CONNECT2LEAD for Leadership Development

Are You Putting Buyers on the Defensive?

Written by PFPS | Mar 23, 2016 1:00:26 PM
Constructive Intent. Seller is thoughtful in delivering sensitive messages, giving feedback and challenging assumptions, is able to avoid putting buyers on the defensive. Seller's communication motives are not self-serving.

These 12 Dimensions of Trust represent the 12 ways a seller can build or erode trust with buyers. Each associated action creates a connection or causes a disconnection. Knowing about all 12 Dimensions of Trust empowers a seller who wants strong connections founded in trust. Not knowing leads to buyer mistrust and seller confusion. Missing out on this dimension of trust -- constructive intent -- can inadvertently lead to putting buyers on the defensive.

“Seller shares sensitive messages without putting buyers on the defensive”

In an age of Challenger Selling and empowered buyers who are in a hurry, this dimension of trust gets sidelined as sellers scramble and take short-cuts in attempt to get through to buyers. Without meaning to, sellers can come across as insensitive because they haven’t learned what triggers defensiveness or emotional responses in their buyers. This can happen when questions are poorly sequenced, ill-conceived or badly crafted. It's important to understand how to craft questions so a seller's constructive intent is conveyed.

Questions asked to uncover past issues between the buyer and seller companies, pet peeves the buyer may have and preferred service protocols help a seller to be proactive and avoid causing unproductive buyer reactions.