Blog

At High Performance Sales, we teach in-depth online sales courses to help people from all different kinds of industries perfect the art of consultative selling. One of the most important aspects of this type of selling is having a firm understanding of different buyer social styles. High Performance teaches four different social styles that are popularly accepted within sales and are outlined below. 

Many people enter sales with the mindset that there is a black and white blueprint that can be followed for each sales interaction, when in reality, successful sales techniques are continually changed and refined to fit different customer personality types. This is often referred to as the adaptive sales approach, which fits hand-in-hand with consultative selling.  When someone talks about a buyer’s social style, they are referring to the different personalities, communication styles, and thought processes of varying customers. 

An important first step in understanding buyer social styles is to first learn which type of buyer you are. Getting a good grasp on your own personality and tendencies in the context of sales will help you understand how you interact with other buyer types and help you situationally adjust your sales approach to your client’s most dominant social style. 

Being able to sell to your client’s dominant social style will help build trust and actually accelerate the sales process. When you have a good understanding of their thought process, you will be able to present information in a way that is more consumable for them. Below is a brief overview of the four different types of sellers. While most people will fall firmly within one of the four categories, they may have combined traits of other buyer social styles as well. 

Drivers

Buyers that fall under the “driver” category are very action-oriented. They want things to happen quickly, and don’t have much time for small talk. Drivers know what they want, and are assertive, decisive, and sometimes stubborn. They want things their way! Relationships that could benefit them in a business sense are important to them. When it comes to dealing with drivers, it is important to be professional and efficient. When communicating a product or service to a driver, use facts and logic, and be very clear about the benefits that the customer will receive. 

Expressives

Hence the name, “expressive” social buyers are typically one of the easier types to get a good read on due to their enthusiasm and charisma. Expressives have strong personalities and persuasive skills and will likely love talking to you. Expressive social styles typically take much longer to make a decision. They won’t want to hear you ramble on too much about your product or service, so keeping your points concise and giving them plenty of room to think about their decision will be key. Try appealing to their emotions by asking follow-up questions and letting them process their thoughts out loud. 

Amiables

People with an amiable social buying style are often soft-spoken and agreeable. The amiable in your life can be recognized by being team players and keeping the big picture in mind. They may take time to build rapport and trust, but will make quick decisions once they feel that they have the information they need. When selling to amiable personalities, it is important to establish a personal relationship early on and not be afraid to ask them about their personal interests and lifestyle. If you are agreeable with these clients and take the sale slowly, you will be more successful. 

Introverts

These buyers are much more reserved in their interactions. They will often put a heavy focus on statistics and more detailed information. They are good problem solvers and will base their decisions mostly on their own judgment and facts. When you sell to these types of buyers, it is important to come across as easy-going and use specific examples to help prove a point. Using data can be a very helpful part of these sales, as well as discussing warranties that can reduce perceived risks. 

Next Steps

So how do you quickly evaluate a buyer’s social style and progress through the sale when the rubber hits the road? The online sales courses at High Performance Sales take an in-depth look at this skill, and spend a thorough amount of time diving deeper into the different buyer types. Whether you come from a sales background or not, our experienced instructor, Karl Uselman, wants to help you and your team become better consultative sellers. Karl is a former college professor and has worked with people of all management levels and industries. If you have any questions about our program or the structure of courses, don’t hesitate to reach out!