It Takes All Kinds

From: http://www.gmarketing.com/articles/read/125/It_Takes_All_Kinds.html

It Takes All Kinds
by Bill Gallagher, Ph.D.

It takes all kinds to make the world go round and it takes all kinds of sales approaches to get to yes.

How come you can always sell to some personality types and also have trouble selling to other types? We are all a little different from each other and each of us experience changes in personality and mood. It's time to focus on how best to market and sell to different personality types.

We know that even after we grow up, most of us fall back to childish-immature behavior when we are stressed. Many of us are perpetually stressed! We either behave as:

Phase 1. Infants who have physical needs and go gaga unconscious; or,
Phase 2. We yell and scream like the self-centered safety-conscious two-year-old; or,
Phase 3. In our desire to belong, we get very apologetic as a little girl or boy and confess how sorry we are; or,
Phase 4. We shout "chapter and verse" and tell everyone what they should be doing in our need to be esteemed with the certainty of the impervious teenager.
Phases 5, 6, and 7 are those of self-actualization and maturity.

These, in brief, are the major strategies most of us use in dealing with others.

When you next talk to your customers, notice how they are. Listen to their speech patterns. Notice their posture. Think about your customer base. Are they mostly this way or that. Your guerrilla marketing depends on deciding how the majority of your customers and potential customers behave. If your customers are coming from all four personality phases, then perhaps you're not focused enough and you probably have too many competitors. The way to eliminate competitors is to more narrowly focus your marketing.

Phase 1 folks are mostly institutionalized. Occasionally, all of us need to get away and shut down. We won't address this group.

Phase 2 people form the majority of our customers. They are egotistical and self-centered. In your marketing, you must let them know that your firm and your products are the best money can buy. You need to be impressed with their accomplishments. Your slogans sound like: "You're the greatest!" and "You deserve a break today..."

Phase 3 persons are nice and sweet and very polite, but they will not make buying decisions easily and often want extra concessions. Your best bet is to be friendly and a bit assertive. Your ads need to say, "Call today for a FREE brochure." And Level 3 types need to see your message about 27 times before they will move from absolute apathy toward your product to making that call for your FREE brochure.

Finally, Phase 4 folks are sure that they are right. They are the "parents" in any adult community. They make the rules and stick by them. Your best strategy is to give them lots of facts and figures and be very "logical" in your approach. List your products benefits by saying: "First, you product is superior because... Second, ... Third, ..."

Pinpoint your customers. Market them all in your clear public advertising, but sell to them as unique individuals.