Adaptive selling

The theory of behavioral- or communication-style bias is based on a number of underlying principles. List the principles.

1. Individual differences exist and are important. 2. A communication style is a way of thinking and behaving. 3. Individual style differences tend to be stable. 4. There is a finite number of styles. 5. It is necessary to get in sync with the communication styles of the people you work with.

The immature characteristics of each style are:

Aloof and stuffy

Which of the following statements regarding communications-style bias is true?

Communication-style bias is accompanied by symptoms that are often difficult to explain.

A customer high in sociability tends to communicate in an ordered and measured manner.

F

Emotive customers are frank, demanding, serious and opinionated.

F

If your customer's most preferred communication style is Directive, you should keep the relationship as businesslike as possible.

F

In a selling situation, the Reflective customer wants plenty of facts presented as rapidly as possible.

F

People who fall into zone two display their unique behavior characteristics with less intensity than in zone one.

F

Sociability reflects the amount of control we exert over our emotional expressiveness.

F

The psychological continuum and the sociability continuum are combined to form the communication-style model.

F

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding the communication-style model?

It is composed of four distinct quadrants, each representing a major communication style.

Which of the following is true about our individual communication style?

It is formed before we enter elementary school.

Describe the difference between lower dominance and higher dominance.

Lower dominance describes people who tend to be quite cooperative and let others control things. They tend to be low in assertiveness. Supportive, reserved, accommodating, and quiet describes these people. Higher dominance refers to people who tend to like to control things and frequently initiate demands. They tend to be more aggressive in dealing with others. Competitive, decisive, demanding, and bold describe these people.

Which style flexing technique is most appropriate for a salesperson to use in the presence of an emotive customer?

Provide support for the customer's opinions and ideas.

Communication-style bias is most likely to occur when which of the following occurs?

Salespeople have contact with another person whose communication style is different than their own.

When we move into the excess zone, all of the following usually happens EXCEPT:

Style flexing increases.

Adapting to the customer's preferred communication style can enhance sales performance.

T

Communication style is an important aspect of our personality.

T

Communication style is based on a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.

T

Communication-style bias can cause a feeling that we simply do not like another person, without knowing exactly why.

T

If the prospect's most preferred communication style is reflective, the salesperson should avoid actions that are too informal.

T

Style flexing is the deliberate attempt to accommodate the needs of your customer.

T

The zones in the communication-style model might be thought of as "intensity zones."

T

Tone of voice can be a clue to identifying a customer's communication style.

T

People who display their emotions with less intensity are said to be in:

Zone one

An effective way to minimize communication-style bias is to:

adapt your style to the way the customer communicates

When a reflective salesperson moves into the excess zone, he or she is apt to:

avoid making decisions

Relative to Americans, Canadians are more likely to be:

bilingual and formal

"Behavior style" and "social style" are other ways of referring to:

communication style

A customer who is lower in dominance would most likely be:

cooperative

The combination of high dominance and low sociability defines a style known as:

directive

If you have a preferred communication style, you will:

display other communication styles at times

________ can be defined as the tendency to control or prevail over others.

dominance

For each person, one of the four styles is usually:

dominant and easily detectable

A customer who takes the social initiative in most cases and expresses emotions openly is displaying characteristics of which of the following styles?

emotive

The ________ communication style combines high sociability and high dominance.

emotive

Zone one, zone two and the excess zone are used to describe which dimension of our communication styles?

intensity

A customer who is higher in dominance tends to do which of the following?

like to control things

The four-style model is:

popular and taught in many different training programs

The combination of low dominance and low sociability defines a communication style known as:

reflective

Other names for the Emotive style include all of the following EXCEPT:

relater

Recording a customer's communication style in CRM software can help a salesperson:

remember to adapt his or her style when calling the customer

A customer who displays the reflective communication style can accurately be described as:

reserved

The scale designed to measure the amount of control we exert over our emotional expressiveness is the:

sociability continuum

The idea that the characteristics that make others respect you can also make others frustrated with you is called:

strength-weakness paradox

________ ________ is communicating in a way more readily understood by and more agreeable to persons of another communication style.

style flexing

A customer who combines low dominance and high sociability displays which of the following styles?

supportive

The words "reserved," "warm," and "compliant" describe the ________ style.

supportive

The words "aloof" and "stuffy" describe which side of which of the following styles?

the immature side of the reflective style

All of the following are major principles supporting communication style theory EXCEPT:

the most successful business and social relationships are those between identical styles

Knowing and applying communication styles in selling enables you to ________ the relationship.

to manage

The word used to describe the ability to adapt communication styles to deal with different people is:

versatility