Today’s salespeople must be able to quickly identify the buying behavior style of their prospects—and adapt their approach to match.
That’s because today’s buyers are more informed than ever before—as well as less interested in meeting with salespeople. Combine that with the increasingly complex decision-making process, and your salespeople are left with a very narrow opportunity to make a positive connection with a potential buyer.
The fact is every buyer makes purchasing decisions differently. If your salespeople don’t recognize this and use the same approach with every person they call on, they’re losing out on potential opportunities.
Research shows that prospects are more likely to buy when they feel at ease with a salesperson. But how sellers should build trust and rapport is different with each buyer behavior style. Here are four common types of buying behavior and how to adapt to each.
4 Common Buyer Behavior Styles
Your salespeople can identify an individual’s buying behavior style using the DISC sales assessment. DISC uses a series of questions to classify behavior into four personality types with common behavioral characteristics and attitudes.
DISC is an acronym for four personality components: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance. Everyone has a primary style and some combination of all styles.
- D: How we respond to problems
- I: How we respond to people
- S: How we respond to pace
- C: How we respond to procedures
This sales assessment shows how we communicate, how we interact with others, and, for salespeople, how we sell. Sellers can use this information to recognize and adapt to the behavior of their customers to have more effective sales conversations.
Dominant “D” Types
Dominant or Doer types are direct and to the point. They typically have fast-paced speech and a strong personality. They tend to think in terms of the bottom line and often have a quicker, more impulsive decision-making style.
How to improve communication when selling to “D” types:
- Minimize features, maximize benefits
- Focus on how your product or service can help them reach their goals
- Listen closely so they feel they’re being heard
- Ask specific, targeted questions and don’t waste their time
- Keep a fast pace to match theirs
- Give direct answers without a lot of “fluff”
Influencer “I” Types
Influence or Talker types are friendly and talkative. They typically enjoy interacting with people and like chitchat. Influencers respond well to testimonials and hearing about benefits in an upbeat, positive way. They tend to be less detail oriented and focus more on the big picture.
How to improve communication when selling to “I” types:
- Be friendly and animated with your conversation
- Ask for their ideas and opinions
- Don’t dwell on the details
- Provide personal stories on how other people have benefited from your solution
Steady “S” Types
Steadiness or Pacer types are patient and easygoing. You can identify these individuals by their reserved, indirect, but people-oriented approach to others. They typically have a deliberate and methodical decision-making style and can resist change or anything they perceive as a risk.
How to improve communication when selling to “S” types:
- Don’t pressure them to make a decision quickly
- Listen patiently and take time to explain
- Speak with a sincere tone of voice
- Give direct answers
- Show you’re interested in a long-term relationship
Compliant “C” Types
Compliance or Controller types are methodical and deliberate. They tend to focus on the details and are concerned primarily with doing things the “right” or “correct” way. This buying behavior style can be skeptical and is often concerned with analytics and the effects of change.
How to improve communication when selling to “C” types:
- Present data to back up claims about your solution
- Avoid asking too many personal questions
- Slow down and answer questions precisely
- Use a diplomatic and courteous tone
- Be conservative in assertions
How to Improve Communication with Buyers
By default, most salespeople approach buyers using their natural behavior style. But sales training can show sellers how to adapt their style to match the style of whomever they’re calling on.
The first step is to help your sellers understand their own individual behavior type and communication preferences and increase their sense of self-awareness. Self-awareness is one of the most powerful qualities anyone can have.
When a person is self-aware, they can counteract or complement their natural tendencies to build rapport with others, reduce conflict, and communicate more effectively with customers and colleagues.
When your salespeople can identify and adapt to your customers’ and prospects’ styles, they have an immediate advantage over the competition.
Learn how The Brooks Group’s sales assessments can help sellers understand buyer behavior styles and improve performance.
