It’s important to be authentic when you work in sales. When you’re genuinely yourself, it can build trust and bolster your credibility as a promo pro. Plus, people can smell insincerity from a mile away. Bringing authenticity to the table showcases your honesty and integrity.

The question becomes, though, how authentic should you be? Each one of your prospects has their own preferences and quirks, and it’s important that you tailor your approach to resonate with them.

Leadership coach Ben Brearley, MBA, says he sometimes hears people say, “I don’t care what anyone thinks,” as an excuse to be themselves. This can be problematic, he says, because you need to be able to collaborate with people in the workplace.

How can you strike the right balance between being genuine and adapting your approach? We share Brearley’s guidance in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

Understand your “personal projects.” These might be related to winning a new account, researching an industry topic or achieving a particular career goal. However, they don’t need to be work-related. They should simply be things that matter to you that you want to improve or accomplish over time, Brearley says. When deciding whether you should adapt your style, consider if it will help you further your personal projects. If you tend to be reserved, you might decide that giving that presentation will help you achieve one of your goals at work.

Consider the stakeholders involved. People tend to like people who are like them. When it comes to building rapport, emulating the prospect’s style is a great way to make an impact. Depending on who’s involved in a sales conversation, you may adjust your style to communicate more directly or provide more analytical details. Brearley says that, in general, when you’re trying to establish a relationship, it’s more beneficial to be like the other person rather than try to be distinctive.

Build trust with your team members. Even if you’re the boss, Brearley says, you may need to adjust your style when dealing with your staff members. This is especially helpful when working with less-confident employees or those who simply have a different style. For example, if your sales reps love the details, being a “big picture” person won’t resonate with them. According to Brearley, you sometimes need to speak on others’ levels to get the best out of them. Try to align yourself with their way of thinking.

While there’s no magic formula to know when you should be yourself and when you should adjust your approach, it’s always smart to be adaptable. Show that you’re open to understanding your clients’ needs and that you want to guide them along the way. That’s how you can turn meaningful conversations into lasting business relationships.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Ben Brearley, MBA, is a leadership coach, trainer and facilitator with nearly 20 years of management and consulting experience.