As Dr. Sweet discussed in class, attunement is the ability to bring one’s actions and outlook into harmony with other people and the context you are in. This is an incredibly fundamental concept to learn not just in business but for all of life. Salespeople often have in-depth plans or techniques to initiate and close a sale, but every client carries a different set of needs. The importance of attuning our outlooks to harmonize with clients is often easier said than done, especially if salespeople have developed a lot of time and energy into their scripts and pitches. Yet this is precisely why attunement is so important – you don’t want to give the wrong pitch to the wrong person. In other words, you don’t want to waste 30 minutes of someone’s time selling them on something they are not in the market for and risk coming across as too aggressive. An easy way to fight this tendency to jump in and sell can be to step back and attune one’s mindset to the client by thinking from their perspective and asking questions that foster a healthy relationship and personalized approach.
Not only is this practice best for you so that you don’t waste time selling a product/service to someone not interested, but the practice of attunement, even if it does not result in a sale, will cement the good habit of thinking from the perspective of the other, which is crucial to flourishing in both business and relationships. Furthermore, attunement helps us shift our focus from plans to principles so that we are not treating every customer interaction like a script, but instead meet clients where they are and give them the dignity they deserve with a personalized approach to business. Not only will this lead to greater success in business, but it will also benefit relationships outside of the business world and teach people to hold their plans more loosely and pursue good principles that will encourage them to be flexible when the rubber hits the road.
BoweryJE22
I think when you don’t attune to someone in sales, things can go south pretty quickly. One pet peeve I’ve always had since I was young was someone who can’t hold a conversation. It would just get awkward. I have always tried to carry conversations, so people don’t have to feel that awkwardness. I think that can go hand in hand with attunement. Holding those conversations begin to make things more personal and show that you attune to them.
Attunement is indeed an essential concept not only in business but also in life. It allows us to adjust our actions and outlook to fit the needs of others and the context we are in. As mentioned in the article, salespeople often have a specific plan or technique, but it is crucial to attune oneself to the client’s needs to avoid wasting time and coming across as too aggressive. The practice of attunement can also foster healthy relationships and a personalized approach to business, which can lead to greater success. It is an excellent habit to develop, not just for business but also for all relationships.