Society tends to classify people either as introverts or extroverts with various personality quizzes that analyze people’s tendencies toward these extremes. For this reason, it is a common misconception that salespeople tend to be extroverts. This goes along with the myth that all salespeople are pushy and impolite due to greed and concern only about the bottom line. Throughout the semester so far, we have debunked this myth with several helpful concepts, rules, and tips that describe the correct way to approach sales and selling. The concept of attunement has been a key piece to this process. As Daniel Pink defines, attunement is “the ability to bring one’s actions and outlook into harmony with other people and with the context you’re in.” This concept helps salespeople conceptualize the approach to selling when trying to establish common ground and rapport before jumping into the sale. Although people think that this can only be done successfully by extroverts, the concept of attunement suggests otherwise.
As an extrovert, it is important to ask more questions and make less assertions as you are aware that you may scare people away by being too upfront. Listening more will show that you are being observant and engaging on a level that is most comfortable for the potential customer. As a salesperson that is more of an introvert, it is good to practice what you will say in advance and tune into your inner voice that gives you a gauge to how to attune to other people without flying under the radar in your comfort zone. These tips are helpful when someone possesses tendencies towards one or the other personality mold, but there is an even better fit for salespeople. Ambiverts are a mix between introversion and extroversion, making them a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the sales industry. They possess abilities to easily attune to the needs of a customer while being confident enough to get their points across. Ambiverts tend to balance analysis well without portraying themselves as pushy or cold. This does not, by any means, indicate that introverts and extroverts cannot be good salespeople. Ambiverts possess a natural attunement that can propel them towards the top of a sales team without as much work on techniques due to their natural ability to balance the sides of each extreme that creates a perfect concoction for closing a sale.