I’ve often spoken about the importance of Personality Type Profiling in both business and private settings. Knowing what moves and motivates you(rself), and knowing what moves and motivates another are hugely powerful tools for understanding and ethically influencing your environment. Today, I’d like to discuss the importance of Personality Type when it comes to sales and marketing, and to “buying”.
Whether you are on the selling side or the buying side of the equation, you must realise that selling and buying are both based around emotions, around our needs and desires.
Selling is simply this: identifying a gap/need/desire in the experience of your prospect (they want something that they don’t have yet), providing a solution to fill this gap/need/desire, and educating the prospect on the benefits of purchasing that solution, so they warm up to it and buy it. That’s it. One of my mentors said: you NEVER sell anything, really. You can only make people buy. And it’s true. If I don’t resonate emotionally with what the salesperson is offering, I will not buy, and v.v.
Buying is simply this: identifying a gap/need/desire in yourself, searching for a solution that fills that gap/need/desire, and purchasing that solution based on the perceived benefits it will have.
Again, that’s it. We buy because we think the product we consider will do something to or for us that will help us solve a problem, fill a gap, or fulfil a desire. Ultimately, this is an emotional process; or, if you don’t like that word: it has to do with us wanting to feel good.
The AusIDentities Personality Type Profiling System identifies Four distinct personality types: the Dolphin, the Eagle, the Kangaroo and the Wombat. In sales (and for your buying decisions) it is absolutely critical to know your own type and those of your prospects. If you don’t approach them the right way, they will probably not buy! Perhaps it’s not that paramount when it comes to buying a bottle of water or a sandwich, but it’s definitely the case when it comes to bigger or more important purchases. You want to get clear on the needs and desires of your prospects/family members/friends, because you can then ethically influence them and make them choose an option that is both good for them AND you!
In sales you will have to be able to see the world from your prospect’s perspective. Remember: “sales” could also be mentioning to your wife you want to go and see a football match, for which in return you will take her out on Friday!! Or persuading your children to go on a 4 star hotel holiday instead of a camping trip by choosing the hotel with the biggest pool on the planet! To grasp your “prospect’s” perspective properly, you will have to dig into their minds.
The right way to do this is by ASKING QUESTIONS. Each of the four AusIDentities Personality Types is sensitive to different kinds of questions. Let’s create some clarity on what type of questions work best for what type:
The Eagle (or NT, in the Myers-Briggs typology) on a combination of WHAT and WHY questions. Examples:
* why is it so important for you to…?
* what specifically would you like to see in…?
* why will…be beneficial for you?
* what research have you done into…and what were the outcomes?
The Dolphin, (or NF) will be more partial to a combination of WHO and WHY questions. Examples:
* Who is going to be pleased when you…?
* why is…so important to you and the people around you?
* who is you are thinking of when you…?
* why will your experience be different when you…?
The Kangaroo (or SP) will be focused on a combination of WHAT and HOW questions. Examples:
* what will…allow you to do faster?
* how can you use…to create even more powerful results?
* what other methods have your tried to…?
* how did you compare your current experience with your future experience once you have…?
The Wombat (or SJ), ultimately, is sensitive to a combination of HOW and WHAT questions (note the order difference with the Kangaroo). Examples:
* how can…make your experience more pleasurable?
* what exactly do you expect from…?
* how do you think we can make…an even better product for you?
* what needs to happen for you to consider…?
Again, these and similar questions can be used to get people to make buying decisions in business, but are as easily applicable to family and other relations, child raising issues, employment issues, conflict resolution, and other interpersonal problems and challenges. It all boils down to understanding the deeper needs and desires of yourself and others, so you can relate to yourself and others on an emotional -feeling- level.
Set a Landmarc:
Firstly, from now on, whenever you make a buying decision on more substantial goods and/or services (house, car, audio/video equipment, investments etc.) ask yourself: why do I want to purchase this? What feeling will it give me once I have it? The more you know for what sort of emotional feeling you buy things, the more aware you will become in other areas of your life (they usually reflect the same values).
Secondly, from now on, whenever you want to make someone accept your opinion, assess what reasoning you use towards the other parties. What emotions are you trying to get across to the other parties, so they will accept what you want. Thirdly, study personality types extensively so you can understand on an even deeper level what drives you and others. This will allow you to become very influential, honouring all parties’ wishes and desires. There are several options available for further study.
Lastly, commit to sales and marketing, both in personal and professional selling. Although both words are usually applied to business and the selling of goods and services, EVERYTHING in life has to do with selling and marketing. Just think of the hotel vs camping idea: you will have to SELL the 4 star hotel to the family, and MARKET it properly, so it will be preferred over a camping holiday. You even have to sell the idea of having to do grocery shopping to your kids, by offering them a donut or a ride on the merry-go -round after. Only THEN will they be SOLD on the idea! If you really want to increase sales in your business or fulfilment in your personal life by 300% or more, a thorough knowledge of personality types is crucial.
Understanding yourself and others will make for massively accelerated success in all areas of life; that’s my personal promise.
