Have you ever wondered why you could take two staff people and train them the EXACT same way and one would be great at sales while one would be terrible? It might just be their insurance sales personality!
I’ve seen this happen over and over again. And the more research I’ve done, the more the patterns become obvious!
You’ve probably read about personality types in business before. You might know your Meyers-Briggs type (I’m an INTJ) or have used the Strengths Finder assessment (mine are Strategic, Intellection, Relator, & Futuristic). For women specifically, you might even learn your Energy Type in order to pick out great outfits! (I’m a Type 1/4).
But what do you DO with this information?
I’ve begun putting together my own version of personality types when it comes to SALES. And I think you’ll find that they make a lot of sense!
Insurance Sales Personality Types
So let’s look at my four sales personality profiles in detail. For each profile, I’ll give a short personality glimpse and then we’ll list the following:
Sales Strength – This is where this personality really shines. It’s what comes natural to them and should be utilized as much as possible!
Sales Challenge – This is their Achilles heel. It’s what trips them up on a regular basis and keeps them from sales success.
Sales Motivator – The deep down subconscious thing that makes their personality strive to achieve! In fact, they might not even realize it motivates them!
Management Mistake – This is the thing you, as their boss, should avoid doing at all costs! It will cause problems.
The Optimist
The Optimist is a cheerful, happy person! They are fun to be around and like to keep things light and happy. They are not intense people and are generally pretty flexible and easy-going. If someone in the office is having a bad day, the Optimist is going to try to cheer them up. If it feels like the goals aren’t going to happen, the Optimist dreams that anything is possible!
Sales Strength – Everyone likes the Optimist! They are easy to talk to and connect with. Your clients love them. They remember people’s kids and pets and ask about them. People are naturally at ease and trust these “sweet” Optimists.
Sales Challenge – They can be accused of dropping the ball. They have a lot going on in their minds, which can lead to a mess. They are most likely to forget the rules or ignore the system. Consistency is not their friend.
Sales Motivator – Their deep motivation is making their boss (and clients) happy. They love to make someone happy and desire lots of praise.
Management Mistake – The Optimist has trouble with heavy and harsh attitudes. If there is a lot of negativity in the office, if the “vibe” is heavy and stressful, or if they frequently get yelled at – they’re going to struggle. Keeping things light and focusing on the positive is important for the Optimist.
The Planner
The Planner is a nurturing and deeply caring person. They are kind-hearted, emotional, and are the natural “worriers” of the group. Your Planner’s are going to want to make everyone in the office comfortable and at ease. They remember everyone’s birthday, plan special events, and ask lots of questions. They genuinely care about the well-being of their co-workers and spend a lot of time thinking about details!
Sales Strength – The Planner knows the products inside and out. They are detail oriented and thorough. They’ll make sure that the paperwork is filled out right and that the client is at ease through the process.
Sales Challenge – The Planner probably struggles the most with being a sales person. They are more soft-spoken, can overthink details, and can get caught up in worries and fears.
Sales Motivator – The deep motivation for the Planner is staying out of trouble! They are not rules breakers or risk takers. They want to keep the peace, do what is expected of them, and fulfill their duties to the letter.
Management Mistake – Similar to the Optimist, they don’t thrive in harsh environments, however, the biggest mistake you can make with a Planner is RUSHING them. They need time to think through their work, time to check it twice, and are going to need to ask the most questions before diving in. Don’t hurry them!
The Closer
In my experience, this personality is the most natural at sales and the most likely to be an entrepreneur and own an agency. They are quick moving, motivated, a little pushy, and determined. The Closer’s like to see RESULTS and can multi-task the easiest of the four. They don’t have time to sit around thinking about details, they just dive in. They are more physical and like to DO things.
Sales Strength – The Closer is confident, doesn’t fear rejection (much), and is natural as closing the sale. They act as if the prospect would be crazy to miss out on this deal!
Sales Challenge – They don’t do details and paperwork well. They can get a little rushed and skip over important items or burn themselves out.
Sales Motivator – These are the people motivated by MONEY and winning! They want to be on the top of the list in the sales reports and they want to make money (because it is a tangible way to see the results they are achieving). If you’ve been incentivizing with money, these were probably the only people responding.
Management Mistake – The biggest mistake with this personality is trying to force too much detail on them. If they’re making sales, give them support with paperwork. Have someone check for mistakes. Don’t expect the Closer to slow down and change their natural patterns. (Also, watch out, these people will move on to new opportunities the fastest!)
The Problem Solver
Our final personality type is the Problem Solver. These people are the most analytical and can come off a little cold. They aren’t warm and fuzzy. They are more private, quieter, but have a bold and opinionated personality. They are efficient, like things to be done right, and are great at seeing where things can be improved. They might not naturally connect with clients, but they can solve a billing issue in no time!
Sales Strength – They solve problems! They easily see what’s not working and how to improve it. They instantly know exactly what a client needs and can clearly articulate it. They are well spoken and have a strong sense of professionalism.
Sales Challenge – Because they aren’t very emotional, they don’t connect easily and can come across as brash and uncaring. They may delay taking action until things are perfect.
Sales Motivator – Here’s an interesting one…the deep motivation of a Problem Solver is their job title! These people value authority and respect. Increasing their job title, responsibility, and “power” is a huge motivator.
Management Mistake – The problem solver expects to be treated with respect. If you are micro-managing their every move, embarrassing them, or questioning their intelligence, you’re going to have problems with this one!
This is just a brief glimpse of what the four sales personalities look like. Can you relate to them? Do you see this pattern in your staff? I’ll be sharing more on how to use these sales profiles in future posts!
