How to Communicate Better with Prospective Clients through Personalities

With the recent start of the Junto, the Facebook group I’m hosting for a couple of organizations including New Inceptions, I thought it would be useful to discuss why I’ve started putting so much of my working day into it.

Here’s what you need to know: Facebook groups (as well as their LinkedIn counterpart) are a great way to build a database of engaged people.

Why do entrepreneurs need a database? Because, frankly, without one you don’t have a business without one. But it needs to be the right type of people in that database.

So let’s look at a post from September 6th, 2012 to see why that’s the case.

Does Your Database Really Equal Money?

So a question came up recently on a coaching call that I thought I’d share with you guys.

The question was posed: “Does Your Database Really Equal Money?”

Usually, I would answer “Most definitely.” The larger the database, the more potential, right? The more people that might answer yes to your offer?

Usual logic would suggest that the reason advertisements on the Super Bowl cost so much is because of the potential eyes that will see the ad.

Many people still advertise in a one direction manner. But is this truly the one and only way of advertising one’s self and their brand?

Ha. Apparently not.

As usual, it seems, things are different in the online business world.

As I was driving home from another great weekend with Maria and her family, I was listening to my buddy Pat Flynn in this episode of his podcast. In the episode, my answer came up again. However, it was posed to me in another perspective.

This new perspective really helped me out. So maybe it will help you!

A New Perspective on Sales:

See the problem that I had and continue to have is “How do I get a database for New Inceptions”? How do I build my influence online? How do I bring value to you, the reader, in a way that will make you say or think “Hey! This guy is cool. He gets it!”?

Traditional thinking suggests that I need to sell my influence to you. To leverage the knowledge or services that I have available.

To do this, I try to answer these questions with a “This is your problem? Here’s your solution” mentality.

This is the traditional method – and very Driver and Expressive oriented. Just cutting to the chase and exciting you about solutions to a problem you might or might not know you have.

However, in my Amiable perspective, the last thing I want you to feel is that I’m trying to pressure you into buying something. Especially something that you’re not ready for.

Because as an Amiable, I hate being sold to. Informed, yes. Please feel free. Sold – I hate it!

Give me solutions, yes, but I want them on my own time. I don’t want to be peppered with messages when I’m not looking for that answer! If I want a solution, I’ll find it through my network and/or Google it.

I want to find the answer on my own and then pass it on as I find it. I like to share – not necessarily sell.

The Web is full of Multi-Direction of Advertising

Which leads me to another point about the web. Like TV, radio, or even really phone advertising, it’s not one direction. You put a message out there and ANYONE can give you feedback and also act as your sales person by sharing your message. However, the more “salesie” the message, the less likely it’s going to motivate people to buy or share it with others. Regardless of keywords.

What’s considered “salesie”? “Over controlling” and “overbearing” come to mind.

Which, if we think from that point of view, many times people who are new to email and web marketing do it wrong. If they’re pushing as they might in person or on the phone, it will tend to turn people off more than it turns them on. In the podcast mentioned earlier, Pat’s insight on this was key. He said, “don’t email people just to market them something. Email them to let them know that they are important and that they should be aware that ‘such and such’ is happening.”

The less infrequent but regular you make this messaging, the more sincere people will think you are.

People will opt into your email (or your Facebook Group) based on whether they like you or not. They are giving you permission to email them.

Don’t forget that fact. In the online world, annoyance is almost certainly death. Unless they expect a regular daily or weekly email, don’t go crazy emailing your clients.

You’re better off massaging them when something is necessary to know.

My Recommendation for a New Sales Tactic.

If you are going to be doing sales on the web, learn how to use all four personalities in your message. That includes your emails, sales pages, and your Facebook and LinkedIn Groups. Learn to speak in your audience’s native personality language. If your clients are Amiables – relate with them. If they’re Analyticals, give them facts and figures. If they’re Expressives, show some humor. If they’re Drivers, get to the point.

If you don’t know what they are, or if you have a product for everyone, figure out a method in making your message contain all personalities.

Start with appeasing the Driver (Want to make better results?), then transfer to the Expressive (Imagine the possibilities you could have with this program!), hit the Analytical (here’s a case study of this working!) and finally move to the Amiable (Look at the testimonials!)