At their first face-to-face meeting, Stella felt an immediate rapport with Donald. Her skill set and business acumen seemed in perfect alignment with his stated desire to grow his organization. The more she probed about his work and heard his answers, the more she felt the synergy between his goals and her approach. He agreed.
The Proposal
So the next day Stella delivered the work agreement, certain that it would receive immediate approval and that she would start this project in a few days. Much to her surprise more than a week passed without Donald’s response. She emailed and then texted him. Still no reply. She sensed that something had gone wrong and was concerned. Could she have lost his business?
Styles Matched
Stella and Donald shared a love for people and causes. As a young entrepreneur, he aspired to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged young adults. His enthusiasm and passion touched her and coincided with her own hunger to do good. She shared his excitement. In terms of style, they were well matched.
The Disconnect
The disconnect, however, came in how she outlined the written agreement along with the cover letter. Its tone did not fit their earlier conversation. It was stark, formal, and written in “legalize.” Rather than a valued association, it framed their relationship as a transaction.
The Reconnect
Once Stella understood how she may have inadvertently had him back off, she wrote a note that had a very different character than that of the proposal. In contrast to her last communication, she sent a card expressing her admiration for his vision and past achievements. It rekindled the spark that had originally united them and led to a “second” chance for her to do business with him.
Have you ever lost a deal that you felt was a sure thing? Although there are many reasons for a deal going south, the difference in personality styles is a big factor. With all things being equal, people do business with those they know, like and trust. Trust develops quickly when individuals sense that they are “alike” when they communicate from the same personality style.
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About Dr. Nancy Zare
Dr. Nancy Zare is a sales psychologist who teaches professionals how to get into the heads of their prospects, build rapport quickly and authentically, and close the deal. She has studied successful sales professionals and knows exactly why they excel. More importantly, she can teach it to you! Ask for your complimentary sales skills analysis.
