Trumped up not your selling style ?

Some folk believe that “Telling is selling.” Others on the other hand argue that selling cannot purely a one-way process of communication like a drill sergeant shouting orders across the parade ground. Selling cannot be solely a  dated “challenger sale” battering ram.

Certainly the Trump style may not sit comfortably in your own make up. However let’s look at its strengths and weaknesses. Whether you are pro or anti Donald Trump put that aside a moment and let's examine the pros and cons of the style.

Trumped Up Selling Style :

A  communicator who clearly states what (s) he his/ hers organisation, their products and services can offer the customer ( voter).

Businesslike and focused – Commercially savvy 

Some of his supporters believe in their man who has run a business successfully and so can "fix" America's finances. Others like his blunt, straight-talking style.

Some may consider the style more akin to a bull dozer that flattens all before them. The strengths of the style are communicating direct and clear messages.
  e.g.  Campaign slogan "Make America great again." 
There’e too much PC talk.

Trumps selling effort has focused on five clear messages

• The USA Economy -  a man with credible Business track record A touch of the Ross Perot about him
• The voice of Anti-Immigration cause -
• Name recognition – celebrity status. from the Apprentice TV show. 
• WYSIWYG ( what you see is what you get) 25% of the respondents said it's "extremely important" that a candidate stand up for his or her beliefs in the face of criticism support Mr Trump. Mr Bush was a distant second at 11%.
• The 'silent majority' , the ‘fed up’ crowd, Much like the UK conservative Party who were swept to power by the 'shy tory' vote which was not picked up by the pollsters. Mr Trump We're tired of being pushed around, kicked around, and acting and being led by stupid people."  Contrary to certain beliefs not all buyers want a 'relationship'.

This selling style tells it as it is ( at least from the salesperson’s point of view!). 

Despite Mr Trump's controversial comments on Mexican immigrants and Sen. John McCain's war-hero status.

He was still top of NBC News Survey Monkey Poll  taken after the debate with his comments about Fox News anchor Megan Kelly  with  23 %. Senator Ted Cruz was next on the list with 13 %. In the debate Mr Trump was voted 2^nd with  18%   to former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina at 22%.

Double or Quits Gambler:

And far from backing down after the outcry his comments have provoked, he tends tp amplify them - or "doubling down" doubling the wager to use the jargon - and that will left the other nine co-debaters shuffling uneasily at their podiums.

Rubbishing the competition – does it work ? Can it harm?

Mr. Trump has rubbished the competition, and publicly criticised former colleagues for example

•  "I just realized that if you listen to Carly Fiorina for more than ten minutes straight, you develop a massive headache. She has zero chance!" Trump tweeted.

• Jeb Bush's gaffe over women's health funding last week, saying he "came out horribly" and that the comment about overfunding -- which Bush said was meant to reference Planned Parenthood -- "will go down to haunt him and be the same as Romney's '47%.'"

• Of blogger Erick Erickson's decision to revoke Trump's invitation to the weekend's conservative RedState Gathering, Trump said last Sunday: "This guy's a loser. He's backed so many candidates who have lost."

 Such a selling style equips you to negotiate robustly and close strongly.

Where such a style may be found wanting is in poor building of human relations, particularly with those whose views they disagree with. 
They are likely to pounce on protagonists' words and not listen. They are likely to argue as their default tactic.. They are likely to attack anyone who challenges or criticises them

Having looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the Trump selling style let us now look at how it relates to Professional Selling.

To understand your full responsibility  as a professional salesperson you need to look at your job from three different viewpoints:

1. Your customer’s viewpoint
2. Your company’s viewpoint
3. Your own viewpoint

Today’s professional sales executive needs to merge many roles and satisfy many needs.

1.       Your Client’s viewpoint

To be fully successful in opening, building, maintaining and servicing an account there are four different styles upon which to draw, depending on the business situation that you face at any one time.  These are:

Diplomat:  a friendly representative who relates well to other people.

Bulldozer: a persuasive communicator who clearly communicates what his organisation can offer. Not afraid to challenge buyers.

Administrator: an efficient organiser who makes things happen as they should.

Consultative Seller: a business adviser who helps to identify and satisfy needs and analyse and solve problems.


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