a time
C – Use data and facts, stay on task and don’t socialize
If you’d like to learn more, please attend our next Business Leader’s Workshop/Luncheon: Improving Sales. Simply CLICK HERE for complete information.
