Prospecting is all about connecting well with other people. Really, all of sales is, and arguably a lot of life is about it, too.
But when prospecting, we have to try different things depending on the other person. Different things catch different people's attention.
There are two major factors that, if you understand them, can help you connect with people more easily.
DISC style
We talk a lot about DISC in Sandler. You need to understand yourself when it comes to DISC, but it becomes especially powerful when you understand other people's DISC styles.
A D is a quick decision maker, but an S will take much more time to make a decision. Do you think you need to approach them differently when prospecting?
A C likes a lot of details, but an I hates them. Do you think you need to approach them differently as well?
The key is to find out their DISC style pretty quickly, then take a different approach based on that information.
Primary Sensory Dominance
Another concept that's prevalent in Sandler is PSD—Primary Sensory Dominance. Is the other person primarily auditory, kinesthetic, or visual?
Sometimes you can even get this information from someone who knows them well. You might ask something like, "Does he prefer something written on paper or an email? If you were me, which would you send to make sure he gets the information?"
A kinesthetic person may want a leave-behind marketing piece like a brochure. An auditory person may appreciate a voicemail message. A visual person may prefer to see you in person rather than talk on the phone.
Of course, all of these things are tiny, incremental changes you can make when you want to connect with people. As you implement them, you will get better over time.
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.
