A Roadmap To Getting Personal
By: T.J. Tedesco
For: High Volume Printing
Published: August, 1999

Remember the original Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated?  It sounds good, but there is a major flaw, namely, everyone wants to be treated differently.  There are some universal rules such as being polite, prompt and a good listener, but at some point, the road forks and individual needs diverge.  Graphic arts sales professionals would be more successful if they quickly customized their behavior to better appeal to the people they’re interacting with.

My website has a page entitled personality mapping.  I chose this column’s topic because recently I received e-mail from someone in an unrelated industry telling me how valuable this page is and how difficult it is getting information on the subject.  I agree with it being valuable, but I was surprised that she found it difficult to find because many companies barrage applicants with numerous personality and job suitability tests.

In the late ’80s, I made a career switch from corporate finance in the Fortune 100 world to graphic arts sales and marketing.  My new boss, the chief operating officer of a mid-sized company, believed organizations need people with a complimentary balance of personality traits.  Prior to hiring any middle or upper manager, he insisted that applicants pass job aptitude and organizational blend tests.  At this point in my career, I thought personality mapping was a bunch of malarkey, but time proved me wrong. 

Before we go on, here’s a HUGE DISCLAIMER: I am not a psychologist.  The next few paragraphs are based on my personal selling and consulting experiences combined with a few principles learned from the pros, like Tony Alessandra and Myers & Briggs.  In my opinion, it doesn’t matter which theory you prefer, as long as it’s easy to understand and use during sales calls.  The bottom line is that sales people must be able to apply its general principles within seconds of meeting someone.

The Basics of Personality Mapping

Personality traits can be segmented into four main categories: Driver, Socializer, Relater and Analytic.  Every person has a dominant and a secondary personality style.  It doesn’t matter which category you fit into because successful sales people come from all quadrants – in about equal proportions.  What’s important is that graphic arts sales people know what type of person they are and how their fundamental personality traits affect people in each of the four categories.  Let’s take each category one at a time.

Relater

Description – Relaters nurture people around them.  They tend to be excellent listeners and team players.  They are risk averse and slow to make decisions, especially on substantive issues.

Dos and Don’ts – Aggressiveness and pressure tactics don’t work with Relaters.  Even if they are the final decision-maker, encourage Relaters to involve other members of their team on major decisions.  Take your time with Relaters and ask about their families and personal life as much as possible.

Telltale Signs – Relaters surround their work area with a lot of personal pictures.  If your prospect is displaying pictures of their spouse, children, friends or pets in comfortable and safe settings (home, backyard, etc.), you’re likely dealing with a Relater.

An Example – When I was in sales, I once had a customer who constantly talked about his wife, family and employees.  At one point, I learned that his wife was in an automobile accident, and naturally I sent flowers to his business for her.  My boss couldn’t believe I would send another man’s wife flowers and refused to reimburse the expense.  Two weeks later, I landed my largest machinery order of the year from this customer because “now is as good time as any … and, you sent us those nice flowers.”  I resubmitted the receipt and was promptly reimbursed.

Driver

Description – Drivers are control and achievement oriented.  They tend to have dominating personalities.  They place a very high value on their time. 

Dos and Don’ts – Don’t waste a driver’s time.  Idle chitchat, which works so well with Relaters, is a major turn-off to drivers.  If you have an appointment with a driver, at the beginning of the meeting, ask, “How much time do we have?”  Be prepared for an answer like, “five minutes,” or even “two minutes.”  No matter the answer, strictly adhere to it.  What you lose in time, you will gain in respect.  A Driver’s personal life is off limits until a good relationship has been established.

Telltale Signs – Drivers place a high priority on personal organization, but whether or not they succeed is another matter.  Look for organizing gadgets such as cell phones, handheld devices, pocket recorders, calendars, multiple computers and “gee-whiz” electronic devices.

An Example – When I was a sales rep, I landed an appointment with a key prospect on the condition that I kept our meeting to sixty seconds.  I went into this person’s office at the appointed time, took off my watch, immediately got to the point and after one minute and stood up.  He asked me where I was going.  I said our minute was up.  Two days, later he gave me my first order – in the mid-five figure range – and to this day, we still have a strong business relationship.

Socializer

Description – Like Drivers, Socializers are also achievement oriented, but rather than control, they place more emphasis on people.  They tend to be friendly and enthusiastic, but are impatient and ego-driven, sometimes to the point of being self-centered.

Dos and Don’ts – Socializers genuinely like backslapping, exchanging stories and jokes, and being invited to events.  Since they are achievement oriented, their time is precious to them, but not quite as much as Drivers.  Be prepared to listen to them talk about themselves.  Since Socializers thrive on recognition, pour it on.  Anytime you can genuinely appeal to their ego, do so.

Telltale Signs – Like Relaters, Socializers tend to have a lot of personal pictures displayed in their work area.  However, the content is different.  Look for snapshots of them participating in challenging or daredevil activities like whitewater rafting, mountain climbing, skydiving or crossing a finish line in a race.  Socializers love being pictured with celebrities.

An Example – One of my friends is active in politics and thrives on recognition.  In his office, “Gerry” proudly displays pictures of himself with two U.S. Presidents.  A mutual friend of ours, “Harvey,” once said, “Gerry, you know everyone.  I’m sure I guy with your extraordinary connections could get my mint-condition Jack Kemp football card signed.”  A few weeks later, Harvey got his card back autographed.  Bottom line?  Gerry was happy to demonstrate his connections, after being flattered.

Analytic

Description – Like Relaters, Analytics are slow to make decisions, but for completely different reasons.  Analytics are thorough and examine problems and opportunities from every angle.  They tend to be cautious and methodical, especially when gathering facts, but once they make decisions, they don’t look back.

Dos and Don’ts – When dealing with Analytics, follow the Boy Scout Motto: Always be prepared.  Explain your selling proposition with dispassionate logic and have appropriate numbers committed to memory or at least at your fingertips.  Like Relaters, Analytics shouldn’t be pressured because they need to arrive at the buy decision at their own pace.  However, unlike Relaters, decision-making Analytics don’t seek approval from the team.

Telltale Signs – Look for an orderly work environment.  Desks won’t necessarily be clear, but paperwork, mail and reference materials will be neatly stacked, in trays, or on shelves.  Look for office supplies like staplers, tape dispensers, rulers, adding machines and computers all placed within easy reach.  Frequently, Analytics apply obvious solutions to common problems; like using electrical tape to hold together broken wristwatch bands.

An Example – Not being an Analytic myself, for some unknown reason I have surrounded myself with this personality type throughout my life.  I have learned the three fastest ways to upset them are jumping to conclusions, ignoring logic and being unpredictable.

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Although we’ve just scratched the surface of this important topic, rookies and seasoned pros alike can use the basic principles of personality mapping.  When you meet customers and prospects, look for obvious personality clues and appropriately adjust your sales pitch.  Lastly, remember to treat others how they want to be treated – not how you want to be treated.  If you do, your sales performance will improve.

T.J. Tedesco is a “hands-on” marketing, sales, coaching and training consultant to the post press industry. He is the author of Binding, Finishing & Mailing: The Final Word, and Win Top-of-Mind Positioning, both published by GATFPress and available at Amazon.com. T.J. can be reached at (301) 294-9900 or tj@growsales.com.