Understanding the Modern Buyer: A Shift Towards Personalization

By Cal Thomas, Sandler Morristown
Have you ever instantly "clicked" with someone during a sales call or meeting, feeling like you both spoke the same language? Most salespeople we talk to quickly answer “yes.” If that's you, please take a moment now to remember that experience of easy communication and seemingly effortless, strong rapport. Then, maybe think for just a minute or two more about the opposite scenario. Ever met someone you just couldn't gel with right from the start? Someone who didn't “get” you, or vice versa?

Here again, most salespeople have no difficulty coming up with an example. But the memory in this case usually isn't as pleasant. Whether it’s a client, prospect, or even a colleague or a manager, it’s tough when conversations feel more like clashing than syncing. 

Why do these dynamics happen? What “language” are we speaking—or failing to speak – in each situation? More importantly, can we turn those challenging interactions around and make them as easy and comfortable for both sides as the times when we instantly “clicked” with a buyer?

Yes, we can! The key lies in one of the most effective tools available to sales leaders today—the DISC behavioral profiling system. 

This simple yet powerful tool helps us decode behavioral styles: our own and those of people we interact with. DISC paves the way for improved interactions and better sales outcomes by categorizing behavior into four types: Dominant, Influencer, Steady Relator, and Compliant. By understanding these profiles, and learning to recognize them, we can tailor our approaches to better align with the communication styles of different individuals. 

• Dominant (D): Individuals with a strong Dominant profile are results-oriented, prefer to lead, and enjoy challenges. They are decisive and value competency and efficiency. In sales interactions, they respond well to confident, direct communication that respects their time and gets straight to the point. 
• Influencer (I): Those who strongly exhibit the Influencer trait are enthusiastic, optimistic, and like to collaborate. They are effective communicators who enjoy engaging with others and are often persuasive. Sales strategies that allow them to express their thoughts freely and focus on relationship-building tend to be most effective. 
• Steady Relator (S): This trait is characterized by calmness, reliability, and a supportive nature. Individuals with this profile value stability and consistency. They tend to be strong team players. They prefer a thoughtful, methodical approach; they respond well to personal and genuine interactions that build trust over time. 
• Compliant (C):  Individuals who show up as "high C” are detail-oriented, organized, and careful. They value precision and accuracy. In sales situations, they appreciate a detailed, logical approach that provides plenty of data and evidence to support claims. (By the way: “Compliant” describes this group's desire to make decisions that comply with existing precedents and systems ... not their likelihood of agreeing to the suggestions of salespeople!)

Understanding these DISC profiles, and the way they sometimes mix or overlap, enables us to adapt our communication to match the preferences of different buyers and influencers, thereby building stronger relationships. 
 
DISC Means Deeper Connections: Tailoring our communication strategy to identify and match the DISC profile of a specific contact doesn't just improve rapport and make misunderstandings less likely — it deepens personal connections. We learn to meet each buyer or influencer in their communication comfort zone – which is not necessarily the zone we instinctively favor.  When people feel heard, validated, and respected, they’re more likely to open up to us.

DISC Means Better Outcomes: Understanding DISC profiles enables us to customize our messaging precisely to each client’s decision-making style. For instance, a Dominant profile might require a concise, direct, and result-oriented approach, while a Steady Relator profile would respond better to a slower, more relationship-focused, reassuring approach. By aligning our communication with individual behavioral tendencies, we increase our chances of achieving better sales outcomes. 

DISC Means More Lasting Client Relationships: Learning the “languages” that allow us to adjust our approach to the behavioral style of each contact (not just those we share a DISC style with) helps us create relationships that last. DISC helps us create personalized interactions that support a deeper ongoing level of trust and connection, which is a crucial part of improving long-term engagement, loyalty, customer satisfaction, and brand advocacy.

Leveraging DISC Means Competitive Advantage: Integrating a deep understanding of DISC gives us a competitive edge. By comprehensively understanding the diverse behavioral styles of everyone we interact with (not just potential clients), we can more effectively tailor our messaging and relationship strategies, anticipate concerns, and identify and resolve problems more quickly. This sets us apart from competitors still employing a “one-size-fits-all" strategy. In actuality, this is a “my-style-fits-all" strategy that typically overlooks the behavioral "languages” of 75% of contacts! With the insights you glean from DISC, you’re not just selling; you’re connecting on a human level, understanding the unique languages of behavior that  drive a particular individual’s decision-making. 

DISC, in short, is a game-changer. Ready to turn its insights into action? You may want to take a look at our in-depth whitepaper, '5 Secrets to Sales Success Using DISC’. It’s packed with actionable strategies for using DISC to craft personalized selling  approaches that resonate with each unique buyer/influencer.  You can download it here.