Most people have a preconceived idea of the “sales ideal,” or the combination of personality traits that are perceived to be the best indicators of sales success. This sales ideal is most commonly that of a flashy extrovert, a person that naturally gravitates toward social interaction and engagement. Though this sales ideal may seem intuitively correct, research from numerous sources, including Dr. Adam Grant from the University of Pennsylvania, proves otherwise.
Grant, in his research report titled “Rethinking the Extraverted Sales Ideal: The Ambivert Advantage,” claims that there are very weak and conflicted relationships between extroversion and sales performance. It is true that extroverts enjoy the social nature of their business, that they can communicate enthusiasm and energy to the potential client, and that extroverts are sometimes relentless and assertive, qualities that help close sales.
However, many of the traits of an extrovert also translate poorly into sales performance. For one, extroverts tend to enjoy being at the center of attention, often shutting out the client with sheer force of personality. Secondly, extroverts commonly are less attuned to the underlying or not explicitly stated needs, fears, and interests of their clients because of their inability to listen. Finally, there is a natural subconscious/conscious reaction to overconfident, overexcited extroverts that either subverts their message or prompts the client to try to regain control by rejecting or having some other negative response to an extrovert salesperson.
Ambiverts are pitched as the ideal personality, not because ambiverts are somehow naturally good salespeople (most people are ambiverts), but because good salespeople are ambiverts by necessity – they exhibit the positive traits of both extroversion and introversion and leverage both sides of their personality to the greatest sales effect. The ability to intuitively know when to talk and when to shut up and listen is probably the greatest indicator of sales success.
BoweryJE22