Selling with Personality

Imagine if you knew how your customer prefers to communicate, take in information, and make decisions. This information would be an invaluable tool to close that deal, right? Well, step into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality tool that helps us understand people in exactly these areas.

The MBTI assesses people's personalities on 4 dichotomies:

• How are they energized, Extroversion (E) or Introversion (I)?
• How do they take in information, Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)?
• How do they make decisions, Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)?
• How do they approach their world, Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)?

Understanding each of these factors will open doors and lead to a better experience in your business. Let’s break them down a bit.

How They Are Energized - Extroversion (E) or Introversion (I)

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t about how socially apt somebody is. It describes an individual's natural flow of energy.

With extroverted people, energy naturally flows outwards. They think out loud and are expressive through their body language. When selling to them, you can expect lots of questions and lots of conversation.

For introverted people, their energy naturally flows inwards. They need to reflect on what they’re hearing, and their body language is generally more measured. Be careful not to rush these people to respond with an initial decision. Give them the space and time to take in all of the information required.

Understanding your own natural energy and matching the energy preference of your prospect is an essential part of good communication and building a strong rapport.

How They Take in Information – Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)

Someone with a Sensing preference will notice facts, specifications, and details. They are likely to have done their homework on the product. They’ve also been known to test the salesperson’s knowledge, and their trust is built on or eroded by the accuracy of the response. Make sure you include all the relevant details, and be prepared to answer any questions.

Someone with an Intuition preference will not be caught up in the details. They require big-picture information and enjoy putting all the parts of what the salesperson has said into meaning by connecting it to novel ideas. People with an Intuitive preference rely on gut feelings, and they’ll pick up on undercurrents that are not what they seem. Make sure to not get caught up on details when speaking to them.

When describing your product and service, make sure you’re including both the details and the big-picture information to appeal to both preferences.

How They Make Decisions – Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)

Someone with a Thinking preference wants to consider the consequences of the choices you’re giving them by weighing the pros and cons. Show these people how your offer will result in the best outcome to meet their needs.

When communicating with someone with a Feeling preference, you need to show them how your offer will affect not only them but also the people around them. They like to make decisions based on creating the most harmony with their group. They’re acutely aware of how their decision may impact the people around them.

Help your prospects make a decision by explaining how your product or service meets the need that is most important to them.

How They Approach Their World – Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

Someone with a Judging preference is often described as time-conscious and prefers structure in their life. Make sure they know what to expect from your sales meeting and your sales process in general. Help them understand the next steps in their journey with you and give them as much notice as possible for any events, meetings, or changes.

For the Perceiving preference, they prefer flexibility and keeping their options open as long as possible before making a decision. Be prepared and build flexibility into your sales process for them. Holding on to the sales process too tightly may turn them away.

Create a structured journey to take your prospect through in the sales process and build flexibility when required

Conclusion

We all tend to lean towards one preference for each dichotomy. Our skill in selling depends on how well we can adapt our natural style to create spaces for those personality types that see the world differently than we do. When I work with business leaders, I help them to tailor their sales process to appeal to different personalities so that they can experience more success in their business.

If you’re interested in learning more about how different personality types can have a dramatic increase in your business, get in touch here.