The face of active sales is changing: don’t interrogate, relate!

How can we discover what makes the customer tick? 

What is the most practical solution? The method to be acquired is called rapport. It is the capability of relating quickly to the personality of the other person. We want the customer to feel understood and accepted. He is supposed to see, hear and feel that we accept him at face value, just as he is and as he appreciates from his usual living environment. The challenge for us is to accommodate the customer, no matter what. Through our body language, our choice of words and much more.

Customer typ: the emotional customer  

Two typical examples: The emotional customer will appreciate being addressed personally, with a touch of small talk for his mood to be picked up on. He wants to be asked about his reason for visiting the store. He likes to choose, because quite often, he is not set in his ways. Many emotional customers are open to ideas that supplement their gift. Sympathetic advice pointing out the possibility of an exchange takes away any concerns against making the purchase. 

Customer typ: the factual customer  

The world experienced by the factual, level-headed customer who is much less emotional, is totally different. He knows exactly what he wants and would like to close the deal fast. Having a choice is not that important to him. For him, a shop is not the right place for small talk. Additional offers? Not a chance! Pointing out the possibility of an exchange? No need for that, he takes that as a given.

Tailoring your approach to the type of customer 

These two cases show us what potential there is in treating customers more specifically in accordance with their target group. What is important to one person, is totally lost on another. Individualised retailing by type of personality is an effective concept in order to give customers a special buying experience. In other words: We adapt to each and every customer individually. As a result, the sales conversation runs much more smoothly, and inconsistencies are solved while our aplomb increases. Treating people according to their respective type as a USP and helps us to stand out from online competition as well as competition from the sedate traditional retailing.

Do you have any idea which treasure lies hidden in your talks with customers when you gain access to a highly practical methodology, in order to accommodate the most important types of customers according to their respective type? Far away from the supposed universally-applicable standard questions?