Personality Types in Sales
Today let’s take a closer look at different personality types. How they affect the way someone (inter-)acts in a sales process.
As I mentioned in my last two articles, sales has many different shades and facets. The outcome depends on many different factors. There is no general rule that fits every person or process. Everything learned needs to be adapted and customized to the individual situation or person involved.
I strongly believe that a salesperson’s personality is crucial and affects their communication, negotiations, leadership style. Last but not least, at the end of the day, their numbers. So if you know who you are and understand your personality, you can customize your training, your approach and your preparation according to your own unique characteristics. In this way, you make sure you are making your strengths stronger and turning your weaknesses into strengths.
That done, your individual sales toolbox or “sales golf bag” (as I wrote in my last article) will be best equipped and ready for any possible situation.
Introverts versus Extroverts
When considering personalities, most people think about extroverts and introverts. These terms refer to the way a person responds to and processes outside stimuli. They don’t necessarily indicate whether someone is outgoing or shy—they more define where a person’s motivation comes from and how they approach different situations.
Introverts are known for thinking things through before they speak, carefully considering risks, being a bit wary of unfamiliar situations and proceeding with caution.
Extroverts, on the other hand, are more likely to speak right out, take risks, enjoy unfamiliar situations and feel recharged by spending a lot of time with other people and stimuli from outside.
The brain processes information coming into it in very different ways, depending on our personality type.
But what many people don’t know is that there is actually a third group that falls right in the middle—a group known as ambiverts. Ambiverts are considered to be quite balanced between those two tendencies and exhibit both introverted and extroverted characteristics.
So now we arrive at this question: Who performs better in sales—extroverts, introverts or ambiverts?
I believe that none of these personality types should be preferred over the other. A highly extroverted person may find it easier to start an initial contact and deal with unforeseen situations. Whereas an introvert might be better at maintaining existing contacts. And successfully converting existing customers to a higher product or service level. Ambiverts have both of these qualities.
But whatever personality type you are, nothing is set in stone! There is plentiful brilliant training and coaching available to help you to maximize your abilities. Achieve your goals, challenge yourself in ways you haven’t before, and leverage your productive outcome.
We at SalesPOP! are helping salespeople, managers and entrepreneurs achieve their goals and grow within their businesses, by featuring a broad variety of approaches and techniques for our community every day!
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