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Co-operators are like Enthusiasts in that they are
pleasant and harmonious people with a strong desire to be well liked.
They are empathetic, outgoing and enjoy meeting and building
relationships with new people. People buy from Co-operators because
they like them. They are methodical and detail-oriented and, when they
say they’re going to look into something for you, they take the time
to research thoroughly before coming back with a response. |
What turns them on about selling?
Because of their high degree of empathy, Co-operators become deeply
involved in the customer’s problem and view the sale as a way to resolve
that problem. They truly believe they are in a partnership with their
customers and a sale is a first step on the road to a long relationship.
Like the Enthusiast, they love meeting new people and getting to know
their clients on a more personal level.
At their best...
Co-operators are very friendly and tremendously good listeners.
Customers feel that the Co-operator is genuinely concerned for their well
being and, if they are having service or product problems, they know that
the Co-operator will have their best interests at heart.
The ever-loyal Co-operator is the profile most likely to retain a
"customer for life", as long as maintaining relationships is key. They are
very accommodating and they try their best to do what they say they are
going to do. They are organised and thorough. When they sit down with a
client, they are well prepared.
At their worst…
Many sales gurus feel that creating urgency in the customer’s mind is
key to getting them to move forward and place an order. The Co-operator
will struggle in this area because they don’t have a strong sense of
urgency themselves, as indicated by their high Relaxation. Also, their
laid back approach may make it difficult to function in other areas where
a sense of urgency is needed, such as putting a rush proposal together,
quickly responding to customer queries or dealing with an urgent crisis.
Because of the combined high Sociability and low Dominance
— wanting to be liked and very
accommodating — they experience
difficulty in dealing with objections and handling rejection.
They will shy away from activities that may result in rejection, such
as prospecting and closing. Additionally, The Co-operator’s strong desire
to please the customer may cause them to cave-in to customer demands.
Around the office...
The Co-operator gets along with just about everyone, from the CEO to
the Warehouse Supervisor. They are liked by management and support staff
alike because they are very conscientious when it comes to reports and
documentation. However, their laid back approach is a double-edged sword:
they don’t make unnecessary demands on anyone, but, at the same time, they
tend to plod along and don’t respond well to pressure. Similarly, even
those who like the Co-operator’s "go with the flow" attitude may become
frustrated at their unwillingness to take a tough stand when needed.
Summary
Like Enthusiasts, Co-operators are best suited for relationship selling
with a minimal amount of cold calling —
where closing the sale is more a natural outcome of a thorough needs
analysis and a level of trust between the two parties. They score high on
both Relaxation and Compliance, resulting in a thorough, methodical
approach to selling. They are well prepared for sales calls and
presentations and they place value on the structure and support their
company provides — things like product
brochures, a 1800 number and an impressive client list. Co-operators will
excel in more mature markets where there is an emphasis on account
maintenance rather than aggressive new business development.
Advice to the Co-operator
It’s time to get tough. Beware of your tendency to be over
accommodating at the expense of your commission cheque. Try to be more
demanding of your customers and yourself —
you may like the result.
Recognise that, because of your high Relaxation score, you may be
operating on a different time clock than your managers or customers
— who may have greater urgency. The next
time you are asked to complete a project for them, ask for a specific
deadline — and come in ahead of schedule.
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