Understanding your customers personality styles

[Maslins]

I do not claim to have come up with this theory, but I found it very useful for my meetings with clients, and a quick search on this forum suggests nobody has posted it up here before.


The 4 personality traits, and how to sell to them

People's personalities can typically be split into four categories:


Amiable


Dependable, loyal, and easy going.
Like things that are non-threatening and friendly
Hate dealing with cold hard facts
Can be a bit wishy-washy and avoid proper business discussions

How to spot an amiable - they'll ask you lots of questions about non-business things. Holidays, pets, the weather, family. They may also appear uncomfortable when you get to (what you see as) "the point" of the conversation.

How to sell to an amiable - they do business with people they like rather than necessarily those offering the best deal. Send them a Christmas card, ask them about their personal lives (nothing too intrusive!) and they'll be putty in your hands.


Analytical


Systematic and well organised
Appreciate facts and figures
Enjoy completion of detailed tasks
Can be over cautious and insist on doing things "by the book"

How to spot an analytical - they often appear uncomfortable in groups, though they are fine on a one to one basis. When asking questions they will typically ask for figures to back up any sales waffle you are coming out with.

How to sell to an analytical - persuaded to buy based on facts and statistics. They don't want to be your friend so chatty phone calls will annoy them. On the other hand, they are more likely to read lengthy e-mails showing how buying your product/service saves X% of businesses Y hours of their time and £Z in the first year.


Driver


Huge internal motivation to succeed
Focussed on getting results
Typically achieve a lot in a short space of time
Can be considered aggressive

How to spot a driver - they will angrily say things like "Look, will you please just get to the point". They talk quickly and get frustrated by people who don't.

How to sell to a driver - don't waste their time. Whatever you're offering, get to the point quickly. Succinctly explain what your product/service can do for them. They'll make a quick decision so you'll either get an easy sale, or be immediately tell you where to go.


Expressive


Very outgoing and enthusiastic
High energy levels
Creative people, good at coming up with ideas
Not so good at seeing those ideas through to completion

How to spot an expressive - typically make lots of hand gestures and get excited easily. Say things like "Wow, it's amazing" and use lots of superlatives (everything is "the best" "the fastest" "the most delicious").

How to sell to an expressive - don't bore them with facts. Make sure you're excited about your product/service, because if you are, they will often follow suit. However, they can be the type to seem extremely interested but never actually sign on the dotted line!


As a rule, amiables and drivers are considered opposites so often don't get on, and the same for analyticals and expressives. Should be fairly obvious from the above why.

But...by being aware of the above, if you're able to spot which quadrant your customer is predominantly in (most people will typically show character traits from two quadrants, though often one more dominant), you can tailor your sales pitch to maximise your chance of success!

[GRDCredit]

Interesting reading - I am definitely an analytical (well definitely anal!)

[GTFC]

Very interesting, thanks! I'm going to have a fun time trying to work out which camp each of my clients falls into :)

[sirearl]

If only it was that simple.

what about the other 50,000 types.?:)

Earl

[happyoutdoors]

If only it was that simple.

what about the other 50,000 types.?:)

Earl

I'll be type 48031 profile or was it 13084, I just seem to flit back and forth, my pyscologist was just saying the other day.....:D

[Colin Parker]

I do not claim to have come up with this theory, but I found it very useful for my meetings with clients, and a quick search on this forum suggests nobody has posted it up here before.


The 4 personality traits, and how to sell to them

People's personalities can typically be split into four categories:


Amiable


Dependable, loyal, and easy going.
Like things that are non-threatening and friendly
Hate dealing with cold hard facts
Can be a bit wishy-washy and avoid proper business discussions
How to spot an amiable - they'll ask you lots of questions about non-business things. Holidays, pets, the weather, family. They may also appear uncomfortable when you get to (what you see as) "the point" of the conversation.

How to sell to an amiable - they do business with people they like rather than necessarily those offering the best deal. Send them a Christmas card, ask them about their personal lives (nothing too intrusive!) and they'll be putty in your hands.


Analytical


Systematic and well organised
Appreciate facts and figures
Enjoy completion of detailed tasks
Can be over cautious and insist on doing things "by the book"
How to spot an analytical - they often appear uncomfortable in groups, though they are fine on a one to one basis. When asking questions they will typically ask for figures to back up any sales waffle you are coming out with.

How to sell to an analytical - persuaded to buy based on facts and statistics. They don't want to be your friend so chatty phone calls will annoy them. On the other hand, they are more likely to read lengthy e-mails showing how buying your product/service saves X% of businesses Y hours of their time and £Z in the first year.


Driver


Huge internal motivation to succeed
Focussed on getting results
Typically achieve a lot in a short space of time
Can be considered aggressive
How to spot a driver - they will angrily say things like "Look, will you please just get to the point". They talk quickly and get frustrated by people who don't.

How to sell to a driver - don't waste their time. Whatever you're offering, get to the point quickly. Succinctly explain what your product/service can do for them. They'll make a quick decision so you'll either get an easy sale, or be immediately tell you where to go.


Expressive


Very outgoing and enthusiastic
High energy levels
Creative people, good at coming up with ideas
Not so good at seeing those ideas through to completion
How to spot an expressive - typically make lots of hand gestures and get excited easily. Say things like "Wow, it's amazing" and use lots of superlatives (everything is "the best" "the fastest" "the most delicious").

How to sell to an expressive - don't bore them with facts. Make sure you're excited about your product/service, because if you are, they will often follow suit. However, they can be the type to seem extremely interested but never actually sign on the dotted line!


As a rule, amiables and drivers are considered opposites so often don't get on, and the same for analyticals and expressives. Should be fairly obvious from the above why.

But...by being aware of the above, if you're able to spot which quadrant your customer is predominantly in (most people will typically show character traits from two quadrants, though often one more dominant), you can tailor your sales pitch to maximise your chance of success!

This is good stuff and generically known as NLP - neuro linguistic persuasion.

I should know ... my wife is an NLP expert and analysed my personality from A to Z when we first met. The results will only be published 40 years after I snuff it.

There are many other facets of NLP other than those so well expressed by the OP. One that I often use is to listen to whether my prospect uses the word 'think' 'believe' 'see' or 'feel' ... as in "I think that ... " "I believe that ... " etc.

If you then answer the prospects questions by saying "I understand how you are thinking and I think that ... " etc., you will subliminally connect better with your prospect. Replying to a 'thinker's' question by saying you 'believe' can be construed as you being aggressive and vice versa can be construed as you being indecisive.

As an aside ... this is one of the huge differences between offline and online sales. A website is a non interactional salesman and as such cannot communicate with the visitor. This is why constant split testing of every part of a website is necessary to try and establish the formula that appeals to and converts the greatest majority of visitors.

Now there is a thought for the future ... a website that you can talk to and converse with.

Bill Gates ... are you listening?

Colin Parker

PS. I know there is Live Chat - but this is written not verbal.

[maria102]

This is a very good post! Particularly for me as I have only recently started sales and have never done it before. I am definitely amiable and I think that whilst a lot of people like this, there are some that very much don't and I am getting better at spotting them, and effectively errrh... just cut my waffle! Also I googled a shop tonight that I wanted to do something with and the first thing that came up was a review about the shop where the owner was constantly referred to ask bonkers!

[Maslins]

This is a very good post! Particularly for me as I have only recently started sales and have never done it before. I am definitely amiable

Haha, the first time I consciously put all this in to action was with an amiable. I think a lot of shopkeepers are as it's always good to have a bit of banter with customers.

From my point of view (as a boring analytical, most accountants are!) I found this person very frustrating. After preparing her accounts I had a few questions, and listed them all in an e-mail.

She obviously skim read the whole thing, replied answering the last question only, then banging on about how her parents were coming over and she needed a big gin & tonic! :rolleyes:

Like you say, it's just learning to treat each person a little differently.

[maria102]

From my point of view (as a boring analytical, most accountants are!) I found this person very frustrating. After preparing her accounts I had a few questions, and listed them all in an e-mail.


I know, my husband is one!! I think we have done this and I may....have gone slightly off topic.

She obviously skim read the whole thing, replied answering the last question only, then banging on about how her parents were coming over and she needed a big gin & tonic! :rolleyes:


Errh, what's your point?....anyway, the other day this lady came in the shop and....

[wayney]

I do not claim to have come up with this theory, but I found it very useful for my meetings with clients, and a quick search on this forum suggests nobody has posted it up here before.


The 4 personality traits, and how to sell to them

People's personalities can typically be split into four categories:


Amiable


Dependable, loyal, and easy going.
Like things that are non-threatening and friendly
Hate dealing with cold hard facts
Can be a bit wishy-washy and avoid proper business discussions

How to spot an amiable - they'll ask you lots of questions about non-business things. Holidays, pets, the weather, family. They may also appear uncomfortable when you get to (what you see as) "the point" of the conversation.

How to sell to an amiable - they do business with people they like rather than necessarily those offering the best deal. Send them a Christmas card, ask them about their personal lives (nothing too intrusive!) and they'll be putty in your hands.


Analytical


Systematic and well organised
Appreciate facts and figures
Enjoy completion of detailed tasks
Can be over cautious and insist on doing things "by the book"

How to spot an analytical - they often appear uncomfortable in groups, though they are fine on a one to one basis. When asking questions they will typically ask for figures to back up any sales waffle you are coming out with.

How to sell to an analytical - persuaded to buy based on facts and statistics. They don't want to be your friend so chatty phone calls will annoy them. On the other hand, they are more likely to read lengthy e-mails showing how buying your product/service saves X% of businesses Y hours of their time and £Z in the first year.


Driver


Huge internal motivation to succeed
Focussed on getting results
Typically achieve a lot in a short space of time
Can be considered aggressive

How to spot a driver - they will angrily say things like "Look, will you please just get to the point". They talk quickly and get frustrated by people who don't.

How to sell to a driver - don't waste their time. Whatever you're offering, get to the point quickly. Succinctly explain what your product/service can do for them. They'll make a quick decision so you'll either get an easy sale, or be immediately tell you where to go.


Expressive


Very outgoing and enthusiastic
High energy levels
Creative people, good at coming up with ideas
Not so good at seeing those ideas through to completion

How to spot an expressive - typically make lots of hand gestures and get excited easily. Say things like "Wow, it's amazing" and use lots of superlatives (everything is "the best" "the fastest" "the most delicious").

How to sell to an expressive - don't bore them with facts. Make sure you're excited about your product/service, because if you are, they will often follow suit. However, they can be the type to seem extremely interested but never actually sign on the dotted line!


As a rule, amiables and drivers are considered opposites so often don't get on, and the same for analyticals and expressives. Should be fairly obvious from the above why.

But...by being aware of the above, if you're able to spot which quadrant your customer is predominantly in (most people will typically show character traits from two quadrants, though often one more dominant), you can tailor your sales pitch to maximise your chance of success!


Thanks Chris, this is an excellent post....in order to build rapport with your customers you should know and understand who and what they are :)