We are often asked, by our prospects and clients, which call reluctance type is the most common one among salespeople. According to research done by Behavioral Sciences Research Press Inc., up to 60% of salespeople avoid initiating sales due to fear of appearing too pushy or intrusive. Perhaps you already heard about the Yielder Call Reluctance type. Yielder is the most common type among salespeople. In the next several paragraphs we will talk more about the Yielder.
How to recognize Yielder behavior in your department?
As we’ve already mentioned, the main characteristics of Yielder behavior is being afraid of being pushy, rude or intrusive. Yielders are also hesitant to be assertive when communicating with other people. They tend to agree with everything in order to avoid conflict. Their selling style is based more on creating relationships than on creating sales. Yielders have the tendency to back off a sale rather than to pursue a matter to a satisfactory result. Yielder strives to build up the relationship and there is no difficulty with that, however, it fails to close the deal or ask for sales. Yielder type of call reluctance doesn’t like to make people uncomfortable.
No, we are not claiming that salespeople should be pushy or intrusive, but definitely they should stop hiding behind self-limiting behaviors
One of the nicknames for salespeople with Yielder behavior is “professional visitors”.
Yielder Facts
Yielder behavior is based on hereditary influences and past life experiences. From the personality trait point of view, usually yielders are characterized by a low dominance factor. Even though, the yielder behavior is not very easy to eliminate, the outlook is very positive as they have tendency to cooperate and follow instructions from managers, coaches or trainers.
Yielder prescriptions
One of the best prescriptions to handle yielder is an assertive training module. We can certainly recommend a book… In our work we are implementing the following methods:
- Thought Zapping – method where you strive to stop your bad thoughts when you start feeling bad about initiating contact.
- Sensory Injection – one of the mechanical methods taught to muscle out fear and replace it with more positive feelings.
- Thought Realignment – very successful method of changing the way of how we think.
Yielder behavioral tendencies can be quite costly because it hits directly two different areas during the sales process. First one affects prospecting part of the process– initiating first contact with potential clients. Due to yielder characteristic of being seen as rude, pushy or intrusive. The second area affected is Closing because Yielders are afraid that they could lose the order, lose the customer or lose the relationship with prospective client.
Yielder behavior occurs with someone who is a friendly, folksy account manager type who wants very much to be liked and accepted. They crave approval, and they’re not comfortable applying that bit of tension necessary to get their prospect to move. They are uncomfortable asking tough closing questions. So one of the assignments I might give somebody with Yielder call reluctance behavior is to write an essay about the difference between being liked and being respected in the business world. I customize the exercise according to the language I’m hearing my client use, and it really does help them reconcile themselves in certain areas so they can make good choices, moving forward.
Yielder strives to develop the relationship and there is no problem with that, however, it fails to close the deal or ask for sales. Yielder type of call reluctance doesn’t like to make people uncomfortable.
