For several decades, the expression and acronym “ABC” in sales has stood for “always be closing”. This phrase is hugely related to the idea of “landing the deal” or “closing a sale” as the main objective for a salesperson regardless of how their customer/seller interaction played out beforehand. While this is a useful tool in helping to remember to have patience and perseverance throughout your sales process, it may lead a salesperson to focus too heavily on selling through convincing, persuading, and talking. We’ve learned this semester that too much of these behaviors can drive away customers and affirm negative salesperson predispositions. So, Pink has a new take on this acronym: “Attunement, Buoyancy, Clarity”.
Beginning with attunement, Pink defines it as “the ability to bring one’s actions and outlook into harmony with other people and with the context you’re in”. There are three main ideas attunement hinges on. The first is the act of increasing one’s power by reducing it. The more power you have in a relationship, the less likely you are to attune yourself to someone else’s point of view. This means that assuming you are not in a higher position of power over your client/customer can be beneficial. The second idea is using your head as much as your heart. Here, Pink refers to perspective-taking and empathy as being “fraternal twins”, meaning both are necessary, but they are different. Lastly, mimicking strategically can be an effective way to attune yourself to a selling situation. It is a deeply human way to connect with others meaningfully in a discreet yet purposeful way.
Buoyancy, standing for the letter “B” in this newly revised acronym, can be defined as the ability to keep moving forward despite all the obstacles. Perserverance, persistence, and motivation are all key principles related to buoyancy. Pink also paints an image of “trying to stay afloat amidst a sea of rejection” as a way to further understand buoyancy. Three elements of buoyancy are interrogative self-talk (before), positivity ratios (during), and explanatory style (after).
Finally, clarity, standing for the letter “C”, is the ability to help people know and identify their problems, even ones they didn’t know they had, so that you, as the salesperson, can effectively facilitate a solution for them.
Pink’s modern take on the sales “ABC” acronym is so much more complex and meaningful than what we traditionally know it to stand for. It is a good reminder to not necessarily adapt sales habits and principles simply because of their familiarity or longevity, but to instead, attune your sales processes to the new and digital age in front of you.
BoweryJE22