The Journalist Or Finisher, Which Type Of Salesperson Are You?
When observing sales people in the field, there are generally two things that strike me. On the one hand you have a large group I call journalists. They are good at asking the right questions and analyzing the customer’s needs, but have problems closing the deal. On the other hand there’s a small group of sales people who still manage to close in spite of a rather unsuccessful needs analysis.
The Journalist
If we take a closer look at the journalist, it’s clear that he always puts the customer’s interests first. He is interested in the customer’s activity by nature. The reason he asks questions is because he wants to know what’s best for the customer. As soon as he has found out, the difficult part starts. He would love the customer to ask for the deal, as he feels uncomfortable doing so himself. What he doesn’t realize is that customers generally don’t ask for the sale. They expect the salesperson to take the lead. Who made the first contact in the first place?
The Finisher
The finisher is not really interested in the customer’s business. The thing he cares about the most is what’s in it for him. He doesn’t see the need for asking questions as he knows what’s best for the customer. As a result he only asks a handful of questions, most of them are closed ones and directly related to his own products. The finisher relies on assumptions, which are wrong more often than not, and leaves opportunities on the table because he closes too soon. It’s only when he gets a no that he starts building a real argumentation. This puts him in a defensive role, which is far from the ideal position in a negotiation process.
Of course these two types are caricatures and there’s much more to it, but I bet you can identify at least one colleague with each of them. The question is, what can we do about this situation? The answer is simple: train the skills that are lacking. Teach the finisher to listen actively and the journalist to overcome his fear of closing, and follow up in the field.
Your turn now
Do you recognize yourself in one of these types?
How does this affect your sales results?
What can you do to become a more all-round salesperson?
Wim
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5 Responses to “The Journalist Or Finisher, Which Type Of Salesperson Are You?”
Dave Woodson - Northwest Indiana Marketing on July 14, 2011
I think you need to be a combo of both. You must meet the needs of your clients, but you never really want to be pushy. I would love the client to ask to work with me and more often than not that is the case. But, there are those that you need to show them that if they do not work with you they will fail miserably or not meet all of their goals.
Dave
Wim on July 27, 2011
That’s right Dave, a combination of both will serve you best. You must take your time to gain an understanding of the customer’s situation, but when you discover an opportunity it’s your responsibility to not only see it but act on it. The customer is actually waiting for you to suggest the next step.
Loving your videos btw, great idea to do them from the car too. Makes it a productive time!
Thanks for stopping by,
Wim
George Tomson on July 19, 2011
I think I’m more on the journalist side of the spectrum Wim, and I must say it has probably cost me some sales. But still, it’s my style you know. I’m a very empathic person and naturally interested in other people and how I can help them.
Wim on July 27, 2011
Hi George,
It’s great that you have your own style and I would be the last person on earth to ask you to renounce that. At least you know where your weak spots are, so you can work on them. Awareness is the first step!
Thanks for dropping a line,
Wim
Ryan Critchett on July 21, 2011
I like your way of putting it simply, Wim.
I see a lot of finishers in the social business world, kind of like what we’ve talked about through comments on my blog.
I worked sales for a while years back, and reflecting on that time, I really align with the fact that you have to be both the journalist and the finisher.
Love coming here man!