Selling LAP 112 Addressing Needs of Individual Personalities

Selling LAP 112Selling LAP 112

Addressing Needs of Addressing Needs of Individual PersonalitiesIndividual Personalities

ObjectivesObjectives

Identify types of customer personalities.Identify types of customer personalities.

Address different types of customer Address different types of customer personalities.personalities.

Identify types of customer Identify types of customer personalities.personalities.

ObjectivObjectivee

• Everyone has a unique Everyone has a unique personality.personality.

• How is yours different from How is yours different from your best friend’s?your best friend’s?

• Personality differences Personality differences surround us every day.surround us every day.

At home At home At schoolAt school At workAt work

• We adjust to personality We adjust to personality differences and treat differences and treat people accordingly. people accordingly.

• Successful salespeople:Successful salespeople: Identify customer Identify customer

personality typespersonality types Use appropriate sales Use appropriate sales

techniquestechniques

Importance of CustomersImportance of Customers

• Customers are important to Customers are important to salespeople’s success salespeople’s success because of:because of:

Current purchasesCurrent purchases Future purchasesFuture purchases ““Word-of-mouth” Word-of-mouth”

communicationcommunication

• They expect quality and They expect quality and service at a fair price.service at a fair price.

Customer PersonalitiesCustomer Personalities

• Personality—specific combination Personality—specific combination of distinctive traits and qualitiesof distinctive traits and qualities

• Influences buying decisionsInfluences buying decisions

• Contains both good and bad traitsContains both good and bad traits

• Contains motivations from needs Contains motivations from needs and wantsand wants

• Includes influences from Includes influences from customer’s lifestylecustomer’s lifestyle

• May change over timeMay change over time

Six Customer Personality TypesSix Customer Personality Types

• Decisive customersDecisive customers Know exactly what they wantKnow exactly what they want Make purchase decisions Make purchase decisions

quicklyquickly Don’t take a lot of time Don’t take a lot of time

to browseto browse Are direct and businesslikeAre direct and businesslike Will often straightforwardly Will often straightforwardly

ask for what they wantask for what they want

““I’ll take the prime rib, medium rare, a baked I’ll take the prime rib, medium rare, a baked potato with sour cream, and bleu cheese potato with sour cream, and bleu cheese dressing on my salad.”dressing on my salad.”


• Impulsive customersImpulsive customers Make decisions quicklyMake decisions quickly Shop leisurelyShop leisurely Like to browseLike to browse Ask few questionsAsk few questions Like purchases to be Like purchases to be

noticednoticed


• Fact findersFact finders Look for informationLook for information Like to see varietyLike to see variety Often comparison shopOften comparison shop


• Practical or frugal customersPractical or frugal customers Are very cautious with their Are very cautious with their

moneymoney Want the best possible Want the best possible

value for every dollar they value for every dollar they spendspend

Like the simple, Like the simple, uncluttered lifeuncluttered life

Dislike experimenting with Dislike experimenting with new productsnew products

““Are you sure this muffler is Are you sure this muffler is guaranteed for the life of my car?”guaranteed for the life of my car?”


• Informed customersInformed customers Do their research on Do their research on

products beforehandproducts beforehand Are confident about their Are confident about their

choices before even choices before even coming in contact with coming in contact with salespeoplesalespeople

Spend for quality Spend for quality because they want the because they want the bestbest

Are often trendsettersAre often trendsetters


• Difficult customersDifficult customers Can appear in many shapes Can appear in many shapes

and forms:and forms: DisagreeableDisagreeable DishonestDishonest Domineering/SuperiorDomineering/Superior Slow/MethodicalSlow/Methodical SuspiciousSuspicious

Identifying CustomerIdentifying CustomerPersonality TypesPersonality Types

• Find clues in:Find clues in: ActionsActions Body languageBody language ConversationConversation AppearanceAppearance

• Remember that appearances can Remember that appearances can sometimes be deceiving!sometimes be deceiving!

Address different types ofAddress different types ofcustomer personalities.customer personalities.

ObjectivObjectivee

Successful SellingSuccessful Selling

• Every customer deserves Every customer deserves special attention and care.special attention and care. Empathize with their Empathize with their

problems.problems. Give a personalized Give a personalized

touch.touch.

• The better you serve your The better you serve your customers, the better you customers, the better you serve your business.serve your business.

General GuidelinesGeneral Guidelinesfor Handling All Customersfor Handling All Customers

• Show a sincere interest in Show a sincere interest in meeting customers’ needs.meeting customers’ needs.

See the buying situation from See the buying situation from their points of view.their points of view.

Give them as much time as Give them as much time as they need.they need.


• Develop a sales vocabulary.Develop a sales vocabulary. Tailor language to individual Tailor language to individual

customer.customer. Use positive-sounding Use positive-sounding

words, such as:words, such as: The customer’s nameThe customer’s name YouYou ValueValue SaveSave LoveLove New New SafeSafe TruthTruth

Use clear, meaningful Use clear, meaningful phrases.phrases.

Avoid technical terms.Avoid technical terms. Avoid negative terms, Avoid negative terms,

such as:such as: CheapCheap FailureFailure RiskRisk DealDeal DifficultDifficult LiableLiable FlimsyFlimsy


• Build two-way communication Build two-way communication with the customer.with the customer.

Listen.Listen. Observe actions.Observe actions. Ask questions.Ask questions. Maintain positive attitude.Maintain positive attitude.

• Personalize product to satisfy Personalize product to satisfy customer needs.customer needs.

Guidelines for Handling Guidelines for Handling Specific Customer Personality Specific Customer Personality

TypesTypes• For decisive customers:For decisive customers:

Listen patiently.Listen patiently. Suggest substitutes with Suggest substitutes with

caution.caution. Serve quickly.Serve quickly. Be tactful.Be tactful.

““Your order will be ready soon, Mr. Young. Your order will be ready soon, Mr. Young. May I bring you coffee or tea while you are May I bring you coffee or tea while you are waiting?”waiting?”


TypesTypes• For impulsive customers:For impulsive customers:

Serve quickly.Serve quickly. Give brief answers.Give brief answers. Close sale rapidly.Close sale rapidly. Treat courteously.Treat courteously.


TypesTypes• For fact finders:For fact finders:

Provide information.Provide information. Show a variety of products.Show a variety of products. Emphasize manufacturer’s Emphasize manufacturer’s

claims.claims. Exhibit confidence with tact.Exhibit confidence with tact. Suggest care techniques.Suggest care techniques. Be specific.Be specific.


TypesTypes• For practical or frugal For practical or frugal

customers:customers: Stress the value of Stress the value of

the product.the product. Demonstrate the Demonstrate the

product if possible.product if possible. Support your Support your

statements with statements with hard proof. hard proof.

Don’t exaggerate.Don’t exaggerate.


TypesTypes• For informed customers:For informed customers:

Serve quickly and Serve quickly and efficiently.efficiently.

Reassure of value.Reassure of value. Know what facts they still Know what facts they still

need to learn.need to learn.

These are by far thebest value we have in

speaker systems.


TypesTypes• For difficult customers:For difficult customers:

Remain calm and courteous.Remain calm and courteous. Do not become defensive.Do not become defensive. Consider it a challenge to help Consider it a challenge to help

them.them. Accept minor points of Accept minor points of

disagreement.disagreement. Try to find a way to compliment Try to find a way to compliment

them.them. Get your manager for further Get your manager for further

assistance if necessary.assistance if necessary.

• Impulsive customers may make bad purchase decisions.

• Are salespeople obligated to stop them?

MarkED

Acknowledgments

Original DevelopersChristopher C. Burke,

Sarah Bartlett Borich, MarkED

Version 1.0

Copyright © 2008MarkED Resource Center

Copyright:

All photographic digital images on this CD are owned by the aforementioned photographic resources or their licensors and are protected by the United States copyright laws, international treaty provisions, and applicable laws. No title to or intellectual property rights to the images on this CD are transferred to you. These sources retain all rights and are not to be used, digitally copied, transferred, or manipulated in any way. To do so is a violation of federal copyright laws.

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Selling LAP 112 Addressing Needs of Individual Personalities