workspace is typically well-organized and clean. Th

ey are also hesitant to

make changes because they enjoy consistency and routine. Th

eir voice-

mail message will be soft and possibly apologetic: “Hi, this is Cheryl. I’m

very sorry I missed your call. Please leave me a message and I will make sure I

call you back.”

SALES TIP

Demonstrate how easy the change will be to incorporate into their work environ-

ment and how it will help the other people on the team. Use the word “team” in

your presentation. Soften your tone of voice and slow down your rate of speech.

Th

e Compliant or Analytical: Th

ese people are critical thinkers and

draw conclusions based on facts, fi gures, accuracy, and the rules. Th

ey

focus on procedures. Perfection is very important to them. Th

ey are not

necessarily shy but they can be diffi

cult to read because they do not show

their feelings. Th

eir workspace will be very precise and neat; in some cas-

es, everything will be organized alphabetically and labeled. Analytical

individuals prefer information in writing, so send them an agenda prior

to a meeting. Use bullet points in your correspondence, and make sure

your spelling and punctuation are 100 percent accurate. Th

eir voice-mail

message will ask you to leave a detailed message: “Th

is is Geoff . Please

leave your name, phone number, time of your call, the reason for your call,

and the best time to contact you.”

SALES TIP

Give this person time to make a decision and back up your information with lots of

facts, fi gures, and statistics. Be precise and avoid using generalities or discussing

feelings. Above all, avoid trying to push this person into making a quick decision.

Highlight referrals and satisfi ed customers to help reduce the risk factor.

When you adapt your natural style to more closely match the style of your cus-

tomer you will gain rapport more quickly. This means you will experience less re-

sistance and you will increase the likelihood of moving the sales process forward,

providing of course, that your product or service is of value to your customer’s

company or organization.

THE POWER OF ADAPTING YOUR APPROACH

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