8 years ago
April 18, 2017

How to Sell to Different Personality Types

If you want to be successful in your sales career you need to learn How to Sell to Different Personality Types. Get the tips to sell to anyone.

Rhys Metler

Being able to read people and identify their personality type is an important skill for sales people to possess. The sooner you can identify the type of person you are trying to sell to, the sooner you will be able to adjust your sales approach and strategy. No two people are alike, and if you don’t adjust your sales approach to align with a person’s personality type, you could have a difficult time not only closing a sale, but connecting and establishing a relationship with prospects.

“One size does not fit all. Your prospects are individuals with personalities as varied as their business needs, so a successful salesperson needs the ability to sell to different personality types,” says Leslie Le on Hubspot.

In sales, there are four main personality types that you will encounter:

1. The Driver:

This personality type is assertive. They want a lot of information and are focused on achieving specific goals and objectives. Sometimes they can present as aggressive, even when they don’t mean to be. They do not like having their time wasted, so get to the point, have a plan, and differentiate from competitors.

2. The Amiable:

This personality type values honesty. They are looking to develop an ongoing business relationship, so establishing trust and rapport is essential. Expect them to take more time to make decisions. They prefer a step by step process rather than you providing everything up front. Communicate how your product has helped others and provide testimonials.

3. The Analytical:

This personality type focuses on the numbers. They will be prepared and will research you just as much as you have researched them before your meeting. They make decisions based on facts, so playing to their emotions will not work. Provide the key benefits, and back up all your claims with facts and stats.

4. The Expressive:

This personality type can be impulsive and doesn’t like getting bogged down in the details. They tend to be open and energetic. They are open to establishing long term partnerships. Sell them by offering case studies that demonstrate your product’s track record of success.

Naturally, not all people will fit perfectly into these categories, so be cognizant of their dominant personality type(s) and skew your sales tactics to connect with them on that level. While it may take some time to feel people out and get a grasp of their personality, it will be well worth it when you establish a connection and close the deal.


SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit sales people in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right sales person for your organization, start your search here.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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