How to sell to different personality types

How many of us would be satisfied if all of our clients were to treat every vendor exactly the same? Do you want to be perceived as a “Walking RFP” or piece of literature?

Now put the shoe on the other foot and look at your presentation skills from the eyes of your clients. Are all of your clients the same kind of people? Do they make decisions the same way? At the end of the day, we do not want to be considered like everyone else making a sales call, or introducing a new product.

Yet in most cases, we have a tendency to present our material the same way. We fall into a style or process that is comfortable; we like a style or process that has worked before. It worked on Client A, so it is only natural that we assume it will work with Client B. For most salespeople, if it is not broken, then no need to fix it. Unfortunately, this is our perspective.

The best of the best understand that a true consultative salesperson communicates or presents in a style that is in the best interest of the client. Most of us have had some exposure to different personality styles – Myers Briggs, Dr. Marston and DISC. The purpose of this article is not to re-teach personality styles in a single article. Rather, the intent is to show how these personalities may mesh or conflict during a sales presentation, and how to properly prepare. If you want to take your consultative selling skills to the next level, try some of these ideas.

Selling to Drivers
A “Driver” or “Dominant” personality style is succinct, driven, ambitious, and quick to make decisions. You know who they are. For these clients, put more time into your presentation or proposal than actual time explaining it. Make your presentations short and to the point. Correspondence should also be brief. Use bullet points or outlines as they will not read more than a page. In most cases this is not a place for chitchat about football, vacations or families. You do not have as much influence over their decisions as you might think. Leave the highlights of the data there and they will make the decision.

Drivers communicate well with the Conscientious category, as they do not have much patience for salespeople with a lot of fluff or small talk. But they struggle with communicating to those in the Steadiness category, as Drivers have no trouble with quick decisions or change.

Selling to Influencers
The “Influencer” style is all about having fun, often charismatic, talking, magnetic, and very high on the emotional side. They have a tendency to over-commit. This type of client is not going to be swayed with a lot of data or facts. Their minds usually function in an analytical way, but are more likely to be influenced by success stories and not details. You might share the conclusions of the data more than the data itself. You might stay away from a lot of dialog on spec sheets. However, they are more than willing to talk their way through decisions as well as make them in a more consultative, team-oriented environment.

They naturally communicate well with those in the Steadiness category because of talking and relationships, but struggle with those from the Conscientious category because they simply do not have much patience for a lot of data or research.

Selling to those in the Steadiness category
The “Steadiness” style emphasizes patience and relationships. They tend to love security, and do not like sudden change. These individuals are calm, relaxed, patient, possessive, predictable, deliberate, stable and consistent. This is a place for more general dialog about families and vacations. As much as you might like to push them to a decision, they cannot be pushed or rushed. In your presentations and/or proposals this is a good place for testimonials for those they know and respect.

Their communication with those in the Drivers category is often strained because they like to ease their way into a decision or change, often diverting the original subject. However, they communicate well with Influencers.

Selling to Conscientious or Analytical styles
These folks analyze data and a specific process. They adhere to rules, regulations and structure. They like to do quality work and do it right the first time. They tend to be careful, cautious, exacting, neat, systematic, diplomatic, accurate and tactful. They are heavy into data and process. Oftentimes, they delay decisions just to see if they might gain more data. They cannot be rushed into a decision.

They communicate well with the Drivers category, as both prefer a straight style of communication without a lot of emotion or fluff, thus Influencers often drive them crazy.

A personality sales test
So what does all this mean for you? I have made mistakes and hopefully learned from most of them. Years ago I was in an extremely competitive sales scenario. I was a young hot shot salesperson with National Awards and company recognition. There was an extremely large potential client; we will call him “Mr. F.” He had given us a small portion of his business, but we had a great offer and high expectations.

I was personally selected by management to see this prestigious client. I was prepared, confident, enthusiastic and eager to show my stuff. I actually got myself (I am a textbook Influencer as I suspect many of you are) psyched up in the parking lot before I entered his office.

It was not the first time I had met him, but I did not know him very well. As we moved past the dialogue on the family pictures on his desk (what a mistake that was), I went into my act. I was enthusiastic, energetic, engaged, but unfortunately I was the only one.

He sat there, almost disinterested. His eyes were open, but I thought he may have been asleep. So, I cranked up the energy level. If one notch was good, then three notches had to be better. I was going deeper and deeper into the hole. He mercifully ended the misery for both us with an excuse of a pending meeting.

I walked out not only empty handed, but we lost 100 percent of his business to a competitor. The more he did not react, the louder I danced. I messed up in a truly embarrassing way. I returned to my boss’s office with less than we had started with.

The customer was a Conscientious/Analytical type, and my Influencer style alienated him. And rather than adjust my process to his style, I tried to increase my energies. Crash and burn.

The next year, I was a little wiser and a little humbler. I begged to get another crack at him, mostly to save my own dignity. In a moment of real weakness, my boss allowed me to see him again. I called “Mr. F,” who was cordial on the phone, and suggested I send him some information in advance. We had a booking program that was about five pages long, and I added 10 pages of historical data, advertising dollars, his historical inventory turns, training information and almost anything I could think of that made sense.

His style was to patiently and conscientiously review the data, and reach a conclusion on his terms and in his own way. Two weeks later, I nervously called “Mr. F” to set up a personal appointment. He told me an appointment would not be necessary, he had mailed in his stocking order. “Mr. F” had purchased over 1,000 units, double his order from two years ago, without my energy, charisma and excitement. And he requested in writing that I personally conduct a number of retail sales training workshops for his people. He thought my enthusiasm would rub off on his retail associates.

So, if you have a client or a “Mr. F” in your territory that you are not sure you are connecting with on a regular basis, take a moment to consider their personality style. Consider presenting and proposing in a way in which they would like to receive the information, rather than a way in which you like to present the information. That is what consultative salespeople do; put their client’s needs first in every scenario.

Mike Muetzel is a nationally recognized author and management resource. For more from Mike Muetzel, visit www.unlockthemysteries.com