CHAPTER 3
Identifying Personality Types Over the Phone

PHONE SALES CHALLENGE – Alesia, in equipment sales, had this to say: “You know how you just click with some people? I wish it were that way with all my customers. I could make a fortune.”

Ah, yes. How much easier it is to sell to someone who seems to be on the same wavelength that you are. Not only are these people easier customers to work with, but you often find that you genuinely like them. In that phone selling fantasy where every word you say clicks, you are the star revenue producer in your company. In real life, however, there are occasions where the person on the other end of the phone just doesn’t seem to respond to what you’re saying. Creating a conversation with this customer is arduous and seems practically impossible.

Look at what happens when personality and communication styles don’t match:

CUSTOMER (answering the phone in a monotone voice): Hello, this is Jackson.

SALESPERSON (briskly, in a high-energy manner): I’m really excited that you contacted us, and we’re rolling out this new product and … ”

CUSTOMER: Who is this again? And what did you want?

Energy level, characterized by enthusiasm over the phone and speed of delivery, is one area of communication compatibility (or incompatibility). In the following example, the caller is explaining to the potential customer some important information that he felt would establish credibility for his company. The customer rushes him off the phone because he perceives that the conversation is taking too long to get to a point.

CUSTOMER (tersely): This is Fred.

SALESPERSON (in clear and measured tones): This is Benjamin Ahrenhauser from Alexander Environmental and Associates. We’ve been in the environmental conservation business since 1987 and this year we received the J. D. Power award of excellence for …”

CUSTOMER (interrupting): I don’t really care about 1986, and I don’t have time for this.

SALESPERSON: No, it’s 1987.

CUSTOMER: What? (Hangs up.)

In the example that follows, the salesperson is pushing in a matter-of-fact way, but the person on the other end isn’t comfortable with the role of decision maker and hands the caller off. This may or may not lead to another contact, but not likely today.

CUSTOMER (answering phone in a friendly and warm tone): Good afternoon, Parts Department, this is Janice, how can I help you today?

SALESPERSON (in a very direct and businesslike manner): This is Tony with XYZ. We met at that trade show in Sacramento and I wanted to know when you’re going to place an order.

CUSTOMER (stammering a bit): Well, uh. Yes, I think I remember being at your booth, and as I recall I was with Landry and Neal. Uhm. This is really their department. Maybe I can get them to call you. It’s great to hear from you; maybe call back later when I’ve talked with them.

All of these customers that the salespeople couldn’t even start a conversation with are buying from someone, although most likely not them. Remember, you can’t make a living closing business with only those people who vibrate at the same frequency you do. When you develop an understanding of the communication needs of various personality types, as well as natural matches and clashes with your own personality, you will be much more able to generate that connection with all customers.

How many expressions can you think of in today’s conversations that validate the other person’s statements or motivations? Let’s look at a few:

“I get what you’re saying.”

“Yeah, I see where you’re coming from.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh, I’m following you.”

The opposite situation, a speaker’s desire to be understood, has created a language of its own:

“Ya’see?”

“Do you hear me?”

“Are we on the same page here?”

Though a smile seems to be a universal way to make a connection with someone, you can’t close a sale with just a smile. And, of course, it’s even trickier to get that smile across over the phone.

Being in tune with your customers, however, is often the determining factor in making a sale. You will be able to hit it off with nearly all your customers when you use strategies that place you in harmony with their respective personalities. Harmony equals sales. Learning to get on the same frequency as each of your customers will dramatically increase your close rate. You may think that recognizing a customer’s personality type may be more difficult over the telephone than in person, but there are definitely clues you can learn to identify. Once you are accustomed to the process, identifying your customer’s buying styles over the phone will become an easy exercise for you in just about every call.

Of course, it helps to understand what your own personality type is as well. This knowledge lets you capitalize on your strengths with some customers, and manage your natural incompatibilities with others. For this reason, you will find a quick assessment in Appendix A that will help you to determine your type.

To be the peak sales performer you can be, you will need to learn the following four categories into which your customers are likely to fall:

Precise
Energized
Assured
Kind

Remember, you can close each of these personality types, if you use the right strategies. You’ll need to adjust specific elements of your presentation style many times a day as you talk with different personalities. This is not an easy task, as it takes both planning and attention, but the payoff means more dollars for you.

The Precise Customer

The Precise Customer needs to be correct and certain about decisions he or she makes and the implications of those decisions. Thus, they research and analyze carefully, and never make a decision based on just an impression or a gut feeling. Because they have to “get it right,” they are careful, never impulsive. Always seeking more information and wanting to be absolutely certain, they will even risk a deadline in search of convincing proof. After your sales call, even if you are able to gain a tentative agreement, the Precise Customer will want to see a formal proposal. Under stress, Ps will avoid you because, if they are undecided, a phone call or meeting feels like extra pressure from the salesperson.

These are the hardest customers to sell over the telephone. Even though you have overcome all the possible impediments to a close, they will likely still want time to think. The logical nature of facts and computers makes them more comfortable with data than with interpersonal situations. Precise Customers are task-oriented and generally very organized. In particular, they are likely to resent a phone interruption, so it is better to have an appointment for even a phone call for this customer.

Technical proficiency is a value to them, so fields such as engineering, computer hardware and software, science (especially research), accounting, and finance will include many people from the Precise category. Because of their expert knowledge, they are often consulted on decisions by higher-ups but will avoid making major decisions on the company’s behalf. Over the phone, these customers may sound monotone, and you will hear this in their voice mail. It can be frustrating to deal with them because they will not reveal emotions, even if they are enthusiastic about your product.

These customers are proud of their own expertise and may be negative about the expertise of others. In character, however, they have a great deal of integrity, and although slow to make a decision, they can be counted on. These are the worker bees in their organizations and are often overworked and underappreciated.

STYLE-MATCHING STRATEGY FOR PHONE SUCCESS

To match a Precise buying style, you need to avoid too much enthusiasm in your communication patterns. Your phone style should be measured, deliberate, and controlled. Precise Customers think before they speak (unlike many of us in sales who think by speaking). For this reason, it may be common for them to be silent for a time after you ask a question—possibly long enough to make you uncomfortable. The P Customer requires extra time to process information. It’s not an intelligence issue but a processing one.

While Precise Customers can be difficult to deal with on the telephone, they are by no means impossible. Be sure to give Ps time to digest information; Ps are not reactive thinkers. For example, you and your customer may be viewing a powerpoint or information page on the company’s website during a call. A classic error salespeople commit with Ps is not allowing them time to read and study what is there. Huge mistake! If you have been successful in getting Ps to your site (and you may get only one shot at this), they may sell themselves if allowed to fully explore the information there. Be quiet and let these customers look at the material on the website. Silence on the other end of the phone is not necessarily a bad thing with a P.

Since you are giving Ps a lot of information, be sure to organize it for easy access. As the expert, Ps will not go to bat for you or your product in decision meetings, unless there is plenty of documentation to substantiate the recommendation. (Note: This “once removed” situation, where someone will be your spokesperson with a decision maker, is not uncommon in phone selling, especially with Ps, since they are respected by others.) Ps will not take the risk of losing expert status by expressing enthusiasm over a product they can’t back up.

If you are a different personality type from them, s-l-o-w down in all aspects of your phone conversation and be prepared to match their deliberate and thoughtful pace. Temper your own enthusiasm and any behavior that would rush a close or try to pin these customers down. Also, have the relevant facts and figures at your fingertips before calling Precise Customers. Answer all questions as completely as possible. If you don’t have an immediate answer, call back with the answer as soon as possible.

Avoid generalities and testimonials, unless you have one from someone the Precise Customer knows and respects. And along this same line, be prepared to send proof in the form of documentation and articles from third-party sources (not press releases from your own company, but articles from industry magazines or tests by independent groups). A P won’t necessarily take your word for it over the phone.

Use a careful and strategic sales approach—it works great with this group—and follow up often with regular contact, especially if you have new information or “hard” evidence of your product’s superiority. Be certain to check for errors in anything you plan to say to them over the phone. You can bet that the Precise Customer is writing your facts down or logging the data into a PDA or laptop and will check your figures after you have hung up!

APPROACHES TO USE WITH THE PRECISE CUSTOMER

Remember: You are on the phone and body language is out as a communicator, so your words take on more value. Make your presentation at a slower pace; control your enthusiasm. Communicate what the Precise Customer needs to hear to enable him or her to come to a decision in your favor. These can include:

References to white papers or third-party research.

Reviews in major industry or educational publications or ezines.

Test results and data tables—hard proof.

Documentable facts (and the Precise will want the source).

Operations details.

Risk assessments.

Engineering principles behind your process or product.

Specifications, materials, performance parameters.

Concrete operational or design benefits.

The Energized Customer

The Energized Customer will help you get your energy level back up if you’re fading because they’re infectious with optimism. Friendly, but hurried, they will talk fast and a lot. Using colorful words, they like to tell you about themselves and their projects, so they’re not the best listeners. (Oops! Could this be you as a salesperson? How are your listening skills?) Es are assertive and may even sell themselves on your product as they explore possibilities. Just remember to be quiet and let this type of customer talk!

Even at their fast pace, the Energized Customer is a poor time manager and tends to be disorganized. You should assume they will lose documents you send; be prepared with backup copies. They also are not likely to take notes of your phone conversation and might forget important points. Because these customers respond well to people they like and can be impulsive as decision makers, you can profit from this scenario if you cultivate their friendship. But if they get mad at you, you will lose their business.

You will probably be calling more frequently with Energized Customers, because they will want to build a relationship before they do business with you. Because Es are persuasive and opinionated by nature, they will typically provide you with referral business. You’ll just need to ask!

STYLE-MATCHING STRATEGY FOR PHONE SUCCESS

Energized Customers will respond to your requests for favors, “Will you just take some time to look at something for me? I’d appreciate your judgment and comments.” Pay them compliments, as they like fueling their positive inclinations. These customers might not have a referral’s phone number handy, but they would probably consent to a conference call and give a testimonial, if you ask (as long as they don’t have to do anything to set it up!). Remember, though, that under stress, if things go wrong they will blame outside forces because they really see things as not their fault.

If your company has small promotional gifts you can send to the Energized Customer, these will be appreciated, as would any kind of personal remembrance. An example would be: “I remember you said your son played basketball. The PR department sent me a Knicks T-shirt and I thought he might like it, so I’m sending it out in tomorrow’s mail.”

Send them brochures and customize materials and presentations as much as possible; use color (and remember, you may have to send them a second time). Emails should be friendly and with bullet points. Stress the benefits to an E personally of using your service. Be sure your voice is upbeat and enthusiastic over the phone. Use more inflection and speak a bit faster—it may sound a bit exaggerated, especially if you’re not the same personality type—but remember that the phone dilutes the effect of your vocal variety.

Emphasize the relationship by telling them how important their business is to you. Convey the notion of team: Their success and yours are tied together. You’ll want to get a commitment from them before you get off the phone. Since Es are notoriously disorganized, setting up a deadline or a date and time will help you move forward in your next steps with these buyers.

An added tip: Remember to use thank-yous often with an E Customer. Sometimes a phone call just to thank an E for business is a great relationship builder. A handwritten follow-up note is another good idea.

APPROACHES TO USE WITH THE ENERGIZED CUSTOMER

Communicate what the Energized Customer needs to hear:

Excitement in your voice over your product.

Upbeat attitude, faster tempo of presentation.

“Congratulations! You made a great selection!”

New or innovative aspects of your product or service.

Referrals from others who have bought from you.

“This is an easy implementation since you already have your funds.”

Phone calls that are fun and interesting.

Recognition and requests for the E’s opinion.

The Assured Customer

Assertive and focused, the Assured Customer is all business. Although very opinionated, they are clear on what they like and don’t like, and so are very decisive. They will innovate and experiment, as it supports their vision. Assureds are committed to their goals and will go along with products/services that support those goals; however, they tend not to be loyal to individual sales reps or suppliers.

Strong leaders themselves, they respect those who have passed their tests and proven themselves worthy. One absolutely necessary element in every call to an A is reconnaissance—you must know the company and the A’s strategic needs. And there will be a test; in fact, every conversation can make or break the close.

Assured Customers may not return calls, just to see if you have pluck enough to pursue them, or they might sound abrupt in a way that would scare away the fainthearted. They use the distance of the phone to their advantage. But to the victor go the spoils with this one, because they are often major decision makers and have the potential to be your best customers.

Assureds may value time or efficiency over money, so be wary of using the dollars-off approach—which may work with many of your other customers—as a “sure” strategy. Because they are so timeconscious, if they suspect you will waste their time, they will cut you off. They aren’t rude, per se; they’re just serious about doing business, not engaging in chitchat. For this reason they avoid details, and so will want the short version or “executive summary.” On the other hand, if you can handle with a succinct phone call what others want to do in person or in a rambling conversation, you will be able to get through when the competition cannot.

STYLE-MATCHING STRATEGY FOR PHONE SUCCESS

Know their vision! Assureds make their decisions based on where they want to go and what will help them get there, so they are quick to make a decision and then move on. Be fast and well prepared and don’t waste time with “How are you?” and “Did you have a good weekend?” or any extraneous information. If you ask for ten minutes, note when ten minutes are up and offer to get off the phone. Your call plan should use the “three bullet” method. Think of the three items you want to cover, and be prepared to move quickly through the call.

Always sound confident as you demonstrate direct benefits quickly. You can play to the ego of the Assured by connecting your product/service directly to their main goal.

Finally, expect that they are multitasking while on the line with you, so be prepared to reel them in occasionally or to do a quick feedback check to ensure they are still with you on the phone. However, these are the customers who are most eager to conduct business with the most persistent callers. So, call early and call often to get an A’s attention.

APPROACHES TO USE WITH THE ASSURED CUSTOMER

Communicate what the Assured needs to hear:

Respect for their time: “Charlie, do you have a quick five minutes?” (they’ll be more likely to take your calls).

“I’ll call you back on Monday.” These are busy people who notoriously do not return calls and will expect you to call them.

Brief voice mail messages delivered at a quicker pace.

Direct and assertive phrasing. Avoid fawning or obsequious language like “please” or “I’d like to.”

Focus on speed of execution: “We can wrap this up with one call.” You may get the deal because you act more quickly.

“This will have direct bottom-line impact.” Everyone likes to hear this, but Assureds more than anyone.

The Kind Customer

Warm, compassionate, and people-oriented, Kind Customers are good listeners and often a relief to talk to after some of the tougher types. They typically will take calls readily since they are people-pleasers. They are unhurried and patient over the phone, never seeming to be rattled—even if they are under stress. However, be aware that these are sometimes your most challenging customers since they are so slow to make decisions.

Kind Customers are loyal and will often stay with you, but they are very difficult to “steal” from their current supplier; Ks don’t like change. Kinds will be warm, considerate, and agreeable, even if they are not going to buy from you. This can be deceptive. There can be cultural implications here, also, as some cultures feel it is disrespectful to be impolite or unkind to a person, whether there is any intent to actually do business or not.

Team decisions are more comfortable for this type, and Ks will rarely go against the consensus. Under stress, you can probably get this person to say “yes” to give in, but “no” will be the real answer and you will get no follow-through. This customer needs time to make a decision that will stick in the long term. Kinds have often experienced being taken advantage of in the past, and this affects their ability to make quick decisions. It takes a long time to gain their trust.

STYLE-MATCHING STRATEGY FOR PHONE SUCCESS

Because of the desire to be nice to all parties involved, Kind Customers need to feel that you will help them with others in the decision-making team. Recognize that Ks rarely make decisions alone. You will need to find out who the other players are, but, with the right kind of safe questioning, your Kinds will likely happily tell you. Be sure to tell them, “Take your time,” in your most patient voice and mean it.

They will expect conversation, so ask these customers how their day is going and listen for the answer. Since your sales call is also a relationship-continuing conversation, you will want to refer to something they told you about themselves in a prior call (there are excellent databases to help you keep track of these little personal details).

Let them get to know you, personally, your company, etc. You will find them sincere in their interest; to them a product is the whole package—company, product, and you. Knowledge on all these fronts will lower the perceived risk for Kind Customers. Don’t push your Ks in your phone calls. They will give in under duress, but it will be a meaningless win on your part. They won’t follow through, so the sale is lost.

APPROACHES TO USE WITH THE KIND CUSTOMER

To close the deal, communicate what the Kind Customer needs to hear:

Friendly, nonthreatening approach.

Softer tone—avoid stress or an edge in your voice.

Gentle questions with options instead of pushy close.

Patient manner that invites questions and clarification.

Assurance that the decision is good for everyone.

Risk is reduced because of partnership with you.

Details are taken care of and problems are handled.

Personality Matches and the Phone Salesperson

As a salesperson, you have your own style and your own personality, whether on the phone or in person. By taking the PEAK personality Type Assessment in Appendix A, you can get a clearer picture of your own type. In addition, you will be able to profit from understanding how to adapt your style to be the most effective with other customer personalities, by voice and style alone.

Remember, in romance, opposites attract; but in our work life, we need harmony in order to do business effectively. Thus, we synchronize best with those who are most like us. When we meet our similar type, it’s a beautiful world, especially when that similar type is our customer. We feel the harmony; we hit on the same notes, operate in the same rhythm. The phone line is almost a mental bridge between two minds.

Even when we meet our opposite, though, we can look for the elements we have in common. In the old days, phone salespeople were taught to get people to talk about their personal lives, so they could determine elements in common: sports, hobbies, kids, and so forth. Today’s customers don’t have time for such chitchat, but we can still establish the connection they require before they will do business with us. Instead of interests in common, we learn to pay attention to voice, style, energy, and inflection. Watch for the clues and choose your strategy accordingly. That’s the quick way to the payoff.

The Phone Salesperson’s Quick-Reference Extra: The Salesperson ↔ Customer Match

What follows is a guide for handling the different customer types, once you know your own. Have you taken the test in Appendix A to determine your own personality type yet? You’ll find what follows much more useful if you have.

THE PRECISE SALESPERSON

If you are the P salesperson, when you are in a P ↔ A relationship, you have in common tasks and goals, and interest in the job done right.

For P ↔ K, neither you nor the customer makes rash decisions; both of you are passive and precise, and with good listening skills between you. Although for different reasons, you are both somewhat cautious.

Look out, though, for the P ↔ E potential train wreck; you are opposites. Although contrary to your nature, if you don’t communicate energy and passion for your product or service, you will not connect with the E. Es talk faster and are more emotional than you might be comfortable with. Don’t let their rapid speech and high excitement level put you off. Remember, also, that the E may close the sale quickly. Avoid the temptation to keep offering information and details; the E will lose interest, and you might lose the sale. Sometimes an E just “feels right” about a sale, and although this might be a foreign notion to you, relax and celebrate it as good news.

THE ENERGIZED SALESPERSON

In the E ↔ A combination, if you are an E and the customer is an A, the elements you have in common are:

High energy.

Aggressiveness.

Lack of concern for details.

Members of the E ↔ K relationship also share certain characteristics:

Liking people.

Courtesy.

Warmth.

The bad news comes for the E ↔ P situation. If you are an E and the customer is a P, you have nothing in common naturally. For this opposite situation, you must change your style entirely. Of course, this takes a lot of energy to do, and choosing to go this extra mile when the stakes are high separates the big money salespeople from the lesser ones.

Remember, most of us don’t get to choose the customers we have to work with. Less successful salespeople spend most of their time with customers they like, whether those are the highest ticket customers or not. Beware of falling into this trap.

An example of this is a phone salesperson whose clients are in the dental profession. She and most of her sales team are either E or A. Almost all their customers are P. The team had to work harder to develop solid sales relationships with the dentists (their customers), but by adjusting presentation styles to fit the customer, they closed dramatically more sales.

It is very easy to feel good about a customer who spends money with you. So, the extra work needed to adjust and perform more strategically with personality matching is worth it.

THE ASSURED SALESPERSON

When it comes to the A ↔ E match, as noted previously, you have energy in common.

The A ↔ P partnership has two things in common: You’re both task- and goal-oriented.

The A ↔ K match was not made in heaven; you are opposites. What you need to watch out for is the A’s natural impatience with a K’s slower decision-making style. You may wonder repeatedly, “Why won’t he make a decision? What’s the problem?” The K you are calling may feel rushed if you are not careful to curb your tendency to push. Also, remember that the K is very loyal, and it will take you more time to get him or her away from a competitor.

With this match, if you give up too soon, you will never get the business. However, the importance of the account should govern how far beyond your frustration level you are willing to go before moving on.

THE KIND SALESPERSON

For the K salesperson, the K ↔ E match has relationships in common; you both like people. That’s always a good start.

Ks and Ps both want facts and don’t move impulsively. This will work in your favor.

Ks and As are opposites! The A will seem bossy and rushed to you. He or she will be abrasive and demanding in your eyes and will especially resent your desire to chat. Offer the A only the immediately relevant information and tie it directly to his or her goal.

Something that might help you deal with the A is to stand up when you are talking on the phone with this type of customer. Walking around the room as you talk will force you to display more energy and enable you to set a faster pace. Assured Customers need to hear confidence to conduct business.

The Payoff

Once you have mastered the art of recognizing your customers’ personality types and matching them to your own, you’ll find your telephone sales calls going much more smoothly. You’ll be in tune with your customers and your sales strategies will flow naturally from this harmony.

Finally, the P/E/A/K salesperson—those of you who don’t score as an exact fit for any of the four types—has an advantage. You will be able to move more easily among your different style customers. Just be careful that as you slip in and out of your different presentation modes, you don’t get too cocky.

Being good at establishing a quick rapport with everybody does not necessarily mean you are the most strategic at closing the business. A more conscious awareness of the needs of each of the types will help you take all types to the next level and sell more over the phone.

Now that Alesia has learned some matching techniques, let’s see how she’s doing:

CUSTOMER (answers in monotone): Hello, this is Jackson.

ALESIA: This is Alesia from XYZ. You had asked me to get back to you today about the failure rate as posted by that third-party group.

CUSTOMER: Oh yes, I was expecting your call and I was waiting for that information before we made our decision. We’re not going to do anything without data. I’m glad you sent it.

Showing her versatility, we hear her match her next customer’s style:

CUSTOMER (tersely): This is Fred.

ALESIA: Hi Fred, Alesia. Just a quick call to check with you on your future needs with the upcoming merger.

CUSTOMER: Well, good for you. You’re the first rep who’s called here who had any idea what was going on. Call me back on Monday at 4:00 and we’ll talk.

ALESIA: Monday at 4:00 confirmed. Goodbye.

CUSTOMER: Talk to you then.