Determining your style
Characteristics of the Styles
Your Clients' Style
Blending Seller and Buyer
Conclusion
In the early 1930s, a concept was developed by WiIIiam Marston, which was later elaborated upon by Dr. John Grier. This concept divides people into four basic personality types. It's understanding these types that will al low you to sell your property more successfully. Many companies using this approach have increased sales from ten to 30 percent.
The first step in this process is discovering your own style. The next step is recognizing your client's style, and the final step is to apply this information to your present sales approach.
The four basic styles are called Dominance (D); Influencing of Others (I); Steadiness (S); and Compliance (C). An important point to keep in mind is that no style is better than another; rather, the key to being a successful hotel salesperson is being able to adapt your selling to fit your client's buying style.
DETERMINING YOUR STYLE
To determine your own style you will need to answer the following questions. When selecting your answers, focus on the behavior that best characterizes you when you are wearing your "selling hat."
Question 1:
Is your selling behavior style active and outgoing?
or
is your selling behavior style reserved?
If you answered active and outgoing, you are either a D (Dominance) or an I (influencing of Others) behavioral style. If reserved, you are either an S (Steadiness) or a C (Compliance) behavioral style.
To find out even more specifically what your style is you will need to answer the following questions:
If your last answer was a D or I:
Are you more of a relater with others
or
a director of others?
If you are a relater, then you are an I. If you are a director, then you are a D.
Those whose first answer was an S or C need to answer the following questions:
Are you more concerned with how to complete task details
or
with the importance or quality the task requires?
If you are concerned with task details, you are an S. If you are concerned with the importance or the quality of the task, you are a C.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STYLES:
Now that you know what type of style you are, look at the characteristics of the different styles.
If you are a D, Dominance style, you like getting immediate results, causing action, and accepting challenges. You prefer to make quick decisions to solve problems, and you enjoy taking charge.
if you are an I, Influencing of Others style, you enjoy contacting and entertaining people while making a favorable impression. You are very verbal. You like generating enthusiasm and creating a motivational environment. You want to help others and enjoy participating in a group.
If you are an S, Steadiness style, you like staying in one place while concentrating on the task at hand. You are loyal and have tremendous patience, which allows you to be a good listener and able to calm excited people.
If you are a C, Compliance style, you enjoy following standards and procedures, concentrating on details, and working under controlled circumstances. While you can be diplomatic with people, you like accuracy and will criticize someone's performance, if necessary. You are a critical thinker and believe in authority.
YOUR CLIENTS' STYLE
Now that you know more about your style, explore your clients' style.
The D Style:
If your clients are a D style, they are highly interested in seeing the new and innovative things about your property. They usually possess a fairly strong ego and do not like to waste time. To sell these highly individualistic go-getters, get right to the bottom line. Don't waste their time with a lot of facts and figures. They just want to hear the high points of your presentation. They, in turn, will be loyal as long as you provide them with service.
The D style is more impressed with your efficient, no-nonsense business manner than any testimonials or data. They would rather leave cost factor details to someone else.
There are several DO's and DONT's for each of the styles which are important to understand. For the D style you DO need to be efficient and omit details. DO be strictly businesslike, as they will let you know if they want to chat. DO flatter their egos. When on a site inspection of your property, stress both the prestige and efficiency of your property. DO make sure you give them direct answers. Finally, DO give them a short summary and close.
Here are the DONT's for the D style. DON'T explain too many details unless they ask for them.
DON'T give your opinions. DON'T be evasive or indecisive, but do give them plenty of options.
The I Style:
If your clients are an I style, they are the friendly, gregarious types who want to talk and socialize. They make great salespeople themselves (they may even try to sell you something).
With an I style, spare them the details because they are not interested in them. They love the new and innovative aspects of your property. The I is fairly easy to sell if you are sociable with them. This also means they can easily wind up going with another property, so give them plenty of follow-up service. Buy them lunch or even a cup of coffee, and closing will be easier.
Here are the DO's for the I style. DO let them talk, and give them compliments about their accomplishments. DO use their own words to direct the discussion back to business. If you can, DO use the testimonials and name drop. DO be enthusiastic and friendly. DO have your summary focus only on the major selling points.
DONT's for the I. DON'T give them a lot of facts (you'll create confusion). DON'T chatter so much that you don't get around to selling them.
The S Style:
The Steadiness (S) clients may be a bit shy, but they want to be your friends. These clients are not suspicious, but are slow to make changes. They need to feel they can trust you. You need to show them that your property is more traditional, and if they're booking a convention that is family oriented.
With an S client, take it slow and easy. Speed can lose the sale. They will want to see your entire property and want plenty of statistics. To earn their trust and friendship, ask about their family and hobbies. Emphasize the traditional and proven nature of your property, and make reassuring follow-up calls.
Here are the DO'S for the S style. DO be low key. DO keep your explanations quiet and simple but loaded with details. DO involve the family in the decision. DO stress the property's security and the security of the surrounding area. DO provide them with a complete cost picture. DO assure them that their decision is right, and that their group will be pleased.
DONT's for an S. DON'T go too fast or omit details. DON'T get too friendly too quickly.
The C Style:
Compliance (C) clients may sometimes be suspicious of you. These individuals can become solidly faithful to you, but only after they trust you. They are tough clients to get (and to lose, once you've got them). They are not great talkers or innovators.
With a C style, give them solid background information and convince them that your property works. Testimonials from other satisfied clients help especially if it is from another C. They need time to absorb details and digest the facts before taking the next step. They will want to see your entire property, even the kitchen area. They like traditional properties.
Here are the DO's for the C style. DO set a tone of trust and sincerity. DO emphasize how you will minimize their group's difficulties. DO stress the need for them to make an early decision. DO be patient, explain things fully, and ask them "how" questions to get their opinion. DO give a complete detailed financial picture. If you have a written description of your property, DO be sure what you say is consistent with the written description.
DONT's for a C. DON'T give the C client a hard sell. DON'T get personal about their family, if you don't know them well. DON'T physically pat them on the back at the first meeting. DON'T speak too loudly, or answer their objections lightly.
BLENDING SELLER AND BUYER:
Now that you understand yourself and your clients better, you need to put it all together. Because to be truly effective you will need to blend your selling style with that of your customers.
Blending for the D Hotel Salesperson
You are strong-minded and confident. You like to deal with new, innovative items, and you become bored with details.
To sell a D: Be yourself. One D communicates well with another.
To sell an I: Be a little more friendly than-usual, not quite as businesslike. You should get along fairly' easily with him or her.
To sell an S: Slow down, give assurances, give more details, be friendlier, give him or her a chance to digest facts, don't overstress new or innovative aspects.
To sell a C: Present plenty of proof and facts, make sure all questions are answered, take it much slower than your usual pace, and don't be "pushy."
Blending for the I Hotel Salesperson
You are friendly and happy-go-lucky. You lack attention to details, become easily bored, and are very social and people-oriented.
To sell a D: Don't joke, make small talk, or throw your arms around him. Stay businesslike, and don't waste time.
To sell an I: No problem, just remember to ask for her agreement.
To sell an S: Earn her trust before becoming too friendly. Stick to the facts and figures. Some socializing and small talk about your families is acceptable; you will need to show a lot of knowledge about your property and her group's needs.
To sell a C: He is probably your most difficult customer. He's not impressed by story-telling or socializing. Give him facts, figures, and proof. The best you can do is try to act like another C.
Blending for the S Hotel Salesperson
You are steady and dependable, but easily discouraged. You can lack confidence in your sales abilities when placed in new and difficult situations.
To sell a D: Assert more confidence, and don't be intimidated or scared off by the strong-willed and challenging D. Come back strongly with the answers he wants.
To sell an I: You may not like his over-friendly, time-wasting attitude, but you should get along fairly well.
To sell an S: Like you, she'll probably require lots of assurances, so be confident.
To sell a C: You'll have a fine rapport as long you can confidently answer all her questions and firmly present specific facts and figures. Don't be intimidated by her skepticism.
Blending for the C Hotel Salesperson
You are a well organized facts and figures person who prefers selling the traditional aspects of your property.
To sell a D: Be careful; don't overwhelm her with all your facts and figures. just hit the high points. And muster enough courage to sell those new and innovative aspects of your property.
To sell an I: Again, resist the urge to lay out all the facts; just hit the high points, being as friendly as possible. Try showing her the new and innovative aspects of your property.
To sell an S: Just don't talk too fast, and you'll get along well. Give him plenty of time to digest the facts you present. Talk about his family a little, too.
To sell a C: This is your easiest sale. You'll see eye to eye with him from the start.
SUMMARY:
While few people are pure "D, I, S, or C," you will find that blending your style will be one of the most effective and successful sales techniques you can acquire. Use the people in your office whose styles are different from yours to help you discover how to approach that tough client more effectively. You will find that the more you use these techniques, the easier it will become to identify clients and close your sales.
Selling Effectively - The Buyer Blending System - To learn more about this author, visit Jerry Teplitz's Website.
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Jerry Teplitz
(Visit Jerry's Website)
Dr. Jerry V. Teplitz' background is as
unique as the techniques he teaches. He
originally graduated from Northwestern
University School of Law and holds both a
Master and Doctorate in Wholistic Health
Sciences.
Jerry is the author of the book Managing
Your Stress: How To Relax and Enjoy, and
his two latest books are Switched-On
Living and Brain Gym for Business.
Articles on Jerry have appeared in such
publications as Successful Meetings,
Prevention Magazine, and T&L Golf
Magazine.
As a professional speaker, he has spoken
to over one million people. Dr. Teplitz
has also been honored by his peers in the
National Speakers Association by receiving
the title of "Certified Speaking
Professional" and has been selected as
"Top Rated Speaker" by the International
Platform Association.
Dr. Teplitz is listed in several editions
of Who's Who in America, and served eight
years on the faculty of the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce Institute for Organization
Management.
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