Communication Techniques in Adaptive Selling: A Strategic Account Management Approach

We uncover a range of communication techniques used by salespersons across three levels of accounts classified according to their strategic importance to a selling organization. We further distinguish between communication techniques utilized in positive sales encounters characterized by harmonious interaction between buyer and seller, and those used in challenging situations where salespersons recovered from a breakdown in interpersonal communication. Results from interviews with salespersons from a FORTUNE 150 corporation indicate that salespersons selectively employ facets of broad communication techniques such as rapport building, active listening, information transfer, and social influence in their communication with buyers of varying strategic importance. Moreover, the valence of a sales interaction also necessitates selective use of facets of broader communication techniques. Implications for improving sales communication in strategic account management are discussed.