Generalists are what most of us think of when we think of a natural
salesperson – they are competitive, goal-oriented people who like taking
risks. They enjoy people contact, have a high sense of urgency and they like
their independence.
What turns them on about selling?
The thing they find most gratifying about selling is the ability to
influence others. They like the prestige of bringing home a big sale and
they thrive on the recognition they receive as a result.
At their best...
They are self-confident, coming across as people who really know their
stuff. They have a good story to tell and they can be visionary when it
comes to how their product can solve a customers problems. They push hard
for results and are unlikely to spend their time unproductively.
At their worst...
Because they can be both controlling and talkative, they
are at times a sales presentation just looking for a place to happen – and
once they get started, they are hard to stop. They are the reason why Purchasing Managers
used to have security buttons installed on their desks. They have a tendency
to oversell and, because they are weak with details, not follow through on
their promises. They will call a potential customer daily until they make
the sale and then drop off the face of the earth once the contract is
signed.
Around the office...
They can drive people nuts – the sales support people do
not like the fact that they leave everything to the last minute, yet somehow
they always manage to convince everyone to put their stuff at the top of the
pile. And their Sales Manager has been trying to track them down looking for
last months sales report. But somehow they still manage to be well liked because
of their charming, persuasive approach.
Summary
The combination of Dominance, Sociability, Drive and Independence makes
the Generalist well-suited for new business development situations where
they are constantly challenged and can use their people skills to network
and build new relationships. It is important to them to have specific
targets to achieve. They like the prestige of selling and will seek
opportunities to be in the limelight. They expect to be recognized and
rewarded for their achievements.
Advice to the Generalist
Let the customer do more of the talking – turn it off occasionally. Ask
more questions – even try listening to the answers once in a while.
