I can usually tell fairly early on when a prospect is not going to embrace the Sandler methodology. Of course, some people take time to warm up to it, but other times there are red flags for me that they'll be highly resistant.
One of those red flags is when someone wants me to help their salespeople be more aggressive.
What do you think of when you think of an aggressive salesperson? Is it a positive thing? Or is it a salesperson who raises his voice at prospects? Who is demanding and pushes his own agenda at the cost of the prospect's agenda?
It's highly likely that your picture of an aggressive salesperson is a negative one.
Now, let's be clear about something. There's a difference between being assertive and being aggressive.
Having an aggressive sales strategy makes your prospect think they need to be on guard. You come off as rude and demanding. You seem pushy. And if you do get a meeting with a prospect or client, you end up pushing your own agenda at the cost of the other party's agenda.
If you were the prospect or client, does that sound like someone you would want to buy from?
An assertive sales strategy, on the other hand, is a huge key to success. It's about taking control of your life. David Sandler always said, "You can be a part of your plan or a part of someone else's."
David Sandler was assertive! You'd better believe he was a part of his plan and not someone else's.
Being assertive is about controlling your own behavior, which then drives your attitude.
If you were the prospect or client with an assertive salesperson, does that sound like someone you would want to buy from?
It not only sounds like someone I would buy from, it sounds like someone I would want to be around!
So do you and your sales team really need to be more aggressive? Or do you need to be more assertive?
Crandall is the Principal of Sandler in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He works with business owners and motivated individuals to create and implement Professional Development Strategies to foster the growth of individuals, teams, and organizations.
