Category: Effective Verbal Communication

Winning Over the Type B Personality

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You are fully prepared for your meeting with a potential client. Once there, at the last minute he is not available, and has sent his personal assistant to replace him. Truth be told, you are a bit relieved, because the big boss is a really difficult person. His assistant, on the other hand, proves to be a very agreeable, understanding, and downright sympathetic person. You are sure you scored points as you were able to fully dwell on the advantages of your products and services. In the end, you leave with the promise of a favourable answer in the next two days…

Two days have gone by, then three, then seven; still no word. What happened? And what to do? Diligently, you follow up: you call or stop by to see your contact. She promises to speak with her boss very soon about your presentation – in other words, it has not yet been done! Conscientiously, you offer another date for the follow-up, “you will have an answer in one week, for sure”, the person replies. Another week goes by, you follow-up, but this time your contact cannot be reached. You try again the next day, and the next week, and still no answer. The cat and mouse game has begun, and you risk going through – and this is not uncommon – several months of follow-ups with no result. Stalemate.

A while ago, we published an article on Type A personalities (Mission Possible: Convincing Type A personalities, August 2015. See our blog at consultationettraduction.com). These people tend to be irritable, and impatient; they are very energetic, and hate to waste time. They are the embodiment of action and urgency. With them, emotion, uncertainty, reflection, are words to be avoided as much as possible. To convince them, the proper language will go a long way, the conversation must be results-oriented, and the following words used profusely: conduct, take action, commit, aim, mobilize, reinforce, target, fight, intensify.

What to do then when faced with a person who seems more accommodating, and even hesitant? These people are qualified as Type B personalities.

They are generally calm, patient, lively, and friendly. They tend to be in health care or in more creative fields. They are less – much less – stressed, and less competitive. However, since they are appreciated as a person, they do obtain promotions, and find themselves in positions of leadership and decision making.

Doing business with a Type B can prove challenging for representatives because these people are in no hurry to make a decision, nor to sign an agreement! How, then, does one get around this challenge? Following are five suggestions that may help you become more successful with them:

  1. Words with weight. With Type As, words such as like, feel, fun, accommodate, discuss, talk, debate, are to be avoided at all cost, but they are perfectly OK with Type B personalities. They must be handled gently… not forcefully!
  2. The right person. You must make sure that the person you are speaking with IS the one that will be making the decision in the end, rather than a person delegated by a Type A to “filter” visitors and presentations to avoid any waste of time… wich happens more often than we like to think!
  3. Team work. As Type Bs like to be part of a team, it would be well advised to bring them to include another employee in the discussion, to help with the decision making – the boss, or someone who is an effective influencer with the boss or the decision maker.
  4.  Follow-up. That being said, how can other people be included in the discussion? First of all, if your goal is to FAIL, then by all means do continue your discussions and follow ups with this contact! If not, make sure that you are not alone with this person during the follow-up meeting: it WILL be a waste of time! When confirming the date for the next appointment, ask your contact who will be present. This may encourage him or her to organize a more formal meeting. You can also suggest, gently, to invite the boss – your contact may even greet this idea with open arms, as the responsibility of making a decision will then be passed on to another!
  5. Know when to move on. If all else fails, there is the very likely possibility that your Type B person is simply reluctant to admit that he prefers dealing with another person, or another supplier. You must have the courage to see things as they are and to move on, spending your precious time on more promising prospects. However, if you play your cards well, using the right words and insisting, gently, on team work, you will be giving yourself a better chance of winning the deal.

Continue reading “Winning Over the Type B Personality” →

Mission Possible : Convincing Type A Personalities

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They have a reputation. They are irritable and tough, impatient, stressed and stressful, with a boundless ambition and energy level. In a nutshell, they are the type A personality. People are seen, coming out of their office, purple-faced and sweaty. And now, it’s your turn to confront Genghis Khan. Your mission: to convince.

Types As hate to waste time. They are the embodiment of action and urgency. They can have feelings at times, but not necessarily at the office. As a matter of fact, expressing your feelings will only serve to irritate them immeasurably. Only results count.

In order to persuade or to sell, you must be in sync with the person or people you are trying to convince. You must know how to speak the same language. Failing that, you will only unnerve them and risk being led to the door.

Creators of psychometric tests understand this and know that, for example, a person wanting to encourage a thinking process will start by saying “I think”, as opposed to “I feel” or “I believe”.

Listed here are a few examples of words that Type As like to hear, and that you should integrate in your speech: lead, take action, commit, strive, mobilise, reinforce, aim, control, intensify, result. Words to avoid are: adore, feel, fun, conciliate, discuss, talk, debate.

Here is a specific example: do not invite Type As to come to listen to a conference. They are people of action, and they hate the idea of sitting down and listening, without talking for hours. Invite them instead to participate in an interactive meeting if you want to see them there.

Modifying your vocabulary in order to use words that will please the stakeholder will no doubt increase your chances of success. It is a known fact that we prefer doing business with those who are more like us.

Want to know more? Contact us:

consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

If you would like to see more of our articles, visit our blog at:

https://consultationettraduction.com/

PROPER COMMUNICATION IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS

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Good style creates a good impression, not just of you, but of the company you represent. By paying attention to the language you use, you can eliminate the frustration caused by communication that is hard to read, confusing, or uninformative and thereby build and sustain business relationships. (Carolyn Meyer. Communicating for results, 3rd Ed. P. 72)

To this end, here are a few simple rules:

. Be direct, and use one or two words to convey the intended message.

For example, instead of saying, or writing: you might want to consider sending us the information in a timely fashion, say/write: please send us the information promptly.

. Make minimal use of French or foreign words, thereby conveying your message in a simple and direct manner.

Words such as ambiguous (confusing), impromptu (spontaneous, unplanned), per se (clearly), bona fide (genuine), converse (talk), etc. are fine, once in a while. Overused, they are irritating and distracting.

. Be wary of technical terms. They are fine to use with technicians and specialists, but with a customer, or any other non-expert, such words can make them feel awkward and inadequate.

For example: The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol, designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security and privacy comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN.

The same feature can be explained in a simpler way when necessary: WEP stands for “Wired Equivalent Privacy.” It is a security protocol for wireless networks. Since wireless networks transmit data over radio waves, it is easy to “eavesdrop” on these transmissions. The goal of WEP is to make wireless networks as secure as wired networks.

. Finally, avoid socially disrespectful words (the politically correct must prevail here), as well as slang terms.

Marie-Josée & Anick

Consultants, Translators and Copywriters at your service

Interested to learn more? Visit our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

BAD WORDS IN A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

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This is not about cursing, but about using words which can put off a customer – not unlike the expressions presented in the last post (August 7, 2015) – or worse, which can make him or her hesitate… We all heard this joke: “Sign the contract at the bottom, and press hard, there are three copies”! The beginning of this sentence features two words that may cause doubt with a customer who was ready to make a decision: sign and contract. These two words are definitive and binding in most people’s mind. Even if the customer appreciates you, the idea of a long-term relationship with you may be a deterrent. Doesn’t it sound better to ask for an approval on the agreement? Of course, the customer will get it, but choosing words with care simply shows tact and respect. Following is a short list of words to avoid, and replacement options, thus replacing a bad word with the good word:

Replace…                              With…

contract                                  agreement

sign                                        approve

cost                                        investment

price                                       value

buy                                         invest, acquire

sell                                         propose, offer

pitch                                       presentation

deal                                        offer

commission                            fee, service fee

problem                                  situation, challenge

no problem!                            My/our pleasure!

no (or) yes but…                    I understand, let’s see how/why

needs                                     expectations, goals

let me explain                        present, demonstrate

AND finally…

honestly                                  (avoid them all… period!)

frankly

small

always

never

outstanding

awesome

Seven effective ways to lose a customer

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Let’s admit it: we all said things that we came to regret during a sales interview. That’s when we realized – especially when seeing the infamous rolling of the eyes from our customer – that the sale is lost. Following is a list – although incomplete – of key sentences that must be avoided to maintain our customer’s positive disposition.

    1. To be honest with you. This has to be the best sentence to activate your customers’ lie detector. From then on, they will think that the rest of your presentation is all lies. Take this one out of your repertoire, period.

2. I need this sale to reach my goal. Why would the customers help you? They are not your friend after all. If you utter this one, be prepared to give something in return, as they will understand that you are at their mercy.

3. You don’t understand. There is no better way to irk your customers! They will think you take them for fools that just don’t get it. Learn to preserve their ego. Instead, say: I feel I did not explain this clearly, let me try again.

4. I would be glad to do it, but my boss won’t let me. This is often said to maintain the business relationship. And the boss, not being there, is the perfect scapegoat. The problem with this excuse is that it reflects on the whole company, and if customers hear it repeatedly, they will tend to despise the company. Furthermore, if your boss finds out that you put the blame on him or her, you may hear about it during your annual review! Just avoid this one altogether.

5. Please be patient, we have other customers. So: this means that the others are more important than I am… but my money is just as good as theirs! If at all possible, try getting a colleague to help out.

6. This will cost next to nothing. It’s all a question of perspective: the value of money is not the same for all, and we should never assume that customers have a pocketful of money. Some may drive a Mercedes that can be a stretch to pay for, while others have a tight bank account. Avoid talking about money during the sales interview, talk about the advantages and keep the price for the end. 

7. We are doing our best. Customers do not care. What they want are results. If it is not possible to deliver, try offering solutions that will meet their needs. Happy customers will recommend your services. 

Some sentences — spoken or written — can ruin weeks, and even months, of efforts. Those who know this place themselves ahead of the competition. Taking care of the ways you communicate will ensure greater chances of success.

Communication Pitfalls in the Working Place: How to Avoid Them – Part 2

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Topic No 2: Warning: Rocket Launchers: Words and Their Meaning.

Some love to sprinkle their communications with unnecessary and meaningless words. For example: “In the future, you might want to consider a different and more suitable approach to such an unfortunate turn of events and,  thereby, avoid any further misunderstanding.” One wonders what this is all about! Too many words dilute the message and, more importantly, the desired impact. It even seems that many more words will be needed to explain this statement. Furthermore, the whole approach can be viewed as condescending. A more direct construction will do better in achieving the desired outcome. However, direct does not mean offensive. Here is a better way of delivering this message: “Please try to consider a different approach, to help avoid any further misunderstanding”. Words have power, they must be chosen carefully.

In the work place, make sure you have access to good dictionaries, whether in book form or online (for example merriam-webster.com), and do refer to these tools to make sure you are using the right wording before pushing the Send button. Another tip: use a spell checker. The English language may seem easy, but it does have its set of rules to ensure a clear communication. English grammar books may seem be lighter than those of other languages, but they do exist and they do help, for example, with irregular verbs, prepositions.

Next Topic: The Tone in Written Communications

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. (George Bernard Shaw)

Marie-Josée and Anick