SearchIn the Sales world, which strategy is more effective: Hunters versus Farmers. The answer seems to be…it depends. From most of the articles I have read, the best salesperson is somewhere in between.
Hunters are great at networking, working independently, and closing deal after deal. They tend to make a grand entrance with the customer and sale, but don’t always follow up with the client after the engagement has started. Farmers are team oriented and tend to be relationship driven. They take the time to nurture client relationships and understand their business needs, which in turn cultivates strong customer loyalty.
Here are some typical characteristics in regards to Hunters and Farmers:
| Hunters | Farmers | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on customer acquisition | Focus on customer retention | |
| Independent and solution driven | Team oriented and relationship driven | |
| Focus on quick acquisitions and big deals | Ability to upsell and cross-sell | |
| Great at Networking | Great at building trust in existing relationships | |
| Grand entrance | Nurtures leads and client relationships | |
| Emotionally resilient | Emotionally in-tune | |
| Like multitasking/working with multiple clients at one time | Prefer focusing on one or a few clients at a time | |
| Minimal followup after engagement starts | Cultivates strong customer loyalty over time | |
| Driven by the rush of the hunt | Driven by the relationship with the client | |
| Focus on the short term relationships | Focus on the long term relationships | |
| Not good a follow through | Not good at prospecting | |
| Good at selling solutions by solving a problem | Good at understanding the customer’s individual needs |
Which side of the spectrum do you fit in?
