5 Types of Sales Dogs - Which breed are you?

The following are thoughts after reading sections of the book, Sales Dogs by Blair Singer.

The 5 Types of Sales Dogs. What is Your Breed?

We all do the best that we can do when we are the best person that we are. We are also all individuals and we are all unique. Each of us has our own style and the key to success is to recognize and nurture that style. Another key component for success is matching our style with our opportunity.

Every style does not fit into every type of sales situation. A quick analysis of who we are and the situation that we are in or entering saves a great deal of time in establishing sales methods as well as determining the activity and success metrics we should pay attention to.

Finally, I am guessing that we are all mutts. I doubt that anyone is a pure breed. The dog sales dog types below describe characteristics that each an d everyone of us has. It is our mix that make us unique.

The Pit Bull is the most aggressive and probably the stereotype of all sales guys. Pit Bulls are the buy, buy, buy, now, now, now. Always Be Closing. The Pit Bull’s success comes from sheer power and fearlessness. They make more calls, field more rejections, and keep selling more than any other breed, even when they should really back off. Adversity is a wake up call. Closing and objection handing is breakfast for this champion. What Pit Bulls make up for in aggressiveness, they lack in tactfulness and strategy. High volume transaction sales situations with short sales cycles fit this dog perfectly.

The Golden Retriever is everyone’s favorite slobbering, goo-goo-eyed shaggy ball of love that will do anything for someone who is willing to pet them. Sales to the Golden Retriever is customer service. They operate on the belief that the more you give prospects, the more that they will love you and ultimately the more that they will buy. Long term customer relationships and referrals are what this dog specializes in.

The Poodle lives and thrives in a world of flash and class. Impeccably dressed at all times, they know how to leverage an expense account and present themselves in a first class manner at all times. They are incredibly well connected and probably have the most extensive and exclusive network of any of the breeds. They are constantly looking for ways to reach the most people in the simplest way.  Poodles are great for selling big-ticket items when they can use their regal bearing to impress clients.

Chihuahuas are the high energy, always yapping, incredibly bright technical wizards that seem to be jacked up on caffeine 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Probably because they are. They aren’t known for their people skills but their passion, product knowledge and understanding of processes are unmatched. While other breeds tend to address objections with psychology and emotion, Chihuahuas are all about the facts and analysis.

The Basset Hound is the classic of all classics. Think of John Candy’s character in Planes, Trains & Automobiles. These sales dogs do not seem to have a lot of class or polish and seldom seem to exude much passion or confidence. But of all the breeds, they have the ability to build strong, loyal and long-term relationships through their sheer strength of personality. Their personal rapport is amazing. They are the most frumpish of breeds not having time or ambition to worry about fashion trends and their desks are littered with debris including old business cards and worn-out leads. When they sell, they have that distinctively humble approach. Their tenacity is only rivaled by the Pit Bull and this persistence is their strong suit. They have the incredible ability to follow a scent and sniff out a deal while winning hearts that no one else can.

Who Am I?

In my self analysis I have to say I am mostly a mixed breed between Pit Bull and Golden Retriever with the appearance of a Basset Hound. I try to impress with dress and network like the Poodle and the more Chihuahua I can be, the better. Deep down I succeed because I know that sales is a contact sport and I always need to be driving to close the sale (Pit Bull) but my inner conscious kills me if the client does not get everything I promised and more (Golden Retriever).

Understanding this I try to better pick the sales situations and methods that I need to employ in order to continue to be successful. I hope that this knowledge has helped you think about your own situation, and personality and contributed to some optimization/realization  in your sales career that moves you forward.