Assessing Buyer Personality as Part of Your Sales Process Steps
You’ve done your research and learned about your prospect’s company and their needs. What else can you do to prepare for your meetings? Using a little psychology with your sales process steps is something to consider. Understanding what type of personality you’ll be dealing with can mean the difference between a struggle for closing, and success.
Last week we introduced you to the Driver personality type and how to recognize and approach them. This week, we will provide some insight into the Motivator.
The Motivator:
These people are characterized by a high Ego drive and high Empathy which motivates them towards meeting and entertaining others. Their high Ego results in impatience and the need to be socially active. The high Empathy factor makes them relationship centered, giving them a desire to relate to others. Some examples of well-known Motivators are former President Bill Clinton, actor/comedians Jim Carrey and Robin Williams, and Oprah Winfrey.
Characteristics:
Motivators are expressive, personable, outgoing and magnetic people. They are demonstrative, talkative and have a good sense of humor. You will also see these qualities:
- fast-paced, energetic and goal oriented
- thrive on options, plans, and change
- creative “big picture” types that are not always strong with follow-through
- avoid details
- desire to please, fun to work with
- innovative, interactive, articulate, and cooperative
Motivators are great communicators who like selling and influencing others.
These high-energy, likable people can be enjoyable, but may also make you feel as though you’re on a wild ride. You know you’re meeting with a Motivator when you receive an enthusiastic greeting. They will stand close to you, lean forward when they speak, and demonstrate active and expressive body movements. Take a look around their workspace and you will see personal information, possibly even some toys. Other traits include:
- open and friendly – like to talk about their personal life.
- shift subjects frequently
- poor listener, easily bored
- not good at time management
- rely on hunches
Getting a decision from a Motivator:
Be aware of the motivator’s style, likes, and dislikes and you could have the inside track in effective communication with this type of prospect. As with any type, there are certain do’s and don’ts for interaction.
Do:
- greet them informally and with enthusiasm
- use examples and stories
- compliment them and drop names if appropriate
- be ready for a shift in direction and support their ideas
- be patient, allow them to consider options
- stay with the big picture
- provide testimonials from people they perceive as important
- allow them to talk about themselves and to express feelings and opinions
- be interesting and entertaining, but brief
Don’t:
- put up barriers or be cold or tight-lipped
- control the conversation or cut them off
- emphasize facts, figures, or abstractions
- provide unnecessary detail
- be competitive or argumentative
Motivators don’t like making decisions. Allowing them to come to a decision in their time, and without too much distraction with details, will increase your chances for success.
Next we will examine the Thinker personality and how best to approach them.
For more on understanding personality types as part of your sales process steps, contact us today.
