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Generalists are what most of us think of when we think
of a natural salesperson — they are
competitive, goal-oriented people who like taking risks. They enjoy
people contact, have a high sense of urgency and they like their
independence. |
What turns them on about selling?
The thing they find most gratifying about selling is the ability to
influence others. They like the prestige of bringing home a big sale and
they thrive on the recognition they receive as a result.
At their best...
They are self-confident, coming across as people who really know their
stuff. They have a good story to tell and they can be visionary when it
comes to how their product can solve a customer’s problems. They push hard
for results and are unlikely to spend their time unproductively.
At their worst...
Because they can be both controlling and talkative, they are at times a
sales presentation just looking for a place to happen
— and once they get started, they’re hard
to stop. They’re the reason why Purchasing Managers used to have security
buttons installed on their desks. They have a tendency to oversell and,
because they are weak with details, not follow through on their promises.
They will call a potential customer daily until they make the sale and
then drop off the face of the earth once the contract is signed.
Around the office...
They can drive people nuts — the sales
support people don’t like the fact that they leave everything to the last
minute, yet somehow they always manage to convince everyone to put their
stuff at the top of the pile. And their Sales Manager has been trying to
track them down looking for last month’s sales report. But somehow they
still manage to be well liked because of their charming, persuasive
approach.
Summary
The combination of Dominance, Sociability, Drive and Independence makes
the Generalist well-suited for new business development situations where
they are constantly challenged and can use their people skills to network
and build new relationships. It is important to them to have specific
targets to achieve. They like the prestige of selling and will seek
opportunities to be in the limelight. They expect to be recognised and
rewarded for their achievements.
Advice to the Generalist
Let the customer do more of the talking —
turn it off occasionally. Ask more questions —
even try listening to the answers once in a while.
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