Sales Psychology: How to Identify Customer Behavior Types &
Close More Sales Now
My Customer is Ticking Me Off!
That was the recent comment I heard from a seasoned sales professional. He then described the
customer's controlling nature including how he would often interrupt, and want answers in Cliffs
Notes version.
The sales person had a style mismatch. He was choosing to be upset by the customer's actions.
After letting him unload, I asked him how he's adapting to the customer.
"Adapt?" he asked, puzzled.
I said, "You could just live in your hurt feelings, like you've been doing. Or you could choose to
pay closer attention to your customer and work with him the way he wants to be worked with.
Specifically, allow this customer to have control over the sales call, give him the information he
needs in the timing he needs it, and allow him to cut you off."
Ultimately when you allow your customer to win, you'll end up winning too. Your customers
don't necessarily want to be your friends. They want to be your customers because they need
your products and services, don't they?"
How to Make Sales, Not War
War metaphors such as "It was a hard fought battle" or "We had to punch the proposal through
their defenses" are often used to describe the sales process. However, a more elegant and
effective sales close approach is to give the customer what he or she wants in the way they want
it with a nice ribbon around the package.
When the customer perceives you as the expert who really understands what he or she needs and
when you give it to them in the way they recognize as serving their needs, you automatically turn
an adversary into an ally. This will turn your customers into lifetime customers.
The Ultimate Secret to Turning Customers Into Lifetime Customers
Many companies struggle when differentiating their products or services. When you know how
to adapt your personal selling style to align with that of the customer, you become the point of
differentiation.
This requires you to be very aware of your approach to selling and the customer's approach to
buying.For example, high-steadiness behavior types hate change. When a sales person shows up, he or
she represents change, and that alone is enough to cause the customer to freeze. High-
conscientious types often want detailed facts and figures, delivered with precision.
We're most successful when our approach is identical to the customers. So you may find it
beneficial to adapt your approach to theirs, even if it's not your natural style.
Salespeople who have learned the secret to adapting profoundly increase their sales because they
possess the ability to sell to different kinds of people.
How to Identify Your Style and the Style of Your Customers
I gave the person I was coaching the following explanation so he could identify his style and the
styles of his customers:
· "D" Behavior - Demanding, directing and domineering. Individuals with this behavior
style are usually ambitious, bold and impatient. They can also be argumentative and
stubborn.
· "I" Behavior - Interacting, inspiring, and influencing. Individuals with this behavior
style are often expressive, charming, optimistic, cheerful and enthusiastic.
· "S" Behavior - Supporting, stabilizing and steadying. These individuals are usually
loyal, calm, patient, cooperative and humble.
· "C" Behavior - Conscientious, cautious and correcting. These individuals are often
diplomatic, meticulous, private, incisive and exact.
How to Put This Knowledge Into Action During Two Key Stages of the Sales
Process
Opening the call:
· Customer behavior type D: Be clear, specific, brief, and to the point.
· Customer behavior type I: Be friendly. Listen for both facts and feelings. Make time for
relating and socializing.
· Customer behavior type S: Be genuinely sincere. Create a non-threatening environment
for them.
· Customer behavior type C: Ask lots of questions and be patient while they answer in
minute detail.
Obtaining commitment:· Customer behavior type D - Briefly highlight their key options and ask for the order
assertively.
· Customer behavior type I - Inspire them to action. Keep the close relaxed and friendly.
· Customer behavior type S - Detail how they can take practical action and confirm
without pushing or rushing them.
· Customer behavior type C - Create a scheduled approach to implementing action with
step-by-step timetables. Point out guarantees.
You can double or even triple your sales by getting a grasp on your customer's behavioral style.
It will make a difference in your sales figures and will turn one-time customers into lifetime
customers.
About the Author:
Sales Psychology Expert Gregory Stebbins has helped 20,000+ sales professionals close more
sales by becoming the point of differentiation while their competitors struggle to differentiate
their products and services. In his book PeopleSavvy for Sales Professionals, he unveils for the
first time his simple but groundbreaking plan to turning customers into lifetime customers. Get
your free sneak preview at http://www.peoplesavvy.com/chapterone.htm