Selling to Anyone Over the Phone

Personality Style Listening

In your first call, listen for the customer’s personality style. This is called strategic listening in which you pass from casual listening in its intensity and purpose to a deeper level. You have only two to three seconds in effective conversation time to react and choose a strategy suitable to a personality type, and you must be very quick in your choice of response. The information you gain from this type of listening will determine what you choose to say or do next. You can blow the deal if you try to close when the customer has in some way indicated that the best choice is to ask for an appointment for a later conversation.

K—These customers come off as calm and friendly. When you read the tones, your strategy ...