How to Sell to Different Customer Personalities

There are different methodologies for the sales process based on the recognition of customer profiles and personalities. However, these methodologies can be complex to learn and use. Not only is it difficult to correctly identify a customer's profile, but it is equally difficult to remember how to interact with each profile.

Furthermore, in reality, many people are a combination of different personality types, an aspect often overlooked by those who focus exclusively on this approach.

Therefore, instead of focusing solely on customer personalities, it is often more effective to work on a professional sales process. This approach allows you to more efficiently handle a variety of situations without the need to adapt to specific personal profiles.

However, recognizing and adapting your sales strategy to different customer personalities can still be helpful. Over the years, I have identified four macro-types of customer personalities, adapting my sales strategies to each of them.

1. Assertive

Assertive clients are goal-oriented, competitive, and want results more than personal relationships. They are impatient and want to maintain control. They want accurate and fast information so they can make decisions and proceed.

How to recognize them

They are communicative and use direct and confident language. They make statements rather than asking lots of questions.

How to sell to an assertive customer

Be professional and well prepared. If you don't have the right answer to his question, state that you will let him know rather than trying to give a half-answer. Be efficient and provide clear, direct information. Avoid personal opinions and testimonials that you cannot contextually document. Emphasize how your product/service/solution/realization will solve their problems/needs/necessities. Remember that more than functionality, he is interested in usefulness. Where possible, taking advantage of his competitive streak, it will be very useful for you to be able to show him how your product/service/solution/creation can help him win over his competitors.

2. Relational

Relational customers value personal relationships and seek trust in their business partners. They don't do a lot of research or special insights and this means that you can more easily guide and keep them within your sales process. They tend to seek help, opinions or approval from other people, whether collaborators or others they trust. They are open to challenges and deal creatively, but tend to make decisions more slowly than assertive people.

How to recognize them

They are great listeners, ask personal questions and seek to build relationships. They are friendly and patient during meetings.

How to sell to a relational customer

Help him visualize the benefits of your product or service. Build a solid relationship with him and collect examples of similar customers who have achieved success with your product, but above all tell him why customer X came to you, what drew him to you, what was most important to him. You need to be considered a true expert by them to be able to guide them through the decision-making process. Never overwhelm them with excessive information but act as a consultant who is truly interested in their needs/needs/problems/desires.

3. Expressive

Expressive clients value personal relationships and the well-being of others. They are outgoing, spontaneous and often charismatic. They love to convince others and are leadership oriented. Whether it's their employees or their customers, they want to understand very well how the decisions they make can affect those around them. They are creative and rely on their intuition. They value mutual respect, loyalty and friendship. Not making commitments to them can be offensive. Rejecting their proposal could mean the end of any relationship.

How to recognize them

They are enthusiastic and seek personal connections, but are confident in their beliefs like the assertive. In fact, they use statements rather than asking questions.

How to sell to an expressive customer

Use current case studies and highlight the positive impact your product or service has on people's lives. Be respectful and trustworthy. Avoid excessive flattery or obsequiousness. Don't focus too much on facts and figures. Data is important, but remember that it is essential for him to know how his purchasing decision can affect his collaborators and/or his customers. It is important with him that you ask for continuous confirmation throughout the sales process. For example, ask questions like: “So, we agree that she can use… for…?”

4. Analytical

Analytical customers are oriented towards data, facts and figures. They do extensive research before making decisions and prefer formal, direct communications. They don't make decisions quickly. They take care to carefully examine and understand all the options available to them. In fact, they are more logical and cautious than any other type of customer but once they have made a decision, they rarely or almost never change it.

How to recognize them

They are less expressive, seek detailed information and use serious and formal language. They usually use little gestures but you can be sure that they listen to you very carefully.

How to sell to an analytical customer

Be patient and don't rush. Be prepared for a long sales process, because they will take their time to gather all the data and verify the facts they think are necessary to make a decision. Be prepared to answer detailed questions. Avoid vague information and focus on concrete data. Offer guarantees and reassurance about the performance of your product. Don't try to force a relationship that isn't there. Analytics get annoyed by people who try to be overly friendly, complimentary, or obsequious towards them.

Conclusions

As anticipated, it is important to recognize and adapt your sales strategy to your customers' personalities, but it is equally crucial to have a well-structured professional sales process. This will help you achieve success in a variety of situations, no matter what personality type you are dealing with.