I really believe that in order to make more sales and be a better marketer, better businessman or woman, or network marketer, you have to understand your customers!
How do we do that?
One of the things i learned while working in sales, marketing, and customer service is to identify the personality type of your potential or existing customer. There are 4 basic categories/types: Solid, Expressive, Dominant, and Analytical. If you know what category your customer belongs to, you can easily make more sales, be more productive, help your customers, and so on…
So what type of customer are you? Here’s a definition of the 4 basic types (that is part of an article I wrote some time ago that is being published on many articles sites and directories…note that this is my experience, I applied that stuff, and it worked really really well for me…I can’t guarantee you’ll get more sales just by reading my posts [hehe], but if this information helped you, please reply and comment! Share your experiences!)
Here we go!
Solid:
The solid type of personality doesn’t like conflicts, arguments, or fights. They would like everything to be in perfect harmony. Solids won’t really cry for attention like the expressive type! They don’t demand much attention, but they are certainly worth paying attention to, because they usually have a really good sense of humor, optimism, and a really interesting way of thinking. They are usually healthy and relaxed people. They like solitude and calm, but they will join in for a good laugh. They are, I would say, the most “balanced” type of personality. They can blend really well in most situation or group, they are easygoing and also sensitive and in touch with their emotions.
Their weakness would probably be their lack of enthusiasm. Since they are relaxed and calm people, you will rarely see them jump up and down. When trying to close a sale, you may have a hard time figuring out if they are interested or not, so keep in mind that the solids are usually stubborn and don’t like to change. So when you talk to them about your products/offer, you absolutely have to ask them what they think (in a very subtle way), or else they won’t tell you, and you may find it hard to investigate further. You have to ask them the right questions at the right time and you will do fine, or else they will give you information bit by bit and it can take very long. By asking the right questions, you will gather infos more quickly. Try to get some useful information, then propose something right away, and then narrow down your search.
Expressive:
Everyone notices the expressive person… try to think of a party, anniversary, or gala. They are the ones who will light up the room! They are energetic and enjoy talking. They are usually fun to be around because they are dynamic and love to have fun. They are pretty easy to identify: they make the “grand entrance,” and they love to be in the spotlight, the center of attention. They are optimistic and cheerful people.
When trying to close a sale with the expressive type, make sure you use words and sentences like trust me, amazing, beautiful, awesome, useful, fun. Don’t give them too much info, or you’ll lose them.. They will buy something in a heartbeat, impulsively, so what you want to make sure is they keep buying your product month after month (passive revenues for you!). You have to be very careful not to stress them to close the sale; simply talk with them about how great your product is (don’t be over-enthusiastic, though), and do it in a very “laid-back” way. Don’t talk too fast, don’t rush them, but you have to come up with something that will make them go “wow!” Listen carefully to what they have to say, answer their questions, and make sure you understand exactly what they are saying! Only then you will be able to find that little thing that will make them go “Wow.. I’m buying this!”
Dominant:
Confident, authoritative, and result-oriented! The dominant will usually cut down more work than any other type in much less time–not that they are workaholics, but multi-tasking come naturally to them. Talking business on the phone, typing a report, checking their e-mails…all at the same time. We all do this sometimes, but the dominants do this all the time! You could say they are “driven,” and they are willing to work long and hard to go where they want to go, and they will succeed! They empower others, and are always looking for new challenges. Their social life is, of course, not the same as the expressive type. They like to converse, but it absolutely has to be interesting, intelligent, and you have to be confident about what you are saying to a dominant, because they tend to be a little “bossy” and take control.
To make a sale with someone who is dominant, you have to be very careful not to be too expressive! They are results-oriented, remember? Talk to them about the results they will get if they use/take your products. They want to know what it will do, how, and when! They are very strict, so you have to be very precise when answering their questions…if you don’t know the answer, just tell them you don’t know (don’t make something up.. they will notice!), but you can ask someone else (upline, coach..etc) and you will get back to them with the answer. They will like you to take the time to consult someone else to give them the right information.
Analytical:
“A place for everything and everything in its place” would describe the analytical type best. The analytical is usually someone who is intellectual looking, quiet, and reserved. They analyze things, conversations, and situations without really thinking about it or doing it on purpose; it just comes naturally to them. They are usually more interested in the spiritual side of things–spiritual values, wisdom, and integrity–than the other types. The analytical type is really disciplined and loyal, and is not much of a talker. They are perfectionists and sometimes introverted.
Trying to close a sale with the analytical can be difficult. They need time to think and evaluate your offer, so simply give them the information, give them time to think about it, then call them back or re-contact them and ask them if they read or watched what you gave them, and ask them what they think and if they have objections and questions. You have to be very professional: answer their questions and tell them you value their opinion. If your offer seems good to them, they will join; if not, they surely have more questions, so do what you can to answer all their questions, but never ever ask them to join or buy your product right away–that won’t work!
