Are you the life of the party or the shy one in the corner?
Are you five minutes early or five minutes late?
Are you quick to decide or do you have to think about it?
Imagine if you knew the answers to these questions about the people and the prospects you meet. In today’s post, I am going to teach you how uncover the four prospect personality types so you will have the ability to connect with people faster and understand how to interact with them.
So what is a personality?
A personality is really your own personal view of life. For many people, the greatest mystery… is understanding their own personality.
Many people waltz through life looking for their identity attempting to understand the basis for their actions and reactions. Understanding your personality and the personalities of others will allow you to take control of your life.
The journey to success is much easier when you understand who you are, who other people are and why they do what they do.
The better you understand your own natural tendencies and how they get expressed in your behavior, the easier it is to understand those things that you take for granted and/or assume that are as true for others as they are for you.
Today, I am going to assist you to truly appreciate the styles and types that make personalities for success. This means you will have a better understanding of how to connect, qualify and close prospects in the sales process. I am going to teach you how to navigate through the jungle and master the animal factor!
The Animal Factor
We are all a rainbow… so there are going to be different temperaments and personalities that comprise who you are. As you learn about the 4 personalities… you will be able to identify with the strongest temperament that is YOU and also to see other parts of yourself.
There are 4 main personality types. The wise owl… who is the analytical thinker. The fun loving monkey… who is the life of the party. The gentle koala… who is the nurturer and caregiver of society. And the mighty lion… the doer and king of the jungle.
Understanding each of these four personalities will assist you to improve your interpersonal relationships when you can recognize them in other people. To do this, I am going to share the likes, dislikes, motivators, strengths, weaknesses and hot buttons.
Let’s start with the monkey!
The Monkey
How do you know when you are talking to a monkey?
This is the type of person that will be wearing interesting clothing. Often times, the person’s clothing won’t match or has a flare for the dramatic. If you ever see a monkey’s home, you would find that they are all over the map.
However, understand this…
This type of temperament is someone you will definitely want in your business, enterprise or as a friend because they are a great promoter and socializer. You will find it easier to bring this person into a business opportunity if they see they will have fun or be able to promote themselves.
This type of personality is the greatest connector. They usually have a large circle of influence because people enjoy being around their energy. They usually make emotional decisions based on how they feel. They operate on intuition and gut feeling.
You should concentrate on getting them talking about themselves and their goals. If they ever ask a question, turn it around by asking a them a question… because they love to talk about themselves. You can use the one word WHY and they will continue to talk.
Why is that?
Why do you feel that way?
Focus on how to make their dreams come true. Simply jump into their dreams with them and ride that pink cloud all the way until you get them to the point where they say—Gee… This sounds fun!
Then you can say—When do you want to start making money?
Here’s something I want to caution you about.
Don’t get into long debates with the monkey and don’t get into the nuts, bolts and details because this type of information loses them quickly.
Learn to match energy for energy. They have no patience for boring people.
If the monkey says, I’d really like to do this but I don’t have the time, money or whatever…
Suggest creative solutions. Move from the problem quickly to the solution. Get them started now because this is the easiest personality to market to. Our monkey swings from tree to tree so if you don’t get them involved, they may swing into another business or another endeavor.
The Koala
The peaceful koala, the nurturer, the amiable relator… The personality temperament that’s able to get along with everyone. This is the type of person that is able to adapt quite easily. The koala is the great leveler and is not an over-reactor. The peaceful koala is the easiest of all the temperaments to get along with. They’re delightful to be around.
The koala is the closest to being a balanced person. They do not function in extremes or excess of life… But walks solidly down the middle of the road able to avoid conflict and decision on either side. They are the best listeners and with proper motivation can rise to the top because of their ability to get along with everyone.
Beware…
They are sensitive to criticism and don’t like conflict. You want to respect this person’s feelings. Engage this person’s creativity and ability to help others. Start with points of agreement and be tactful. Be sure to follow through on your commitments with them. Be sure to give them time to consider information and make sure you have accurate facts.
The koala’s time frame is when it feels right. Typically, it takes a lot of time to make decisions. They want to think.
However…
I want you to understand, you never want to prejudge our friendly koala bear because this type of person attracts a lot of really good people in society. Often times, the koala is the silent leader.
This personality type… you don’t want to challenge. If you tell them, this may not be for you… they may end up agreeing with you.
The Owl
 The owl… The analytical thinker who is deep, quiet and thoughtful. This person is born with a pessimistic nature and foresees problems before they happen. The owl is private, selective and reserved. They are extremely logical and unemotional. They love organization.
Sometimes… they can be confusing communicators. They prefer one-on-one interactions. They are often preoccupied with their own thoughts. They can sit by the hour practicing, perfecting, analyzing and doing everything that is so routine for the average person, but this excites them.
Owls have the highest I.Q. and this is the personality temperament where geniuses come from.
Here are some common traits of the wise old owl:
- Private and reserved
- Cool, detailed and unemotional
- Extremely logical, intellectual and analytical
- Non-conforming and original
- Dislikes interruptions and changes to plans
- Resists changing their minds
- Big picture people
- Love details
With this personality, provide plenty of accurate facts. Stress the practical application and outline all of the necessary steps. Clearly identify expectations and give explicit instructions. Present information sequentially. Speak clearly and slowly. Be organized and avoid errors. Stress the larger goals and benefits.
Most importantly… Don’t force them to decide too quickly.
The Lion
The king of the jungle… The lion who loves to roar.
Powerful lions refuse to believe there is anything about them that could be offensive. Because of their basic premise that they are always right… they naturally can’t see that there is anything possibly wrong with them. Right from the time they were little children, lions must win in every situation and typically at all costs because they find a way not to lose—And most of all… not to lose face.
Lions are compulsive doers and can accomplish more than any other temperament, but on the negative side they have challenges relaxing. One of their biggest challenges is they feel guilty when they are not doing something.
Wait… I mean everything!
The lion is high energy, decisive, organized and productive. They are take-charge leaders and think and talk in terms of the big picture. They are strong-willed and seek leadership roles.
When you communicate with this personality temperament, be organized and assertive. Stress innovation and creativity. Get to the point, cut to the chase… DON’T talk too much. Be accurate with your facts and details or plan on being confronted.
So… make sure you do your homework and be prepared to defend your position. Don’t take criticism personally. You will get more respect if you stand up to the lion than if you back down.
The lion thrives on challenges and competition. You definitely deserve to collaborate with this personality type because they are top producers to all organizations.
Know Yourself… Know Others
 So which personality type do you most identify with?
Do you have a better understanding of who your are… And why you do what you do?
Hopefully, you are getting a better picture of why some people are able to make a decision and why others have challenges.
There are two simple things that determine whether you are able to make a connection with your prospect. You must know who they are and what motivates them.
When you can identify these characteristics… You can become a closing machine.