What do all sales experts have in common? They are excellent at listening and determining a person’s character. When involving a programmer in a transaction, talented salespeople speak in technical terms and provide dry statistics, and if their lead is a busy businessman, they briefly, clearly and attractively convey the benefits of the offer.
In general terms, this sales skill is often described as the ability to interact with people, but there is a more technical explanation.
The fact is that good sales managers - consciously or unconsciously - determine which of the 4 types of buying temperaments their client belongs to, and then adapt to him as the interaction progresses.
Unfortunately, there is no traditional salesperson on the Internet - they are replaced by static (in most cases) landing pages, selling content and calls to action.
Fortunately, optimization for purchasing patterns can make a landing page more effective, which means more applications with the same incoming traffic.
The buyer's temperament is determined by 2 factors:
- attitude towards the purchase decision;
- behavior during the transaction process.
Determining the temperament model allows us to understand the main motives of the consumer, on the basis of which highly effective hypotheses for split testing are formed.
In his book Are You Waiting for Your Cat to Bark? (Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?) online marketing experts Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg segmented consumers into 4 types of temperament: competitive, spontaneous, methodical and humanistic.
Today, determining the type of purchasing temperament is extremely important, since the modern online consumer is very demanding and picky - according to a study by Forrester (marketing consulting firm), 83% of users do not return to a website if the experience received on the first visit was not suitable their expectations. This leads to a simple conclusion: all segments of the target audience cannot be attracted by one strategy, because consumers do not like to be treated as a faceless crowd.
Each user makes a purchase decision based on the value that the offer provides directly to him, but the approach to completing the transaction is determined by the buyer's temperament model.
1. Competitive
Competitive temperament occurs in 5-10% of consumers. This type of buyer is focused on making smart and confident decisions quickly, as they consider speed and decisiveness to be competitive advantages.
The main incentive of competitive buyers is the success they use knowledge to achieve. They also strive for recognition and use effective techniques to gain it.
Typically, people with this behavior pattern are independent and strive to be in control of important situations in order to make quick, logical decisions. They suppress pleasantries and formalities if they harm efficiency, and freely express their dissatisfaction with the product/service.
Attracting competitive buyers
Buyers with this temperament pattern want to be confident that the sales proposition presented to them is the best one. They tend to study the range of the market, so convincing them of the superiority of the offer requires providing logical conclusions.
The best approach to attracting competitive consumers is to provide evidence and avoid drawing unfounded conclusions.
The marketing message should be focused on the benefits, since the benefits of the offer are the benefits of competitive buyers.
A good example of a landing page that focuses on consumers with a competitive temperament is the Fluid Surveys landing page (a service for creating surveys).
1. The word “best” in the title indicates the quality of the product that is important to competitive consumers.
2. The subtitle describes specific benefits: “Create online, offline and mobile surveys and forms in seconds.”
3. Moderate amount of social evidence supporting benefits.
4. A blog is a source of useful educational materials that competitive buyers value.
5. The phrase “smart solutions” resonates with the core driver of this type of consumer.
2. Rational
The most common type of buyer (45%) who strives to study all available information about a product, is in no hurry to make a purchase and feels uncomfortable making quick decisions.
Rational consumers seek product information, ask questions, and are willing to spend a lot of time searching for and studying data that interests them. The description of the offer should be as detailed as possible, since rational buyers will not be ready to make a deal until they study the offer in detail.
Rational consumers are driven by logic - they want to know absolutely everything about an offer, and are ready to conduct thorough research for this. They also trust expert reviews and prefer to compare products side by side.
Attracting rational buyers
Providing irrefutable evidence of the effectiveness of an offer is the best way to attract buyers with a rational temperament. To convert this type of consumer, follow the guidelines below:
- Use statistics as often as possible.
- Make sure the small text at the bottom of the page doesn't put visitors off—rational consumers are more likely to read it.
- Don't ask for too much information in lead forms.
- Don't make unsubstantiated claims - rational buyers don't believe data that has no factual evidence, and information that isn't true will turn them off forever.
As an example of a landing page focused on rational buyers, consider the Highrise page (a cloud-based contact and task management system).
1. Despite the fact that the headline (also social proof) “All our contacts, tasks and conversations are stored in Highrise. Our business could not function without this service” does not convey the essence of the offer in a specific way, but quite accurately reflects the needs of the target audience, which attracts rational consumers.
3. Accurate information about available memory is provided.
4. A more specific description of the functionality is given.
5. A screenshot of the interface confirms the veracity of the title statement.
6. Relatively specific data on the number of platform extensions is presented.
It is also worth noting that promotions, limited-time discounts and free shipping not only do not attract rational consumers, but also cause skepticism among them.
3. Spontaneous
The second largest (20-25% of consumers) segment of the consumer spectrum. Spontaneous consumers are driven more by feelings than by logic and enjoy quick purchases that have emotional value.
This type of buyer craves to experience something new and interesting, preferably in an environment of rich social interaction. Like competitive consumers, spontaneous consumers make decisions about a transaction quickly, but are guided by emotions rather than logic.
Consumers with spontaneous purchasing behavior are characterized by:
- subjective decision making;
- absent-mindedness;
- dislike of traditional processes;
- impatience when making a purchase.
Attracting spontaneous buyers
The landing page should resonate with the speed of spontaneous consumers - if the selling content seems boring to them, people will leave the resource.
The Bills landing page (service for financial management) is highly optimized for spontaneous consumers.
1. An attractive image with active, cheerful people.
2. The text “get rid of debt faster” is relevant to the main incentive of spontaneous consumers.
3. The text of the CTA button (Go!) uses the effect of urgency.
4. The “Tools and Calculators” and “Services” sections were created for more rational buyers.
Spontaneous consumers do not like to wait, so provide only key information about the offer and sacrifice rationality for the sake of instantly displaying the needs of your target audience.
The landing page should reflect positive excitement - otherwise, this emotion will not arise in consumers, which will negatively affect their readiness to convert.
4. Humanistic
A small (10-15%) but fastest growing segment of buyers who are guided by feelings.
Typically, the final transaction decision of this type of buyer is determined by all the things that affect the emotions that are associated with relationships between people: for example, creativity, stories, media resources, a sense of community and helping others.
People with a humanistic buying temperament care deeply about others, so the emotions that drive their final purchasing decisions are driven by three basic motivations:
1. The desire to help others.
2. Interest in gaining a positive reputation in society.
3. The need for ethical approval from people belonging to the highest strata of society.
The rapid development of the segment of buyers of humanistic behavior is due to 3 factors:
- Internet. The World Wide Web has given rise to a new type of “social” consumer who becomes loyal to brands whose image matches their values, beliefs and character.
- Technologies. Modern technologies allow humanistic consumers to determine the alignment of a company’s ideology with their values long before entering the sales funnel. It is important for social shoppers to know who they are buying from.
- Social development. Increasing public awareness of sustainable development of society and social entrepreneurship has also contributed to the accelerated development of this segment.
Attracting Humanistic Buyers
Companies benefit from attracting this type of consumer because they tend to spread the word about the brand.
The most effective tools for attracting humanistic buyers to a transaction are any form of social proof: reviews, recommendations, photographs of employees and clients, etc. It is recommended to present such content in a creative presentation format, since creativity has a positive effect on the readiness of social buyers to transact.
The joint campaign between Belvedere (a vodka brand) and Red (an African AIDS foundation) is a good example of focusing on consumers with a humanistic temperament model.
Selling text, starting with the sentence “Buy”, focused on social consumers. Donate. Save Lives”, speaks of the company’s love for its products and desire to help others - Belvedere donates 50% of proceeds to the Red Foundation. The message of product quality and the importance of charity is also conveyed quite effectively in the conclusion: "It's not just about making a difference (we're talking about the quality of the spirit), it's about making a difference in the world."
What types of buyers visit your landing page?
It is currently impossible to segment traffic by purchasing behavior patterns, but the following tips will help you roughly determine what type the majority of the target audience belongs to:
- Sales, discounts and special offers attract spontaneous consumers.
- If you're selling a telescope, chances are your target audience is primarily rational consumers.
- If you're doing charity work, count on the attention of social shoppers.
However, it is not worth optimizing a landing page only for a specific type, since it will be visited by consumers of all segments. To optimally convert all types of buyers, follow these guidelines:
- Use selling text that is attractive to all types of buyers.
- Focus your marketing message on the buying behavior patterns that comprise the majority of your target audience.
- Test the effectiveness of marketing messages optimized for a particular type of buyer.
The Odesk (freelance marketplace) homepage is a great example of a marketing message that appeals to all types of consumers.
1. Accurate information in the subtitle “Welcome to the largest job exchange in the world, where more than 1,000,000 companies hire freelancers to do quality work” attracts competitive and rational buyers.
2. A “Do More” headline and a call to action using the urgency of “Post an Ad!” aimed at spontaneous visitors.
3. The names of freelancers and their photographs in which they smile attract the humanistic type of consumers.
After the fold line
4. The appeal to competitive visitors is carried out through the subtitle “Talent knows no boundaries” and a description of the professionalism of freelancers.
5. Displaying the time during which professionals work on Odesk attracts rational buyers.
6. Names, photographs and location information of freelancers increase the willingness to transact of visitors to the social model.
The last part of Odesk's social proof page appeals to all types of customers by displaying positive reviews alongside the names of their authors - the recommendations convey the benefits of the service, and the names of the companies and their representatives confirm the authenticity of the reviews.
Conclusion
Let's take a look at the abstract of the post:
- Determining the type of buyers is carried out to obtain information about the factors determining the purchase decision and behavior in the transaction process.
- In a digital experience, it's important to appeal to all buyer patterns, but some businesses focus on one type of consumer.
- Marketers should formulate several hypotheses about what type of buyer their target audience is, and then test the assumptions on landing pages, corporate home pages, pop-ups and product landing pages.
This approach also allows you to return to Internet marketing the lost element of live communication between the seller and the potential client.
Types of consumers can be divided depending on their independence in making purchasing decisions, emotional coloring, behavioral strategy and many other factors. Determining the type of buyers is half the success of selling a product or service. By correctly determining the type of client and choosing a strategy for communicating with him, you can not only sell a product at a given moment in time, but also increase client loyalty in the future. It is important to be able to turn a new customer into a permanent one and loyal to a specific company or store.
Types of Buyers
Specialists, conducting marketing research, divided clients into groups. There are several main types of buyers.
For example, potential buyers. They are those who are interested in the product and use it often. However, he prefers to make purchases from competitors. It is important to emphasize the benefits of purchasing from the seller’s store. It is possible to use loyalty cards.
New customers are those who visited the store for the first time. They are completely unfamiliar with the service or product presented. The seller’s goal is not primarily to sell a product or service to a new buyer, but to interest him. In other words, such a buyer must associate positive emotions with this store and want to return back.
Another type of buyer is the buyer without preference. If we give an example of grocery stores, then buyers without preferences are ready to make a purchase in any of them, depending on its location. They can also visit this or that store for company. The seller's goal is to offer the buyer something that will set him apart from his competitors.
Regular customers prefer the same store. Even if they are at the other end of the city, they will definitely get to their favorite store and make a purchase there. Having secured the sympathy of such a buyer, it is important for the seller to maintain the relationship and not lose the client.
Loyal customers are the main achievement of a store, as well as its main capital. Since they not only make purchases in this store, but also recommend it, creating free advertising. Word of mouth generated from positive reviews is the most effective advertising for any business.
Types of clients by behavior strategy
Based on behavioral strategy, there are 5 types of buyers:
- Individual. They purchase goods for personal consumption. Most often these are asocial people who live alone.
- Family. They are the largest group of consumers. An individual makes purchasing decisions not personally, but after discussing it with his family.
- Intermediaries. Such buyers make a purchase not for personal use of the product, but for the purpose of resale. The liquidity of the product is important to them.
- Suppliers. They make purchases for industrial purposes.
- Clients representing public institutions. The procedure for purchasing goods is highly formalized.
Types of clients depending on emotional coloring
Clients whom experts identify as goal-oriented are most often fully aware of what they want, soberly assessing their needs and requirements. Buyers of this type are well versed in the product or service they want to purchase; they can give adequate arguments for or against and, in some cases, even out-argue the seller. They rarely trust the store administration and can be stubborn and persistent. The purposeful buyer sees it as his goal to prove his own awareness and importance. In a conversation with a purposeful buyer, it is important for the seller to remain calm and not react to the client’s emotional attacks. If the client really understands the subject of the dispute, it is important to show him this, then the purchase process will speed up.
The all-knowing customer personality type is very similar to the goal-oriented customer, but has stronger emotionality: he is ready to argue to the last, even if he is wrong. Tries to reveal lack of professionalism or ignorance of a particular fact about the product from the seller. Tries to teach the seller how to sell a product and how to communicate with a client. When communicating with this type of buyer, it is important not to switch to the same methods and remain calm. The seller should convincingly present reliable facts, accept the buyer’s “lessons,” and give the client a compliment at the right time.
There are also quite sociable clients. Experts have united them into a group called talkers. The sociability of this type of client knows no bounds; they love to joke and chat not only about the product, but also about abstract topics. They are quite loyal, they like the seller and generally trust him. If you give the right reasons, this type of buyer will be happy to make a purchase. There is no difficulty in selling a product to such a person; it is important to ensure that the conversation does not go far from the topic of the conversation, ask only questions on the topic, preferably closed ones.
There are also indecisive clients. Such people hesitate to buy, get hung up on even minor shortcomings of the product, and ask too many questions. They are suspicious and in most cases tend not to trust sellers. It is important to remain calm when dealing with this type of buyer. Encourage them to buy right here and now, focusing on possible risks and losses if they delay the purchase. However, it is still not worth putting pressure on an indecisive buyer.
In contrast to sociable clients, experts identify silent buyers as a separate group. Such people give the impression of closed people, distrustful. When talking with a seller, they can answer a question with a question, or ignore the seller’s questions. They tend to take their time with the purchase. It is important for the seller to ask a large number of questions to the silent ones, both open and closed. Pause, allowing the buyer to think about the answer. Show your friendly attitude and focus on the strengths of the product. A silent buyer can also be offered to try the product in action, this will help speed up the purchasing process.
There is also a type of argumentative client. They like to disagree with the seller, even if he makes convincing arguments. They are characterized by a high degree of suspicion; such buyers always try to find the seller’s weak point. The seller should remain calm and patient, be positive and benevolent.
There are also impulsive clients; they tend to show their own emotions too brightly. It is important to listen carefully to the buyer, his position and opinion, and offer the product according to his wishes. You should not get into an argument with this type of customer.
Positively-minded clients usually listen carefully to the seller and do not try to find a weak point. For them, the salesperson is the one who will actually recommend a good product. It is important not to relax with such clients, despite high loyalty, to back up every argument with facts.
Types of clients depending on behavior
Experts identify separate groups of clients depending on their behavior. It is important for the seller not only to determine the type of buyer depending on his behavior, but also to interact with him correctly.
The first type is the aggressor. Such clients are confident in themselves, they are categorical, and easily enter into conflicts. They are laconic, brief, and ask few questions. Such clients always demand a discount, regardless of their level of solvency. It is important to respect the client when dealing with an aggressor, but excessive rudeness should not be tolerated. The seller should demonstrate the product to the buyer and briefly and to the point go through each item of the characteristic. If the buyer is well informed, you should compliment him.
The second type of client is a demonstrator. This type of client tries to establish close contact with the seller, often switches to “you” in communication, and asks a lot of questions. For the client, it is not the purchase itself that is important, but the acquisition process. The seller needs to maintain eye contact with the buyer and correctly transfer the conversation from an abstract topic to the topic of the product. If the client has made a purchase, it is necessary to note his good taste and spend some more time communicating with him.
The third type of buyer is the expert. These people are quite concise, restrained, and balanced. Keep your distance. They don’t like too long discussions; they need to clearly and concisely describe all the positive aspects of the product. You should not put pressure on such buyers. They rarely make purchases right away, but if they are satisfied with the service, they will definitely return to purchase.
The fourth type of buyer is passive. They are insecure, their head is usually pulled into their shoulders, and their posture is stooped. Their speech is confusing, there are a lot of unnecessary hand movements, and their questions are inconsistent. It is important to be proactive when communicating with this type of customer and to fully list the positive aspects of the product.
Types of clients depending on the degree of responsibility
Experts also distinguish 3 types of buyers, the differences of which lie in their style of behavior and awareness of responsibility for the purchase.
The second type is “adult”. He is characterized by balance, seriousness and reasonableness. Communicates with sellers politely and in a business-like manner; such communication usually goes smoothly.
The “child” type of buyer is a creative person; he approaches the purchasing process creatively. This type can be divided into several subtypes:
There are 4 types of buyers in the market, depending on the motive for the purchase.
One of the motives is prestige. The type of customers whose motive for purchasing a product is prestige is in dire need of social recognition. They want to show the external environment their exclusivity. They are too emotional, their speech is demanding and loud, their movements are decisive. The appearance of this type of buyer is brand new. Outerwear is in most cases unbuttoned. Important product characteristics for them: “new”, “best”, “fashionable”.
The second motive is profit. Customers who are looking for benefits from a product are self-confident and reserved. They prefer to dress modestly and discreetly, all zippers are closed. What matters to them is how profitable the purchase will be. They are easy to attract with all kinds of promotions, gifts and discounts.
Safety is also one of the purchasing motives. Logical and purposeful. It is important for them to have various certificates and quality marks. New products are not for them; it is important for them that the product is proven and familiar.
The motive is friendship. This type of buyer is characterized by openness. They have a positive attitude towards the seller and easily find common ground. A good attitude towards this type of buyer and warm communication will persuade them to buy.
Types of customers depending on their attitude to price and quality
Also, buyers are divided into 2 types, which differ in their attitude to price and quality.
Sellers need to differentiate buyers based on price sensitivity. If price is important to the buyer, then he will look for exactly the offer that will suit him according to this parameter. The seller's arguments about quality will most likely be meaningless. Such customers can be retained by various discount offers.
If the consumer does not care about price, then most likely he pays attention to the quality of the product. Most often, such clients are conservative; they prefer to choose products from one brand.
In addition, there is another classification of customers depending on price and quality. Innovative consumers strive to buy the latest and highest quality. They rarely pay attention to the cost of the goods.
Activists also rarely pay attention to factors such as quality and price. They are not innovators, but also make impulsive purchasing decisions. They are followers and quickly take the side of opinion leaders. Progressive shoppers may make purchasing decisions based on whether a product has proven itself. They also pay attention to price. Materialists are absolute conservatives. They choose products that they have known for a long time and are of high quality.
Determining the client type
To work effectively with a client, it is important to correctly and timely determine his type. What types of buyers appeared before the seller can be determined by several factors:
- Definition by speech. If the client is reserved, we see a closed person. Also, a closed person can be characterized by too many words without much meaning.
- Voice timbre is also important. A loud or quiet voice indicates that the client is comfortable communicating, but if the voice is in a medium tone, the client is worried.
- Also, the type of client can be determined by gestures, appearance, gaze and facial expressions. A person who is open to communication has active gestures and facial wrinkles. A direct, persistent gaze suggests that in front of us is a closed-type person.
Types of markets
There are also several types of sellers' and buyers' markets.
In a perfect market there are both a large number of consumers and sellers. The same product is offered by a large number of sellers and may vary in price. There is absolutely no discrimination against both buyers and sellers. Entrance to the market is free. In a monopoly market, there is only one seller and a large number of buyers. Discrimination against other sellers occurs. In an oligopoly market there are several buyers and also several sellers.
Types of sellers
Sales department employees are also divided into several groups:
- The order taker works with customers who have already made a purchase decision.
- The sales consultant informs the client about the functional and consumer qualities of the product. Does not participate in the search for clients.
- A sales representative works in the buyer’s territory and is actively searching for clients.
- The presenter promotes the product and informs customers about its benefits.
Types of service
There are several types of customer service in the modern economy. One of them is self-service; it is suitable for customers who clearly know their needs and do not need an additional flow of information.
There is also personalized service. With this type, the store must have a sufficient number of sellers so that each client is not left without attention.
Also in the modern market, the production line method is actively used. Its use can be seen in fast food restaurants. In a short period of time, the seller needs to serve the maximum number of customers in such an enterprise. The types of buyers are not important, because the consumer has already made a purchase decision. Providing services does not require special communication skills of employees.
The types of sellers and buyers in the modern economy are divided by various factors. These may be factors of price, quality, prestige, and safety. The types of sellers and buyers may also vary depending on the market.
14.05.2015
At one of the last webinars (seminars that are broadcast over the Internet), I was asked 2 very good questions:
To the seller’s questions, the visitor to the furniture salon replies: “I’ll just take a look”... And the sellers stop coming. What to do?".
“And if the salon is only 25 square meters, then what is the best way to proceed? After all, it’s obvious that you don’t need to approach, the designer-consultant is already in the field of view and at a short distance.”
Indeed, the situations are “painfully” familiar.
Most often, the above answer is heard in response to the seller’s phrase: “Hello! Can I tell you something (or “How can I help you?”).” And if the seller is still approaching, then visitors often get scared and leave the outlet because they don’t want to talk.
You need to start by getting rid of such contact. Many customers don’t like being greeted right away. But this does not mean at all that you have to sit silently and wait until the buyer is “morally” ready to talk. After all, practice shows that active sellers sell more!
So what should a seller do?
4 types of shoppers in a store and their characteristics
I suggest first identifying the buyer by his type of behavior. My research has shown that all buyers, depending on their characteristics, are divided into 4 types.
Type No. 1 “Buyer passing through”
He rushes through the store, turning his head around, trying to understand if there is anything interesting for him here. We call him “draft buyer.”
Type No. 2 “Buyer-excursionist”.
This buyer walks around the exhibition without stopping anywhere and avoids contact. And if he is given free rein, he can walk for a long time and silently, and then leave without asking anything.
Type No. 3 “Contemplative buyer.”
As a rule, such a buyer enters a retail outlet, noticing some interesting piece of furniture from the aisle, or, having already entered the exhibition, within 4-5 seconds he orients himself in the assortment, approaches a specific product and begins to examine it.
Type No. 4 “Buyer-scout/saboteur.”
Oh, this is a very interesting type! The characteristics of this type combine curiosity and the desire to immediately make contact.
"Scout" enters the store and immediately turns to the salesman with questions: “Do you have beds with a lifting mechanism?” or “How much do your sofas cost?”, or “Can’t you help, I need a table for the living room.” That is, he establishes contact himself, sometimes simply commenting on what he sees (“What a beauty!”).
"Saboteur" from the very beginning asks provocative questions: “So, is this really an array?!” or “And they take this?!! At these prices?!!”
How to act as a seller with different types of buyers
As a rule, the answer “I’ll just take a look” can only come from the first 3 types of buyers. When such buyers appear, the seller can use the “Information Stuffing” technique.
The essence of the method. The seller, remaining at a respectful distance from the buyer and without addressing him directly, utters phrases that may interest him. It is not necessary to approach the buyer if he is less than three meters away. Address the client from the place where you were when the buyer entered, catching the buyer's eye (if the situation allows), without getting up (if you are sitting, for example, at your desk).
Speech formula. Information (feature) + benefit (what it gives) for the client.
Phrases should be short (1-2 sentences), not refer to a specific product, since the buyer has not yet made a choice, and directly address the buyer's benefits. As a rule, having heard information that is interesting to them, the buyer himself asks a clarifying question. Can tell, for example, about current discounts, ongoing promotions, features of working with suppliers that beneficially affect the price-quality ratio.
This is one of the most effective ways.
Examples.
We have more than 15 different options for facades, only some models are on display here, we will create the kitchen of your dreams (we will select one to suit any taste and price).
Our chain of stores is the only official representative of the X factory in St. Petersburg (if possible, show the certificate with your hand), so our prices are lower than those of our competitors.
Maybe here in the catalog you will find something interesting for yourself (put the catalog next to it, open).
We have new arrivals of tables and chairs, go a little deeper into the hall, you will see them!
A small explanation of this phrase. What do you think is the benefit here? Firstly, a person, as a consumer of new information, reacts positively to the word “new”. Secondly, the seller sets the buyer a movement vector. He sends the customer to the far corner of the store. Now he will be able not to run after him headlong, but to calmly stand up, thereby blocking the buyer’s passage back, and detain him even at the level that he will have to somehow bypass the seller.
We display models only in popular shades, the rest are selected individually. If you don’t see any suitable ones among those on display, I will show additional ones.
After this, if the visitor continues to remain silent, the seller “throws in” the following benefit - he says: “You know, we are manufacturers ourselves, so you buy everything from us with a minimal margin, unlike other companies that resell furniture.”
Once again, the customer remains silent or says “Uh-huh” as they continue through your store. Then in 5 seconds we do a new “Information Throwing”, where the seller says: “We, as manufacturers, very strictly monitor the quality of our furniture. Everything is done with German and Italian equipment, and we import the facades for our furniture from Italy. Pay attention to this!
For the most stubborn visitors in silence, we have already prepared the next move - the “Alternate Entrance” technique, in which the seller still tries to pull it out. We ask the question: “Are you planning to purchase furniture for the living room, kitchen or bedroom?” And if necessary, we will include other techniques in the conversation. And the “ice” of silence of even the most silent visitor will melt.
For any type of buyer, there are ways to establish the right contact with the buyer and bring him to the conclusion of the transaction.
By the way, do you know that the first phrase must be said before the 10th second of the visitor’s presence in the store?!! I will talk about this experiment in great detail very soon at the “Ace of Furniture Sales” webinar series.
Check out the program and sign up for a series of webinars with your colleagues!
In this online mega-training, I will cover the most effective sales techniques.
P.S. Please know that my employees and I put our souls into the creation of each of our products and do everything possible to ensure that you have even more tools in your hands to increase profits.
P.P.S. Help your colleagues find out useful information - share this article with them.
Our goal is to find common ground and achieve mutual understanding. We must synchronize our communication styles. Different types of buyers will perceive one approach or another differently, which will affect the result of establishing contact and the subsequent transaction.
It is worth understanding that when talking about types of buyers, about communication styles, we are not talking about a person’s psychological portrait. These qualities may change depending on the situation. But they do not change so quickly that they do not give us the opportunity to establish contact and interfere with the creation of trusting relationships.
For example, if a visitor is prone to small talk, then a dry address on the topic of only purchasing will be annoying. Or if the buyer communicates in a quiet, slow voice, then speaking quickly and loudly will also not contribute to establishing contact. The more we copy the features of our interlocutor, the more mutual understanding we will achieve.
There are a lot of people, but not everything is so complicated - there are only four types of buyers. For classification we use a simple and understandable marker - owl, dolphin, peacock, panther. Let's start with some useful theory.
Communication styles
Communication styles are about how we comfortably position ourselves in dialogue with others. Communication style is based on two parameters - how we act and how we voice our thoughts.
How we act
In our theory, a person can act deliberately or spontaneously.
People who act deliberately may hesitate when making decisions. They have restrained, expressionless facial expressions and gestures.
People who, on the contrary, act spontaneously, are expressive in their facial expressions and gestures. They are open in communication and ready for everything new.
One and the same person may have both of these qualities to one degree or another. For a better understanding, this can be represented as a line, where one end is the quality “spontaneously”, the other the quality “deliberately”.
As we speak
Different people can express their thoughts in a straightforward or florid way.
People who tend to speak straightforwardly express their thoughts loudly, and do it quickly. The manner of communicating seems to be commanding.
People who prefer to speak ornately express their thoughts more quietly and slowly. At the same time, the manner of communication seems to suggest.
Two qualities - straightforwardness and ornateness, similar to the qualities of action described above, can be represented as a line. One end is the quality of “straightforwardness”, the other is “ornateness”. In different situations, one person may be more characteristic of one or another quality.
As a result, we have two lines - the “deliberate/spontaneous” line and the “straightforward/florid” line. For a complete understanding of communication styles, let’s put both lines on top of each other, crosswise. As a result, one person can simultaneously have two qualities - the quality of action and the quality of voicing thoughts. For example, “florid/deliberate”, “spontaneous/straightforward” and so on.
Owl dolphin peacock panther
So, for each person, each client, we can attribute qualities in the form of a combination of “how we act” and “how we speak.” To make this classification easier to understand, we will use marker images in the form of animals. For each of the 4 options, combinations of qualities will correspond - owl, dolphin, peacock, panther.
Dolphin buyer type
These people are very sociable and friendly, they love communication, although a few can be indecisive. They are friendly and often empathize with others. Dolphin-type buyers usually take their time entering a store and try to understand where they need to go.
Dolphins are more open in communication and small talk is more suitable for establishing contact.
The style is “florid/spontaneous”.
Panther buyer type
They are assertive and tend to take the initiative. Perhaps they even put pressure on their interlocutors. They prefer to ask less questions and tell more stories. They tend to focus on the essence of things and speak to the point. They are not afraid to make decisions. Panther type shoppers confidently move to a certain part of the store.
“Panthers” are less inclined to share emotions and a conversation about the purchase itself would be more appropriate to establish contact.
“Straightforward/thoughtful” style.
Owl buyer type
These interlocutors talk more about facts. They show wisdom and try to be objective in everything. They have good patience. When studying a product, owl-type buyers first of all pay attention to its description. For example, I study the price tag with characteristics.
“Owls” are also more stingy in communication and talking about a purchase is suitable for them when establishing contact.
The style is “florid/thoughtful.”
Peacock buyer type
These are bright and energetic people. They always become the center of attention. They can easily find a common language with others, are sociable, perhaps at some points overly sociable. They do not have the habit of delving into the details and nuances of things. Peacock buyers prefer to dress brightly and sometimes unusually.
“Peacocks,” like “dolphins,” are open to communication and small talk is more suitable for establishing contact.
“Straightforward/spontaneous” style.
What to do with all this
You only get to make a first impression once. And we only have a few seconds. Subsequently, the question of whether a sale or transaction will be successful largely depends on the impression we make on our client. A simple greeting to a visitor significantly increases the likelihood of a purchase. But too much pressure on him can simply scare him.
So, we said hello to the visitor. What to do next? And then we need to decide what style of communication we should choose. Simply classifying visitors into just four types will make this task easier.
The closer we are to the visitor’s communication style, the more common ground we find, the more trust and sympathy we will achieve. People love similar interlocutors, and the more similar the interlocutor is, the better.
There can be two topics of communication with a client - this is small talk, similar to communication between friends and communication regarding exclusively the purchase. There is one client you need to befriend first before getting down to business. With others you need to talk only about business, about a possible deal or purchase.
MODULE 2
DAY
SUMMARY
TIME
Saturday
Main activity:
Discussion: introduction to the “MAKE CONTACT” block
Discussion: when to make contact
Discussion: why you need to establish contact and what mutual understanding is
Discussion and practice: analysis of testing by type of communication, features
communication styles by type of animal, establishing contact with different
buyers
Summing up and tasks to complete in the store
45 minutes
Sunday
Main lesson (repetition):
Repetition for employees who missed the main lesson on Saturday
45 minutes
Tuesday
Supportive activity:
Discussion: analysis of the use of different communication styles when working with
buyers
Practice: role-playing game to strengthen communication skills with different types
buyers
Practice: opposites attract, ability to use different styles
45 minutes
Wednesday
Thursday
Maintenance activity (repetition):
Review for employees who missed the Tuesday support session
45 minutes
90 minutes
MODULE 2
Target:
KPI:
Materials
:
Format:
Understand the basic components that make up mutual understanding
Find out what communication style is typical for you
Learn to quickly identify each other's preferred communication styles
Practice quickly establishing rapport and rapport
Key performance indicators: Conversion, UPT (average bill in pieces), NPS
(customer loyalty index)
Flip chart, flip chart sheets, markers, stickers, paper tape
Note paper, pens
Poster “Connect-Engage-Inspire”
Questionnaire to determine communication styles by type of animal (one per employee)
Animal poster
Cards describing communication styles (by animal type)
Employee observation and feedback questionnaire
Group training SERVICE MODEL
TRAINER'S GUIDE
MODULE 2 – MAKE CONTACT
MAIN ACTIVITY 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Introduction
a. Preparation
Prepare a flip chart and a poster “Establish Contact – Engage –
Inspire"
Make sure that employees fill out the questionnaire before the start of the lesson.
to determine communication styles by type of animal
b. Introduction
Repeat key points from the induction module to employees,
the idea of “Connect – Engage – Inspire” and the meaning of the new
service models for adidas Group
Leader's words: Today we will talk about ESTABLISHMENT
CONTACT. It's about establishing rapport with
buyers. To do this, you need to answer yourself the following questions:
WHEN to establish contact with the buyer? WHY is it necessary?
make contact? HOW to establish contact with different
buyers?
With. Move to next section
Leader's words: Let's look at WHEN necessary
establish contact with the buyer
3 minutes 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
“When” to make contact
a. Preparation
Prepare a flip chart
b. When it's hard to make contact
Leader's words: We must establish contact in
specific, appropriate time. Imagine that the buyer
enters the store. When should you greet him?
According to repeated studies, the likelihood that
he will make a purchase much higher when employees
The store greets him immediately when he enters the store.
However, there is such a thing as TOO EARLY. We do not need
rush at customers, and things shouldn’t work out for them
the impression that we are waiting at the entrance. Everything should
look natural: you are busy working in the gym, then
turn your head and see a buyer entering
shop
Ask employees what will happen if you start
Is it too early to contact the buyer? Too much
late?
The ideal time to greet a client is no earlier than 5 seconds, but not
later than 30 seconds after he enters the store. Write it down
on a flip chart.
Leader's words: “Why” and “How” to establish contact?
Let's look at these questions
2 minutes 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
“Why” you need to establish contact
a. Why make contact?
Leader's words: We talked about “when” to install
contact with the buyer, but did not discuss “why”. We
we establish contact with the buyer in order to reach him
mutual understanding
Ask the question: What is rapport? How to achieve it?
Write down the answers to each question on a flip chart
Leader's words: Mutual understanding means that people
are in agreement, i.e. they focus their attention on
what they have in common, not what they are
differ from each other. What does everyone present have in common?
this lesson today?
Leader's words: If a person sees that the interlocutor is in something
looks like him or tries to adapt to his style
communicate, gesture, then the likelihood that they will find
common points of contact and will trust each other,
much higher. But it is precisely the degree of trust in the seller in
largely determines the buyer's willingness to purchase from him
product. To achieve mutual understanding, you do not have to
be in a long-term relationship with a person. Reach
mutual understanding is possible due to the way we speak, how
use body language, etc. The most effective way
achieving mutual understanding lies in the ability to correctly
communicate. Learn to use communication styles that
correspond to the communication styles of our customers - this is
a huge step towards achieving mutual understanding with our
buyers
5 minutes 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Communication styles - how we act
a. Preparation
3 minutes
CONSIDERATELY
Prepare a flip chart
b. Communication styles: how we act
Leader's words: We will explore the STYLE of communication. This
NOT an assessment of our personality, it has NOTHING to do with
stereotypes or personality typology. This only applies
our preferences in the manner of communication. This theory
is an easy to use tool,
based on two things: how we ACT, and how we
LET'S TALK. The first dimension is how we ACT. Someone from
us will act more thoughtfully, while others will act more
spontaneously
Leader's words: To a person who acts deliberately,
characterized by slight facial expressions, he gesticulates little
hands, masks his feelings, hesitates in making decisions
Words from the presenter: A spontaneous person is inherently alive
facial expression, he strongly gesticulates with his hands, looks into
eyes, open to new things. About a more spontaneous person like
They usually say: “He’s like an open book.”
We can be at any point on this arrow
c. Move to next section
Leader's words: Let's look at how we SPEAK...
SPONTANEOUSLY 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Communication styles - how we speak
2 minutes
CONSIDERATELY
a. Communication styles: how we speak
Facilitator's words: The second dimension refers to how we
WE SPEAK or how we SOUND. It determines how we
express our thoughts STRAIGHTLY or FLORATELY
Leader's words: A person who expresses his or her
thoughts are most often quiet, speaks more slowly than
others suggest rather than assert (trainer
demonstrates)
Leader's words: A STRAIGHT-LINEAR person, as a rule,
behaves more noisily, speaks faster and commands more quickly,
what it offers
Ask employees how this knowledge will help them make connections.
with the buyer
Leader’s words: Of course, it’s not easy to remember and define
whether a person acts deliberately or spontaneously, straightforwardly or
He expresses his thoughts floridly. But we found an easy way
which you can use, matching each
the buyer needs the desired style of communication, based on what style
he prefers communication
RIGHT LINEAR
VITIEVATO
SPONTANEOUSLY 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
a. Preparation
Show the group a poster of animals.
b. Communication styles: by animal type
There are four communication styles: panther, peacock, dolphin and
owl
When introducing a particular communication style, first ask
group to describe the behavior of a particular animal. Given
exercise helps employees remember characteristics
animals
compare with a panther, most likely behaves assertively,
moves quickly, puts pressure on others, speaks to the point,
tries to control, talks more than asks, himself
makes decisions
Leader's words: A person whose communication style can be
compare with a peacock, most likely bright, striking,
is the center of attention, full of energy, sometimes even
overly sociable and easily makes contact, can always
find common ground with strangers, does not delve into
details
Leader's words: A person whose communication style can be
compare to a dolphin, most likely friendly sometimes
even too much, people-oriented, “diplomat”,
empathizes with others, good-natured, sometimes indecisive
Leader's words: A person whose communication style can be
compare with an owl, most likely operates with facts, is
25 minutes 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Communication styles - by animal type
(continuation)
c. Preparation
Show employees a poster of animals.
Tell employees again: these personality types are based on...
not based on stereotypes at all, types of animals are just
a tool with which we define our
preferences in communication style
Prepare self-adhesive notes and pens
d. Identifying Communication Styles
Ask employees to tally the results in each
columns of the test they completed
Column 1 = Panther; 2 = Peacock; 3 = Dolphin; 4 = Owl
Determine what types of personalities are in the room
Provide employees with post-it notes and
ask them to write their names on them and then stick them
pieces of paper with names on the poster (to the animal for which they
scored the most points in the test)
An employee may be part panther, part peacock and
etc.
A person does not always belong to any one type
Watch the continuation 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Communication styles - by animal type
(continuation)
e. Preparation
Prepare a flip chart and 4 sheets of flip chart for working in
groups
f. Practice
Group employees according to their
preferred communication styles
Ask each group to prepare a description of the types in 5 minutes
and answer 2 questions: HOW (by what signs) to recognize
this type of buyer in a store? WHAT 3 PHRASES are best to start with?
communication with this buyer to establish contact with him?
Discuss each group's answers
g. Move to next section
Leader's words: Let's try to identify the types
personalities of customers in the store 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Task to be completed in the store
a. Preparation
Prepare cards describing communication styles
Provide employees with communication style cards.
Encourage employees to pay attention to their own style
communication over the next day
You will observe whether employees are able to recognize
Preferred communication styles of clients
You will take notes on the observation and feedback form,
prepare recommendations and advice that will be useful
employees so that they understand how to change
your behavior when communicating with customers in the store
In a support session, you will all get together and share
successful experience with clients
c. Move to next section
Determine the date of the next lesson
5 minutes SERVICE MODEL
TRAINER'S GUIDE
MODULE 2 – MAKE CONTACT
SUPPORT ACTIVITY 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Analysis of experience: learning to determine
communication style
a. Preparation
Bring completed observation and feedback forms to
employees and prepare a flip chart
b. Analysis of experience: learning to determine communication style
First, share your personal experience of gaining new knowledge and
practice them, talk about the importance of feedback
for development
Then move on to discuss positive communication experiences.
employees with customers - give specific examples,
praise your employees
Ask your employees if they managed to find a common language
with buyers. What worked and what was difficult
Give each employee constructive feedback
“Action Result Praise or Recommendation.” Bring
a specific example of an employee’s actions on the sales floor,
explain what effect this behavior had on the buyer,
praise the employee if he has achieved results, or give
recommendations to the employee on how to change his behavior and
act next time
Capture the key findings that employees made.
Leader's words: It is not so important for us to know the type of buyer as
choose your own communication style that suits him. You can
combine styles.
c. Move to next section
Leader’s words: Let’s move on to a role-playing game to consolidate the skill
15 minutes 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Role-playing game to consolidate the skill:
communication with different types
15 minutes
a. Practice
Present the role-play scenario to your employees - see right
in the role of a panther, and the other in the role of a seller and demonstrate
3 minute conversation
After performing the skit, ask the rest of the staff
share your observations
The key point to emphasize is
is that the panther likes a direct and effective approach.
Choose two people from the group and ask one to speak.
in the role of a peacock, and the other in the role of a seller and demonstrate
3 minute conversation
Key Point You Should Pay Attention To
employees, is that the peacock is
"social" animals. You need to chat with the peacocks a little,
preferably about them themselves, and then move on to discussion
goods.
If you have time, act out scenes of communication with two
other communication styles.
At the end of the lesson, give some advice on how to behave
communicate with a group of people who have different styles
communication.
b. Move to next section
Leader's words: Let's try to step into the role of a person with
different communication style
Role play scenario:
You see a client who is choosing clothes for
training. You observe the client for some time and decide on a communication style that,
in your opinion, it suits him. If in front of you [owl /
dolphin / panther / peacock] how are you going
build a conversation with him/her? 6-12
45 minutes
MODULE 2
Assignment: Opposites
are attracted
15 minutes
Animal poster
b. Progress of the lesson, main points
Explain to employees that sometimes when we look at things
from a different angle, they appear to us much more clearly.
Draw the number 6 on the flip chart.
Tear off this sheet and place it on the floor - horizontally (see picture).
image).
Ask two colleagues to come to you and stand on either side
Images.
Ask them what they see. You guessed it, one will see
number 6, and the other number 9. If we look at things
only on the one hand, we will never understand the point of view
another man.
Leader's words: Today I want you to introduce yourself
its polar opposite. If you are an owl,
imagine that you are a peacock, etc. Come forward and tell us
something (for example, what you did on the weekend) about yourself in
in a manner characteristic of your new animal. It's very important now
for you to role-play your new animal in
in a positive light. Forget about stereotypes and ridicule.
Make a sincere attempt to learn to communicate in a different manner.
c. Move to next section
Summarize the training module “MAKE CONTACT”
Remind employees of the date of the module session
6
a. Preparation