Selling Under the Influence – Communication Styles

Mark CichowskismartPRENEUR Blog Series

Let’s identify the four basic styles and the personality behind the style. First, write down the name of someone that you have a difficult time getting along with. We’ll revisit that later.

Communication Style: The Driver – Result Driven – Confrontation No Problem

 Tend to be visionaries

 Black and white viewpoint & dress

 Charts & graphs, few/no people pictures (applies to office, sometimes home)

 Great fear: loss of control (particularly time)

 Measures value by: bottom line results. Wants options & probabilities, not opinions

 Key questions: “what” and “by when”

 Stress style: authoritative 

Communication Style: The Analyst- Result Driven – Avoids Confrontation

 Systematic problem-solving approach

 Black & white viewpoint, right or wrong

 Charts and graphics, few/no people pictures (applies to office, sometimes home)

 Greatest fear: fear of being wrong

 Drives them crazy: incomplete information on a short deadline

 Readers. Need comparisons & proof

 Verbal clue: asks ‘how’

 Stress style: avoidance

Communication Style: The Relater – People Driven – Avoids Confrontation

 Greatest fear: won’t work for everyone (family, friends)

 Take consensus problem-solving approach

 Viewpoint: shades of grey, nothing’s black & white

 People pictures in their home

 Buy relationships first, products second

 Ask “why” questions, readers, looking for guarantees and assurances

 Works best with those who suggest/listen to them

 Stress style: acquiescing

Communication Style: The Expressor – People Driven – Confrontation No Problem

 Spontaneous, conceptual, creative, excitable

 Makes decisions on appearance first

 Colorful clothing

 Lots of people pictures, including themselves

 Measures value by impact on others, want testimonials and incentives

 Start and stop personality

 Give them benefits that answer ‘who’

 Stress style: attack

In the next blog, we’ll get into how to influence buying behavior of these communication styles.

About the Author

Mark Cichowski

Mark Cichowski is CEO of Clarity AV International, Inc. and brings over 41 years to the custom installation channel.  Mark is currently working on various projects such as training programs and general business development.

Website:   http://clarity-av.com