Personality Styles: You Must Speak Their Language

If you speak their language…
they are more likely to become a customer or join you as a business partner.

Whether you are building a network marketing, MLM, direct sales or a conventional business it’s vital to understand who you are talking with and how they process information and make their decisions. When training my marketing team I strongly recommend that they learn and apply this powerful information if they are serious about building their business.

So, when speaking with a potential client, customer or partner you may wonder how to approach them. Here are some possible ways:

1. Talk fast, get to the point quickly and stay on task. Do not talk about family or personal things… just the facts. Tell them how they can make or save money and how they can earn recognition in doing it. Be blunt and to the point. Do not waste their time with “small talk.”
2. Talk a little slower. Shower then with facts and figures and details for them to analyze. Give them time to answer questions and to process the information. Ask them to tell you what other information would be helpful. Expect that they will take their time to make a decision but when they do they will usually stick with it. Do not talk too much about families or relationships… just the details.
3. Have fun. Show more excitement in your voice. Talk about how joining you will be an exciting and fun adventure. Talk about family and relationships. Give them the overall picture and not a lot of details. Allow them to talk and ramble on a bit. Acknowledge their many ideas.
4. Talk a lot slower with them. Talk about “connecting” and family and relationships. Discuss how your opportunity or product  will allow them to be nurturing and supportive to a lot of people. Be warm and friendly as you relate with them.

As you noticed, there are four distinctively different groups of people. Can you see that if you talk the same with everyone some will connect and some won’t. Some will see the big picture while others will not. Some will like the sound of what you are saying while others will feel good about it. What you are presenting will make sense to some and not to others. We simply CAN NOT talk the same to everyone if we want them to respond favorably to what we are saying.

The four styles have been likened to animals or colors. I like the following was of distinguishing the styles:

1. Visual
2. Auditory-Digital
3. Auditory
4. Kinesthetic

It’s important to understand the characteristics of the different styles. When we know which style a person uses we can learn to adapt by using their preferred style. By doing so you build rapport more quickly because people like and trust those who are are like them. You will have to become good at using your minor (less preferred) styles when needed.

In this four-part blog series I’ll begin with the people who process Visually.

The VISUAL Style
Part 1 of 4

How to recognize people who prefer the VISUAL communication style? They generally dress sharper than others. They dress for success. They often occupy leadership positions because they are natural leaders. You may find them as a CEO, entrepreneur or in another position of power or authority.

They Like:

• to be in charge
• starting on time
• the bottom line
• to get down to business quickly
• competition (The love competition and a challenge.)
• to negotiate (Love to argue and win.)
• to be task oriented
• awards, trophies, diplomas and recognition
• firm hand shakes
• being blunt and to the point
• action, action, action
  

They Dislike:

• small talk
• personal talk
• wasting time
• starting late
• too many details (They like the big picture.)

Key words (that they use and relate to)

• look
• see
• picture
• imagine
• show
• illustrate
• visualize

Key phrases: (that they use and relate to)

• appears to me
• clear view
• I see
• see you later
• mental picture
• big picture
• put a frame around this thought

So, when you are talking to someone who prefers the visual style you would do well to avoid small talk and get the point quickly and stick to it. Do not beat around the bush. Do not shower then with details but instead give them the big picture. Do not waste their time and by all means be on time if you are calling them or meeting with them.

Stay tuned for part 2 of 4 in my continuing series of personality (communication) styles. Understanding them will help you to relate better to your potential customers and business partners/team members.