One of the many skills often overlooked by typical MLM companies is understanding personality types, or ‘colors’ by which they are more easily remembered.
Actually being able to determine your prospect’s personality type within the first minute or so of a conversation will go a long way to your success at building their trust in you, and your long term relationship with them. It is a key skill in being able to successfully convert your leads.
Whether you ultimately want them to join your opportunity or just to buy your product, your goal is trust. And beyond that, for someone joining your business, your successful working relationship depends heavily on your listening and understanding their basic needs according to their personality type.
Remember, it is polite to talk to prospects about the things they are interested in – and impolite to talk to prospects about the things they are not interested in.
There are four basic personality types, and most often there is one that is most prevalent in someone while they may have components of all four. There are ancient terms for these types, sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic, but they are named for colors because they are much easier to remember.
Open / Self-contained and Direct / Indirect
One way that you can use to determine someone’s personality types within the first minute or two of conversation is whether they are open or self-contained, and whether they are direct or indirect in their responses.
‘Open’ means that they will freely give answers to your questions, while ‘self-contained’ means they will not elaborate, only answering questions with limited information. If they are self contained, it will take you three or four questions to get the information you could in one with an open person.
“Direct” means that they will tell you every detail about themselves and their day, whether you asked or not. “Indirect” means they will tell you only limited bits of information about themselves.
The four basic personalty types
- Yellow (phlegmatic) – These are the natural born caretakers, and consistently demonstrate more concern for others than for themselves. They are very sensitive, and not so concerned about money as about relationships and teamwork. They represent 35% of the population. They don’t like aggressive people. and absolutely hate to be ‘sold’. They are open and indirect in conversation. They make decisions based on emotion, and very slowly.
- Green (melancholic) – These are the analytic thinkers, the data miners, engineers, scientists and lawyers. They always want more information about everything they are looking at. They are often melancholy and sometimes depressed or lonely. They make up 35% of the population. They don’t like pushy people, and do not like to be ‘sold’. They are self-contained and indirect in conversation. They make their decisions based on facts, and very slowly.
- Blue (sanguine) -These are the social animals, craving constant contact with people. Fun is a must in their day, in everything they are doing. Their body language is always very expressive. They make up 15% of the population. They also do not like to be sold. They are very open and direct. They make their decisions based on emotions, and very quickly.
- Red (choleric – These are the natural born leaders, the CEOs and executives, the top ranking sales people. They enjoy talking about themselves and their achievements, and they typically do not think they have anything to learn, and normally not open to coaching. They make up 15% of the population. One third of them do not like being sold either. They are self-contained and direct. They make their decisions based on facts, and very quickly.
Something to keep in mind with the yellows, blues and greens all recoiling at the feeling they are being ‘sold’, it is important to learn what to say to these people to put them at ease, and make them want to hear more about what you have to offer.
You need to be leading with the benefits that their particular color type will be drawn to. For one thing you want have is a compensation plan that works for most of the personality types, rather than the type of plan that works best for the Reds. You want a compensation plan that pays the most to part timers.
For each color there are things you should definitely say, and things you should never say! For examples, never tell yellows what they can make. This will turn them off immediately. Rather, tell them about how they can position themselves to spend more time with their family, stay at home with their kids, etc.
The Binders, Grinders, Finders and the Minders
Another way to remember these personality types is to remember these rhyming words:
Binders, Grinders, Finders and Minders.
- The Yellows are Binders because they like to have everyone get along and work in a team.
- The Greens are the Grinders because they will grind through all the data and process the facts.
- The Blues are the finders because they will find everything that is fun and interesting, forgetting to follow up or go back and categorize or organize the information gathered.
- The Reds are the Minders because they will mind the books and records.
Keep in mind that this is not intended to put anyone in a box, because we all exhibit all of the primary personality colors. But at times in our lives we are normally predominant in one color or two. This should help you to understand people and interact better, whether in personal or professional relationships.
To learn more about this and other critical skills in your path to success in this industry, sign up for my free eBook in the capture form on this page!
Wishing You Powerful Success!
Coach Freddie (28)
Oliver Tausend (28)
Amy Hagerup (24)
Gabriele Maidecchi (24)
Chris Fairchild (21)
Jennifer May (20)
John Engle (18)
Ryan Yokome (17)
Audrey Ross (15)
Steve Nicholas (15)
Vicki…this is a great post my friend. You are so right that there are completely different people in this world. I read about this sort of thing in a book once called “Mastering the Game” but I really like your rhyming scheme. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks Aaron for your kind comment! It’s true, people are each different and therefore to make the best of relationships with them, this just helps to understand them and their needs better.
Of course, this actually helps in personal relationships as well as in business!
Wishing you every happiness and success!
Vicki
Thanks Vicki,
I’ll keep these points in mind when approaching people in the future. My question Vicki, is there anyway/system taht can help us to honestly and objectively evaluate oue own colour and the degree of each colour we possess?
I think if you study it you get a very good sense of one’s primary and secondary colors by talking to them just in the first minute (knowing some key questions to ask which is part of the training). But the point is not to box us into colors and degrees of such, but to open our minds to what they mean in regard to our relationships. Everyone has some of every color in their personalities, and in different times of our lives we exhibit more one than another. Think of yourself as a kid, then a teenager, then a young adult, etc. You might realize you have had different (or the same) primary and secondary colors. It should just help you to deal with people in a more effective manner, particularly in building trust. I feel that I am more green than blue some days, more blue than green others, and then mostly yellow, depeinding on the situation and even who I might be spending time with!
Hi Vicki
I remember doing a workshop to newbie internet marketers about 10 years ago on color in marketing – the power of color on sales/marketing and the subconscious as it pertains to buying. It really is powerful stuff!
I love this spin on color psychology – how it identifies people’s personality traits and helps us relate to them (market to them) better. Thank you so much for this!
Many blessings,
Dee – HealWorldNet on Twitter
Superb post. I happened to come across this information during a personality workshop. I like the way you’ve related the entire thing to marketing and sales. Glad I’m following you on Twitter.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t some of this based on Sun Tzu’s teachings? At least that’s what the workshop people said.
Thank you Pushan! I’m glad we’re Twitter friends as well! On your question of the basis on Sun Tzu, I had not heard that, but you are probably right!
This is great, Vicki. So glad you’re putting this personality styles thing out for consideration in this context. I love this whole topic, and the way it applies in so many areas. It really helps when we can see that some of the puzzling differences which surface when we’re dealing with others are just that — differences — and not bad/good, wrong/right. Love your “binders/finders/minders/grinders”!
In response to themortgagedoc’s question about a “system”, I’d like to mention that Inscape’s DiSC Sales Profile is another rich source of information about this; it delves into your personal style and how it “lands” on others, plus helps you recognize and understand the other styles and what makes them tick, and offers tips for how you can interact most effectively with each style. For anybody who sells or delivers services to clients, it’s really helpful. I know lots of people who’ve benefited from it. Recommend it highly.
Thank you Beth! I appreciate your help in answering the ‘system’ question as well!
To your awesome and lasting success!
Vicki
Hi Vicki,
thanks for sharing the colour technology with the world. This system helped me to understand myself and others people better, and that’s a great win. Keep up your great work.
Take care
Oliver
Oliver,
Thanks so much! You bet, this is a skill that everyone needs to know! It’s in our free training but it’s such an intriguing topic it does make for good writing!
Have an awesome day!
Vicki
Vicki,
This is great. The way you broke it down is so
important and I shared this so others can benefit
from it.
I was on a training call and we decided which prospects
were which personality. We really learned about
how people are and helped talk to them on future
calls.
Thanks for the value
Tommy D.
Thank You Tommy! I appreciate your sharing the post too! Yes it does help us to understand the personality types, it helps us not only to listen which is an extremely important skill particularly in this business but also to gain confidence in our own posture, also crucial to our success.
Thank you for your comments and support!
Hi Vicki!
I just wanted to drop by to say ‘hi’ & to also support your Personality Colors blog post…KUDO’s @ you.
My favorite color is Blue & I do love to interact/engage with people online. Also, if I am not having fun in what I am doing…then what’s the point?
Have a pleasant day…your tribal friend Steven Suchar
Thanks so much Steven!
My favorite color is Blue too, you are right, you have to enjoy what you are doing or there is no point, you will not be successful at it!
Have a wonderful day yourself!
Vicki, just yesterday I was reading about different personalities related with colors. And today I get your post, love law of attraction how it works without even asking! I think that before going out and talk with prospects each one of us should know what color are we? what characteristics we feel most likely to and why. Self evaluation would be great, that is what I am doing. Because this also helps us in the way for knowing and communicating with other colors. What do you think about this? Great post, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Ceci for your comment! You have the right idea, if we understand our own prominent character traits we’re more likely to be able to easily communicate and have successful relationships with others!