We receive information through all of our senses - sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. Different individuals have different preferences in the way they think and communicate. If a person is thinking in pictures, then at that moment they will respond best to a person who can communicate by ‘painting pictures’ in their mind’s eye. Equally if an individual is thinking logically they will respond best to a person who presents facts, statistcs and logic with a sense of objectivity. Our preferred Communication Style can change in different contexts and situations. For example, a person who is highly logical in the workplace, may become more feeling orientated at home with their family.
Good salespeople are able to adapt their Communication Style to match the style of their customer.
There are 4 different Communication Styles:
VISUAL
People who are visual often stand or sit with their heads and bodies upright and with their eyes LOOKING upwards. They move often, using lots of hand gestures and tend to be organised, neat, well-groomed and orderly. They think and process information by SEEING PICTURES in their mind’s eye, and are not distracted by noise. They often have trouble remembering verbal instructions because their minds tend to wander. A visual person will be interested in how your suggestion will LOOK. Appearances are important to them and they will want you to have eye contact with them when they are talking. They generally breathe from the top of their lungs that means they talk fast and have a higher voice tone. People with this Communication Style will use words such as:
● see
● look
● appear
● view
● show
● clear
● hazy
● focused
● imagine
● picture
● watch
● observe
● vision
● bright
AUDITORY
People who are auditory will quite often move their eyes from side to side. They generally remain fairly still and you may notice that they often turn their head slightly so that one of their ears can HEAR you better. They think and process information by SOUNDS that means they can be easily distracted by NOISE. Auditory people can repeat things back to you easily because they learn by LISTENING, and usually like music and TALKING on the phone. They learn by LISTENING to verbal instructions and HEARING and like to be TOLD how they’re doing. Typically this Communication Style will breathe from their mid-chest area that gives them good voice flexibility. The effect of this means that they will have a melodious and varied voice tone and pace that they also like to HEAR in others. Auditory people often TALK to themselves (some even move their lips when they do this), and they want to LISTEN to how your suggestions SOUND. People with this Communication Style will use words such as:
● hear
● listen
● sound(s)
● tune in/out
● tell
● announce
● talk
● speak
● echo
● whisper
● loud
● dialogue
● wavelength
● rings bells
FEELING
People who are feeling (sometimes referred to as kinesthetic) will often look down to the left as they search for FEELING what you are communicating. They often move and talk very slowly and will want to FEEL in a COMFORTABLE position if they are sitting or standing. Feeling people may play with a pen or their hair because ‘TOUCHING’ helps them to think. They respond to physical rewards and are COMFORTABLE standing or sitting very close to another person. This means that they are TACTILE so handshakes and pats on the back become important. They think and process information by how it FEELS to them and whether they can GRASP what you are communicating. They learn best by DOING or ‘walking through’ something and if they are making a purchase will want to TOUCH what they are intending to buy. Typically this Communication Style will breathe from their lower abdomen area, this means that they talk slowly and with a lower voice tone. They will be interested in your suggestions if they FEEL right and they have a good GUT INSTINCT about it. People with this Communication Style will use words such as:
● feel
● touch
● grasp
● catch on
● make contact
● tap into
● hard
● unfeeling
● solid
● relaxed
● heavy
● warm
● touch base
● comfortable
LOGICAL
People who are logical (sometimes referred to as auditory digital) will often look down to the right as they EVALUATE the facts and CONSIDER their options. They aren’t particularly expressive or demonstrative. Their favourite position is sitting or standing with their arms crossed and resting their chin on one hand as they objectively ASSESS the information being presented to them. They respond to research, facts and statistical data and learn best when there is a step-by-step PROCESS to follow. They think and process information by EVALUATING it against the CRITERIA of whether it MAKES SENSE. Typically this Communication Style will talk in a monotone voice almost as if they are REPORTING on their observations. This means that they sometimes create the perception that they are DETATCHED from their emotions. They will be interested in your suggestions if they MAKE SENSE and are LOGICALLY presented with supporting EVIDENCE. People with this Communication Style will use words such as:
● sense
● understand
● think
● learn
● process
● consider
● know
● discuss
● question
● decide
● perceive
● logical
● reasonable
● statistically
Really effective sales people:
● are aware of their preferred Communication Style
● can easily identify their customers’ preferred Communication Style
● instinctively adapt their own Communication Style to reflect their customer’s style