For our sales friends. We’d love to know what you’d add or change?
Type One
Motivated to achieve perfection, efficiency, and effectiveness in everything they do. In sales, they believe they know what is right and strive to do the right thing for their prospects, clients, and the organization. Type 1 may spend too much time on the details and not enough time on the relationship, asking questions, and listening to what the prospect/client really wants or needs. Their attention to doing things the “right” way, as they see it, may create conflict or a mismatch with a prospect or client.
Type Two
Motivated to be accepted and liked by others. In sales, they focus on building and developing relationships and connections to those who can help them achieve results. Over-attention to relationships can get in the way of doing and closing business, having real or tough conversations, talking about money, being clear on what the company can provide, and negotiating.
Type Three
Motivated by results, getting things done, and being recognized for their work. In sale, they are results-driven and focused on winning and closing deals. They may rush rapport and relationship building and not take enough time asking questions and listening to a prospect or client. They may also overpromise things to the prospect/client, often thinking “I’ll work out the details later.” But, when they return to the office, their internal clients often say, “we can’t do that,” which creates tension with internal teams and, in the end, creates more work in having to go back to the prospect or client and reset expectations.
Type Four
Motivated by doing unique, creative work and wanting deep, meaningful relationships with prospects/clients. In sales, their focus on doing unique work often gets in the way of performing the routine sales tasks and behaviors that result in sales success. Their feelings and emotions may get in the way of consistent performance. They are able to ask the personal questions, but some prospects/clients may experience that as too intense. Getting a “no” from a prospect/client is taken as a person affront and is experienced as rejection.
Type Five
Motivated by protecting their privacy; being self-sufficient and being knowledgeable about what they sell. In sales, they believe buyers must have all the facts to decide to buy. This leads to information overload, “telling” rather than selling. They have a preference for avoiding emotional interactions and constant rapport building, which are critical to sales success. Type 5 likes having a sales process to follow and can follow it well – but any deviation or emotions may throw this type off during a sales call.
Type Six
Motivated by minimizing or avoiding danger at all costs. In sales, they are astute at uncovering prospects’ reasons for buying, yet their questioning style may appear too direct or drilling, which can get in the way of building rapport. They get to the real issues so quickly sometimes that they don’t realize that they don’t have all the information they need. Type 6 is successful in identifying the problems to be solved but may miss that prospects and clients need to move toward a vision of what it will be like to get what they want and sometimes may miss creating that vision with them.
Type Seven
Motivated by the need to keep their options open. In sales, this type is extremely effective in making contacts, dealing with the “big” picture, and working with decision-makers in high levels of authority. They tend to get bored and may “check out” if the sale doesn’t move along quickly and struggle when the prospect/client needs a lot of hand holding or comes across as negative. In keeping their options open, Type 7 may offer too many solutions when, sometimes, prospects need a salesperson to help them pick the best solution.
Type Eight
Motivated by the need to control the environment and others so as not to be controlled. In sales, this type appears confident, self-assured, and in control. They are skilled at identifying who the decision-makers are and are very comfortable dealing with power and going “toe-to-toe” with authority. Attention to controlling the selling situation leads to a “telling, often dictatorial” style that suits some and turns off others. Type 8 has “big” energy and thrives in selling situations where the prospect/client doesn’t play games and is perceived as being straight-up with them. For this type, energy management is the key.
Type Nine
Motivated by keeping the peace, achieving harmony, and avoiding conflict. In sales, they are excellent at creating rapport and making people feel comfortable and heard, yet struggle to be direct, ask “tough” questions, talk about money, or do other sales activities that might create conflict or upset the prospect/client. When conflict is anticipated, they may avoid situations or interactions, causing sales activity and results to be inconsistent. They can get stubborn and not move from their position which may make negotiating difficult.
