Talking to another person is part of human’s basic natures. It’s not supposed to be a complex system or an art to be perfected. However, in instances where the manner of conversation would determine how a certain goal is reached, it is very important to know various types of personalities. In the commerce of b2b outbound telemarketing and lead generation, talk is money. And conversations run the business.

Sales leads are generated prospective clients are contacted by professional telemarketers and attempt to engage them into a meaningful, information-oriented discussion of a potential business partnership. But because each person is so dynamic – and sometimes erratic – there should be a structure of profiling and assessment for telemarketers to craft the best approach towards each personality type.

There are four established social styles that customers may employ:

The Driver
Drivers are talkers. They like to run the show. They don’t want to be dictated on what they need to do, and they don’t want to be told what they already know. They want telemarketers to get to the point in the least amount of time, and then they throw a lot of unrelated questions simultaneously. Some of those questions need not be answered, and the challenge is to have them listen – which could be a difficult task especially if they’re not interested by default. It is very uncommon for Drivers to admit that they are interested with the product, but once they do, it’s genuine. The rule is to never interrupt them in their streak of monologues.Wait for that rare, miniscule window of opportunity.

The Analytic
The term itself can be intimidating, and indeed, this social style is a no non-sense type. Analytic ones dwell on the most specific of specifics, and unlike Drivers, they only throw questions which are relevant. They actually like to be drawn into a thorough discussion of the goods or services, and they don’t mind if the telemarketer does all the talking. Are they interested? One can never tell. They just like to gather as many information as they could and analyze them in a discreet, swift manner. These are common in software and IT products and services companies where most decision-makers are experts in their field and are usually subtly technical in the way they converse.

The Amiable
Talking to Amiable ones is a walk in the park, but usually unproductive. These are people who have absolutely no problem with spending precious time on the phone with telemarketers who may or may not present benefits to them or their company. They are not necessarily talkative; they just enjoy the “act” of talking to people. They would answer any reasonable questions, agree to appointments if they have the time, and even respond to surveys, emails and follow-ups. The quality of their interest can be dodgy and tentative,therefore, this level or receptiveness doesn’t automatically equate to sales leads.

The Expressive
Expressive ones have all four social styles rolled into one. They like to talk, analyze and make friends. While Drivers may bombard telemarketers with all the questions and objections, Expressive ones would blab about how their business is going, what’s happening with their current provider, or how they indeed require such external services, etc. They’re the type who knows what’s going on with their business; they are open to ideas and services and would consider every one of them as much as they can. They can be very accurate on describing their business needs, and with the right questions, they may turn into solid sales leads.

Every unique individual deserves a distinctive approach to telemarketing, and it all comes down to having the right knowledge and skills to “assess” common behavior. The last thing a telemarketer wants is to employ a style that would “clash” with the prospective client’s personality, thus reducing chances of a potential business opportunity.