Over 2500 years ago, Hippocrates identified 4 distinct temperaments that he associated with different body types and psychological states. How we make buying decisions generally occurs in 1 of 4 ways broadly labeled: Planner, Action-Taker, Friendship-Seeker, and Smart-Buyer.
The 4 Temperaments
You may be familiar with various personality systems, each of which uses the concept of 4 temperaments. For example, have you heard of DISC, Myers-Briggs, or Wilson Learning System? Or perhaps you’ve been introduced to those using primary colors, animals, shapes, and many other forms.
Don’t fret if you are unaware or rarely use one of these systems. They’re often complex and hard to remember. Seldom are you given information on how to apply it to sales – which IS the crucial link and the one that is directly addressed through the AlikeAbility™ System.
Correlations with Neurochemicals
Helen Fisher, Ph.D., showed that there’s a correlation between personality style and various chemicals and neurotransmitters. Planners have large amounts of serotonin in their bloodstream. Action-Takers have more dopamine. Individuals who grew up to become Buyers seeking friendships found excess estrogen during fetal development, while Smart-Buyers experienced more testosterone in utero. While we all have a little bit of each chemical or neurotransmitter, usually one is more prevalent. As a result, we tend to be a certain type of buyer.
If you’re interested in selling to more than one buying style, learn how each one thinks, feels, prioritizes, and behaves. This will give you the edge in building rapport, securing more clients, and making more sales.
About Dr. Nancy Zare
Nancy, a retired professor and student of psychology, is the originator of the AlikeAbility™ System that teaches sales professionals and business owners how to size up their prospects so that they know exactly what to say to build rapport and turn them into paying customers. She believes that when prospects perceive you as being alike them, their resistance goes down, interest goes up, and the potential for doing business together exists. Bottom line: No rapport, no sales. Know rapport, know sales.
Nancy would love to hear from you and is always up for a strategy conversation, analyzing your prospect’s buying style, or even idea swapping. You can contact Nancy at nancy@rapportbuilderz.local
Ask for a complimentary AlikeAbility™ Assessment because when you know your buying style, you’ll be able to build rapport effectively with all prospects.
