failing to pull highly desirable accounts from a certain competitor (ABC
Solutions) that, on paper, was inferior to XYZ?”
My approach was to talk to the decision makers at these accounts and
ask them, “Why do you do business with ABC?” I did not ask, “Why don’t
you do business with XYZ?” You can probably guess the answers I heard 90
percent of the time. These answers were not about product quality, pricing,
or company history. The answers were about the human component. I re-
peatedly heard phrases like:
- “I likeMary.”
- “Joe iseasy to work with.”
- “I have a good relationshipwith Rich.”
•“We enjoyworking with Susan. Everybody looks forward to seeing her
around here, and if there’s a problem, she takes care of us.”
I gave XYZ the shortest report they have probably ever seen, “In future
recruiting, give as much weighting to ‘likability’ as you do to ability.”
Sales professionals are always looking for doors to open to bigger and
better business accounts. Every firm has its own ideas about how to nudge
or kick those doors open. Some do it with price, others with special features,
others with positioning based on quality, service, etc. Ultimately, however,
doors swing open or shut on the hinge of the likabilityof the person repre-
senting that firm. Give people reasons to like you, and they will find reasons
to do business with you. Give people reasons not to like you, and they will
find ways to make your life difficult and avoid doing business with you.
EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNTS
In his best-selling book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven
Covey introduced an analogy on building rapport called the “emotional
bank account.” Think of the interactions you have with clients or coworkers
as either deposits or withdrawals from their emotional accounts. If you are
sensing an undercurrent of resistance or you are getting “that look” from an
individual, it is because you are in “overdraft” with that particular account.
Emotionally intelligent sales professionals are keenly aware of the balance
in their accounts, knowing that their success hinges on staying in the black.
It is important to remember that an emotional undercurrent is in every
conversation and interaction. To practice emotional intelligence, we must
pay as much attention to the nature of this undercurrent as we do to the
facts, content, and agenda being discussed or interacted upon. This aware-
ness will help you to keep a positive balance in all your accounts. It is impor-
The “Likability” Quotient 203