PERSONALITY TYPES
How to Recognizes the Different Personality Types in the Sales Process
Analytical - Driver - Amiable - Expressive
Your sales training has taught you how to find prospects, make initial contacts, ask questions to uncover needs, develop solutions, give great presentations, handle objections and close the sale. However, it may not have prepare you for the different personalities types you will encounter on a sales call. If you deal with every prospect in the same way, you will only close 25 percent to 30 percent of prospects you give a presentation to, because you will only close one personality type. But if you learn how to effectively work with all four personality types, you can conceivably close 80 percent to 90 percent of your prospects you have qualified to do business with.
Category Descriptions
Analytical thrive when working alone on a task that requires incisiveness and accuracy. They tend to be organized in their work and have a tendency towards perfectionism. Using their skills of logic, they can fix equipment, carefully keep track of data, solve a puzzle, or find an efficient solution to the company's problem. Even though they may not be very friendly, this is because their focus is on understanding the facts of a situation and applying them towards an objective outcome. Analytical work best when they can be alone in a quiet area, meticulously and steadily solving a problem or making sure all the details are right. Their contributions involve completing tasks correctly, finding mistakes, and forming company policies. Most IT experts, accountants, and researchers are Analytical.
Drivers are the ones who take charge in business situations. They're goal-oriented, direct, and sometimes impatient. They work and talk quickly while multitasking in order to do accomplish as much as possible in the shortest amount of time. The most important thing to them is that they meet their goals and achieve results. They hate when people waste their time by beating around the bush because they expect others to be straightforward and clear. Drivers have no problem barking out orders, and have no qualms about firing someone who just can't get with the program. Most bosses, managers, CEOs, and executives consist of Driver personalities, as they seek out positions where responsibility, decision-making, and leadership are required.
Amiable are concerned with harmony, dislike conflict, and want everyone to be happy. In most situations they're reserved but kind, and will happily comply with whatever they're told. Within a company they can function as somewhat of a peacemaker, seeking to resolve conflicts. Amiable are people-oriented, but want to deal with people-related matters behind the scenes; they prefer to give the spotlight to someone else. If there's an unpleasant reality that everyone needs to deal with, they might candy-coat the truth and say everything will be okay. They don't like telling others what to do; instead, they seek to please their superiors. Reducing workplace stress and facilitating cooperation are ways in which Amiable shine. You'll usually find them working as receptionists, HR managers, therapists, or teaching diversity appreciation.
Expressive seek to entertain and be likable. They want admiration, respect, and friendship from those around them. They have a great desire for novelty and stimulation; oftentimes they're the ones who take the company in new directions. With highly developed people skills, they build excellent rapport with their customers. Typically they'll manage to sell products through their winning way with people. In the workplace they seek attention and want to make positive changes within the company. Even though they seem distracted by what's going on around them, they excel at recognizing and seizing opportunities. During an emergency or crisis, they are the ones who spontaneously take action, knowing exactly what to do. They need a fast-paced and stimulating work environment so they don't get bored. Expressive are your typical salespeople, PR reps, and customer service agents.