Co-operators are like Enthusiasts in that they are pleasant and
harmonious people with a strong desire to be well liked. They are
empathetic, outgoing and enjoy meeting and building relationships with new
people. People buy from Co-operators because they like them. They are
methodical and detail-oriented and, when they say they’re going to look into
something for you, they take the time to research thoroughly before coming
back with a response.
What turns them on about selling?
Because of their high degree of empathy, Co-operators become deeply
involved in the customer’s problem and view the sale as a way to resolve
that problem. They truly believe they are in a partnership with their
customers and a sale is a first step on the road to a long relationship.
Like the Enthusiast, they love meeting new people and getting to know their
clients on a more personal level.
At their best...
Co-operators are very friendly and tremendously good listeners. Customers
feel that the Co-operator is genuinely concerned for their well being and,
if they are having service or product problems, they know that the
Co-operator will have their best interests at heart.
The ever-loyal Co-operator is the profile most likely to retain a
"customer for life", as long as maintaining relationships is key. They are
very accommodating and they try their best to do what they say they are
going to do. They are organized and thorough. When they sit down with a
client, they are well prepared.
At their worst…
Many sales gurus feel that creating urgency in the customer’s mind is key
to getting them to move forward and place an order. The Co-operator will
struggle in this area because they don’t have a strong sense of urgency
themselves, as indicated by their high Relaxation. Also, their laid back
approach may make it difficult to function in other areas where a sense of
urgency is needed, such as putting a rush proposal together, quickly
responding to customer queries or dealing with an urgent crisis.
Because of the combined high Sociability and low Dominance – wanting to
be liked and very accommodating – they experience difficulty in dealing with
objections and handling rejection.
They will shy away from activities that may result in rejection, such as
prospecting and closing. Additionally, The Co-operator’s strong desire to
please the customer may cause them to cave-in to customer demands.
Around the office...
The Co-operator gets along with just about everyone, from the CEO to the
Warehouse Supervisor. They are liked by management and support staff alike
because they are very conscientious when it comes to reports and
documentation. However, their laid back approach is a double-edged sword:
they don’t make unnecessary demands on anyone, but, at the same time, they
tend to plod along and don’t respond well to pressure. Similarly, even those
who like the Co-operator’s "go with the flow" attitude may become frustrated
at their unwillingness to take a tough stand when needed.
Summary
Like Enthusiasts, Co-operators are best suited for relationship selling
with a minimal amount of cold calling – where closing the sale is more a
natural outcome of a thorough needs analysis and a level of trust between
the two parties. They score high on both Relaxation and Compliance,
resulting in a thorough, methodical approach to selling. They are well
prepared for sales calls and presentations and they place value on the
structure and support their company provides – things like product
brochures, an 800 number and an impressive client list. Co-operators will
excel in more mature markets where there is an emphasis on account
maintenance rather than aggressive new business development.
Advice to the Co-operator
It’s time to get tough. Beware of your tendency to be over accommodating
at the expense of your commission check. Try to be more demanding of your
customers and yourself – you may like the result.
Recognize that, because of your high Relaxation score, you may be
operating on a different time clock than your managers or customers – who
may have greater urgency. The next time you are asked to complete a project
for them, ask for a specific deadline – and come in ahead of schedule.
