Customers differ from the type sometimes significantly. Therefore, they can be better convinced by different arguments. The purchase argument that excites one customer leaves another customer completely cold. It is therefore an advantage to know who you will be dealing with before the presentation. One method that is popularly used in marketing is the DISG model. It roughly divides people into four types: red, yellow, green and blue. This model allows you to tailor your sales presentation to your target audience. We would like to introduce the DISG model to you in a little more detail.
The DISG model improves many processes in your company
The letters from the DISG model stand for “Dominant”, “Initiative”, “Steady” and “Conscientious”. This is to describe the predominant character traits of people. The colors “red”, “yellow”, “green” and “blue” are assigned to the character traits respectively. According to this model, most people would primarily be either dominant, proactive, steady or conscientious. We will come to a more detailed explanation later in the text.
Type theory can be used with success in many areas of your business. It starts with the selection and management of employees, through marketing to sales. Those who can correctly assess their employees, suppliers and customers can communicate with them more successfully. If you know whether your counterpart is a “red”, “yellow”, “green” or “blue” type, you can deliberately provide your sales presentation with facts, arguments, images and graphics for which the respective “type” is particularly receptive.
If you can assess the beliefs, values and attitudes, you have the chance to highlight exactly those points in the sales presentation that will bring the greatest benefit to your customer or trigger the strongest positive emotions.
But don’t assume you can completely capture a person with one color assignment. The DISG model is an interesting and useful aid in setting the basic direction of your sales presentation.
How do you find out what type your target is?
Here, the phrase: “As within, so without” already helps you. The outer living environment is a reflection of the inner attitude. You can draw the first clear conclusions about a person’s attitude by analyzing speech, body language, appearance, job held and function in the company, clothing, place of residence, hobbies, cars. A cautious person in need of harmony won’t drive a Lamborghini, and a latently aggressive, decisive doer probably won’t use a mid-size family car with “Lara rides along” stickers.
If your customer is a RED guy
The “Red Type” is an extrovert and dominant. He is the decision maker and the classic boss. He likes to take responsibility and make decisions. For him, strength, power, speed, efficiency, autonomy, profit and status are important. He avoids the opposite, that is, weakness, powerlessness, slowness, inefficiency, dependence, loss and insignificance. He needs quick input and wants to come to decisions quickly. He sets the direction, always wants to be in control of all processes. He is basically curious and loves new challenges. If he is not challenged, he quickly becomes bored. He often makes instinctive decisions based on his gut. He also reads management magazines and books on leadership, success knowledge, and biographies of successful personalities. He loves status symbols.
The decision-making pattern: The Dominance type makes very quick decisions when they are convinced that they will get them ahead.
He would like a presenter of:
- represents its concern clearly and unambiguously,
- competence radiates,
- gets to the point,
- knows that in the job of the decision maker “time is money”,
- which specifically elaborates the most important points.
Answer questions from red types clearly and unambiguously. What does the decision maker need to know in order to make a decision? Do your homework and be really prepared for questions as well. The red guy hates it when you waste his time. Also show him possible alternatives so he can make decisions. You should show what you want, because uncertainty and indecision repel the decision maker. Be prepared for the fact that the red guy also likes to provoke by asking questions. Always remain friendly in tone but confident.
Is the effort for sales success really worth it?
What’s all the effort about tailoring a presentation to individual customer types? One thing is clear: it is a noticeable extra effort to individually adapt a sales presentation to a new customer. However, you may assume with great certainty that the effect of a type-appropriate presentation is considerably more convincing than that of a standardized broad-based one. The difference between the red and yellow type alone is enormous. It is almost impossible to create a sales presentation that does justice to both types.
If your customer is a YELLOW guy
You will often encounter the yellow type in marketing, sales, and creative professions in general. He is outgoing, open-minded and optimistic. As a creative spirit, variety, novelty and fun are very important to him. What the yellow guy doesn’t like at all is limitation, uniformity, bureaucracy and boredom. He greets you with an open smile, speaks animatedly and likes to joke. He is inclined to be trusting and seeks reassurance in his environment. The yellow initiative type knows a lot of people, likes to be distracted quickly and is enthusiastic. He likes to read books and journals about novelties, trends, and creative developments. He likes to try things out, enjoys risk-taking sports and loves unusual solutions. If he drives a normal car, it will at least have a special paint job or special equipment. He looks down on conformist “bourgeois” about He pulls others along, has a huge circle of acquaintances, and avoids pessimistic and negative small minds.
For the yellow type, the following points are particularly important in your sales presentation:
- He wants to have a good time and, therefore, the cooperation should be as pleasant as possible,
- shies away from open conflicts
- Would like to establish a relationship with you,
- He wants you to be like him. Show genuine enthusiasm for your offering in your sales presentation. Be casual and friendly.
- Make sure your customer is excited. Highlight the innovation, uniqueness and specialness in your offer.
- Give Him the opportunity to contribute Himself. Let him enter into a dialogue with you.
- Stay loose when the yellow guy comes at you with his own ideas and notions. Don’t reject his suggestions harshly right away.
- Your offer can be great, but if he thinks you are too stiff, rigid and inflexible, he will not want to work with you.
The red and yellow types differ fundamentally from each other in many respects. If you want to convince your customer with your sales presentation, then you need to use the word and image language that suits your target audience.
If your customer is a GREEN guy:
The Green Type from the DISG model loves good stories about people. He is first and foremost sensitive and in need of harmony. When stories feature people with weaknesses, sympathy increases. He likes it when there is a comforting sense of harmony in the stories. He often seems a bit shy, but is friendly and accommodating. The green guy doesn’t want to be the center of attention. He prefers to fit into structures, is risk averse, and prefers to be an important part of a larger whole. He is a caretaker and likes to help others so they can shine. He prefers to avoid disputes. He also prefers clear task assignments and transparent structures. He likes to be the rock that always delivers and is always reliable. He is the classic team player and expects his counterpart to be open and fair. They can present their offer to the green guy in the most dazzling colors. If he doesn’t trust you completely, he won’t buy.
For sales presentations to “green” customers, incorporate the following:
- Describe your personal experience with the offer and customers,
- Use original testimonials from satisfied customers,
- Include team photos, or photos of the contact person, in your presentation,
- Address environmental and ethical issues. The product should correspond to the values of the customer,
- Underline your reliability,
- Listen carefully and answer sincerely,
- Give the green guy time to let their arguments sink in,
- Do not strike loud notes. Speak in a calm and friendly manner.
If your customer is a BLUE guy:
We also like to call the blue type from the DISG model the logic type. He appreciates clear structures and a logical sales presentation based on facts. The “blue type” is very conscientious. An introverted thinker, he analyzes carefully and observes keenly. He needs time for a comprehensive analysis and has very high expectations for the precision of your explanations. It quickly detects even small errors and points out your mistake. He is rather introverted, disciplined and meticulous. He is a born controller. You can also find the blue guy in auditing and engineering jobs. He is not looking for a good solution, he is looking for the best one. You can assume that he has familiarized himself with the subject and has all the key figures.
The following points are important with the blue type:
- Prepare an agenda and make sure you have clear structures,
- Make sure that your argumentation is consistent and comprehensible,
- Use numbers, data, facts,
- Build evidence, ISO seals of approval, tests, statistics, and technical articles into your argument,
- Describe details,
- Avoid a chummy or over-friendly appearance,
- Forget stories and anecdotes; they don’t interest him,
- Avoid inaccuracies in your language and on your slides,
- He is looking for the lowest price with the highest quality.
You have seen how completely different this four main types from the DISG model are. It is obvious that a red type, for example, needs a completely different kind of sales presentation than a blue type. A special, individual preparation for the next customer, is therefore not simply additional work, but an essential prerequisite for your success.
You can find more detailed information on this topic in my book Designing presentations successfully and hold .
For more tips and tricks on presenting, sign up here to our newsletter.
