Fundamentals of Selling: Chapters 4 & 5

two-way communication

Interpersonal communication in which both parties act as senders and receivers.

encoding

Communication activity undertaken by a sender that translates thoughts into a message.

decoding

Communication activity undertaken by a receiver that interprets the meaning of a message.

feedback

Information given to a salesperson indicating how he or she is performing.

noise

Anything unrelated to the message being exchanged that distracts from communication.

persuading

Influencing someone to do something through reasoning or argument.

voice characteristics

The rate of speech, loudness, pitch, quality, and articulation of a person's voice.

loudness

Speech characterized by high volume and intensity.

inflection

Tone of voice.

up-speak

A rising tone at the end of every sentence or sentence fragment.

articulation

The production of recognizable speech.

word picture

A story or scenario designed to help the buyer visualize a point.

analogy

Drawing a parallel between one thing and another.

80-20 listening rule

Guideline suggesting salespeople should listen 80% of the time and talk 20% of the time.

speaking rate

Average rate of speech, typically 120-160 words per minute.

listening rate

Average rate of listening, approximately 800 words per minute.

speaking-listening differential

The difference between the speaking rate and the listening rate.

active listening

A process in which the listener actively processes information and encourages additional communication.

body language

Nonverbal signals communicated through facial expressions, arms, hands, and legs.

nonverbal communication

Nonspoken forms of expression such as body language, space, and appearance that communicate thoughts and emotions.

mirroring

Copying or matching the nonverbal behaviors of another person.

intimate zone

Physical space reserved for a person's closest relationships.

personal zone

Physical space reserved for close friends and people with shared interests.

social zone

Physical space in which business transactions and impersonal relationships are comfortable.

public zone

Physical space comfortable for speeches and interactions with passersby.

response time

The time between sending a message and receiving a response.

standard memorized presentation

A carefully prepared, canned sales presentation with key selling points arranged in an effective order.

outlined presentation

A systematically arranged presentation outlining key sales points and steps for determining customer needs and building goodwill.

customized presentation

A presentation developed from a detailed analysis of a prospect's needs that is not memorized or canned.

adaptive selling

An approach to personal selling in which sales behaviors are adjusted based on the selling situation or customer.

performance feedback

Feedback from supervisors focusing on a salesperson's actual performance during a sales call.

diagnostic feedback

Information given to a salesperson indicating how he or she is performing and how to improve.

style flexing

Adjusting your behavior to match the customer's social style.

assertiveness

A social style matrix dimension measuring how strongly people express opinions and take positions.

responsiveness

A social style matrix dimension measuring how emotionally people react in social situations.

drivers

Task-oriented people high in assertiveness and low in responsiveness; efficient, decisive, and fact-focused.

expressives

People high in both assertiveness and responsiveness; competitive, enthusiastic, and people-oriented.

amiables

People low in assertiveness and high in responsiveness; cooperative and relationship-focused.

analyticals

People low in assertiveness and responsiveness who emphasize facts, logic, and technical expertise.

versatility

The ability to increase relationship productivity by adjusting behavior to meet the needs of others.