The first of five roles that need to be activated in the sales process is the Engager. Naturally skilled at client engagement, they lean on their excellent interpersonal skills to establish a rapport that enable their success.
These sales skills are primarily useful at the prospecting and conversion stages of a sale. Engaging clients from the offset will help support discovery and build better relationships. Through commercial conversations it’s imperative that prospects are actively listened to, asked relevant questions and engaged in the conversation.
Through the latter stages of a sale, the Engager works in harmony with other roles in the framework, like the Activator and the Maximiser, to deliver meaningful solutions that really speak to the client’s challenges.
Delve a little deeper into what characteristics make this role so vital at these stages:
Client Relationships
Engagers are pivotal to building long-term client relationships and their rapport building is unrivalled. Their ability to communicate and effectively listen allows them to take a deep-dive into their client’s universe. Placing themselves in the prospect’s shoes gives them a deep understanding of their unique needs and pain points, paving the way for the Detective and Solutionist to prescribe solutions.
The Engager is invested in deep relationships without any hidden agenda. They truly want to understand others, building meaningful and durable relationships. This manifests in their active engagement from discovery to delivery. The level of service that an Engager provides adds immense value for the client.
Communication Skills
Communication plays a big role in the Engager’s capacity to build strong relationships. Their ability to observe body language, actively listen and engage with empathy makes them excel in building connections with colleagues and clients alike.
This trait plays a huge role in the effectiveness of Engagers at the initial stage of a sale. Their communication skills help them engage prospective clients, asking the right questions to uncover needs and gain insight into their world. Rapport-building isn’t possible without excellent communication, and no sales personality is more adept at this than the Engager.
Active Listening
Active listening is a core skill for any communicator and it’s no different for the Engager. Intently listening to their prospects and clients during the discovery phase allows them to get a thorough understanding of their context, pain points and desired outcomes. Active listening has been shown to correlate with an adaptive sales approach, which supports value co-creation with clients and delivers better results1.
Leading sales discovery conversations with empathy deepens the Engager’s relationships with clients. By putting themselves in their customer’s shoes and getting a real feel for the challenges that they are facing, Engagers build trust and lay the foundation for a fruitful partnership.
Non-Verbal Communication
As intuitive observers of human behaviour, Engagers are excellent at picking up on non-verbal social cues such as body language. Research suggests that a salesperson’s ability to read unspoken signals plays a significant role in overall sales performance2,3.
This is particularly important as opportunities are converted to wins. Building on their rapport with and understanding of the client, the Engager’s communication skills work in tandem with the Activator’s energy to overcome barriers and close deals. They are able to recognise non-verbal cues about a client’s true feelings and, with their well established lines of open and honest communication, can help to sooth doubts and handle objections.
Commitment and Support
Remaining engaged through the process, Engagers aren’t just committed to the success of a sale, but the success of others in their team, the business and the client. Their commitment is evident in their ability to follow-through. They will never leave people hanging and always see their promises through, whether that be with colleagues or customers.
On top of this, Engagers act with curiosity. They ask relevant questions to develop their understanding of customers. By asking these questions and actively listening to the response, clients feel seen and heard. This support combined with the commitment they show at every stage goes a long way in cementing a lasting partnership.
Overall, it’s evident that the skills of the Engager are vital to the sales process. While they aren’t the only role required in a successful deal, because their communication, relationship-building and commitment are so crucial to opening doors with prospective clients, they wield a lot of power in their natural skillset.
How Alchemist Can Transform Your Sales Process
It’s imperative that your salespeople are building a multifaceted set of skills to improve your sales performance. With Alchemist’s Sales Enablement Framework your team can build diverse skills that answer the various and ever-changing needs of your clients. To explore how your people can enhance their communication and relationship-building skills in-line with the Engager profile, contact us today.
1Alnakhlia et al (2021)
2Chakrabartya et al (2014)
3Limbu et al (2016)