Do you know how to use your customer’s decision styles to close more deals?

Not all customers are the same, that’s a fact we’re already pretty aware of.

What you probably have not thought about yet is that they have common characteristics among themselves. I mean features which that I can separate into four major decision/interaction styles.

What do you get from this?

Strategies that are different for each style, and then you only need to adapt them to each case you encounter.

There are four main styles.

• Directive
• Analyzer
• Social
• Relational

Each of these styles likes to interact with you differently.

Above all, each style builds its decision-making process entirely different from the others.

So if you want to influence them, you need to adapt to each one of them and give them what they need.

Let’s see something.

We all have components of all styles.

However, we always have what we call our comfort zone, the place where we return to whenever we can.

Now let’s look at each of the styles:

Directive

This style is characterized by:

• Being quick and decisive
• Prioritizing task and results
• Being a quick thinker
• Having a fear of losing control
• Seeking productivity and profit
• Being dominated by their goals
• Finding success = results

Analyzer

This style is characterized by:

• Being slow and systematic
• Prioritizing the task
• Only worrying about the job/task
• Fearing the embarrassment of making mistakes
• Seeking effectiveness
• Seeking the quantifiable benefits that justify the purchase
• Seeking credibility and being precise

Relational

This style is characterized by:

• Doing everything at their pace (slow)
• Being focused on the relationship
• Fearing confrontation
• Seeking approval from everyone
• Wanting everyone to like them
• Being dominated by their emotions
• Seeking benefits that affect their circumstances

Social

This style is characterized by:

• Having a fast and spontaneous rhythm
• Giving priority to the interaction and influence of others in relationships
• Fearing the loss of prestige
• Seeking recognition
• Being dominated by their ideas
• Talking about the concept or outcome of the product/service instead of the technical features
• Seeking status, respect and admiration

And now, what can you do with all this information?

Based on each of the styles you should prepare your approach to addressing everyone’s needs.

For example:

With a Directive client you should:

• Be direct
• Be efficient
• Be competent
• Be punctual
• Have a fast pace
• Focus on the results of what you are showing to them

With someone who is an Analyzer you should:

• Be efficient and well-prepared
• Give them all the critical information
• Focus on results
• Seek to offer something without risk
• Have a slow pace
• Focus on the logical demonstration of your solution’s 

With someone who is a Relational client you should:

• Be sincere and warm
• Show interest in their opinions
• Give them assurances based on you
• Avoid conflict
• Have a slow pace
• Focus on how they will be personally affected

With a client that is a Social person you should:

• Be interested in them
• Support their opinions, ideas, and dreams
• Use emotion
• Write everything down
• Have a fast pace
• Focus on their status

These are just a few tips on how to handle each clients decision styles. If you follow these, you should be able to maximize your chances of success in moving the sale forward or close more deals.