D.I.S.C - SALES TRAINING

What is the DISC Assessment?

DISC is a behaviour assessment tool based on the DISC theory of psychologist William Moulton Marston, which centres on 4 different personality traits:

D - Dominant
I - Influencer
S - Stable
C - Conscientious

When used correctly this assessment tool can aid to improve work productivity, teamwork, leadership, sales, and communication.

DISC measures your personality and behavioural style. It does not measure intelligence, mental health or values. It's profiles describe human behaviour in various situations, for example how you respond to challenges, how you influence others, your preferred pace, what motivates you, and how you respond to rules and procedures.

Complete the D.I.S.C Test before reading more to ensure your results are not compromised:

D.I.S.C Assessment

OLIVIA VIDEO OF DISC

Motivating a Style:

Just like how each style has a way of Leading, all styles have their own motivators.

Do:

Give Immediate Feedback
Concentrate on the subject
Be Result Orientated

Dont:

Frustrate the D's desire to start action
Restrict their power
Spent time on non-essentials

Do:

Be Responsive & Listen
Give assurance
Be optimistic
Be with them all the time

Dont:

Set unnecessary restrictions
Put down their enthusiasm
React negatively

Do:

Give organised feedback
Give supporting material
Let them finish their work

Don't:

Be restless
Make sudden changes
Work against what was agreed

Do:

Give detailed information
Be open to questions
Give time to think & prepare

Don't:

Keep information to yourself
Pressure immediate answers
Expect immediate answers

Selling with Style

This section is to help you identify which style you are selling to.

"D" Customer

•Is aggressive
• May be blunt
• Is demanding
• Very impatient
• Interrupts others
• Becomes irritated easily
• Is direct, says what they think
• “What’s the bottom line?”
• Focuses on the big picture
• States own opinions as facts
• Often appears to be in a hurry
• Makes decisions quickly, almost hastily
• May talk to many people at the same time
• May have difficulty understanding others’ viewpoints/feelings

How to Sell to a "D" Customer Do's

• Be direct
• Provide alternatives
• Ensure he/she “wins”
• Give immediate feedback
• Concentrate on the subject
• Act quickly
• Let him/her speak and listen to them
• Focus on issues
• Show interest
• Provide direct answers

How to Sell to a "D" Customer Do not's

• Go into all the details
• Provide too much information
• Try to control the situation
• Talk too much
• Lose focus
• Slow down
• Take issues personally

Factors that Motivate a "D" to purchase

• Achievement
• Easiness and quickness
• Make him/her a pioneer or different from the masses
• Building status
• Possibility to win
• Ability to buy quickly and to move on
• Make him/her look strong, independent, a risk taker

"I" Customer

• Talks a lot
• Is animated
• Gets easily excited
• Is open and friendly
• Appears disorganised
• Does not listen for long
• Stays away from hard facts
• Does not pay close attention
• Jumps from subject to subject
• Does not focus much on details
• Talks about people he/she knows
• May make decisions spontaneously
• May ask the same questions several times
• May touch; comfortable with physical contact

How to Sell to a "I" Customer Do's

• Maintain positive atmosphere
• Help to achieve popularity/recognition
• Allow to express him/herself
• Take time to chat and talk
• Be more expressive
• Be more enthusiastic
• Focus on the big picture
• Focus on the people aspects
• Get involved in the process

How to Sell to a "I" Customer Do not's

• Talk about too many details
• Fail to socialise
• Bring up negative issues
• Fail to have fun
• Set restrictions
• Be pessimistic

Factors that Motivate a "I" to purchase

• Recognition
• Popularity
• Visibility
• Feelings and emotions
• Maintenance or improvement in atmosphere
• Feeling of belonging
• Testimonials and references
• Fun
• Ability to meet new people

"S" Customer

• Is easy-going
• Appears calm
• Listens carefully
• Appears thoughtful
• Nods and goes along
• “Let me think about it.”
• Likes own physical space
• Does not get easily excited
• Asks questions and enquires about the specifics
• Seems to have strong opinions but does not express them vocally
• Completely new ideas/things seem to make them uncomfortable
• Ponders alternatives, slow in making decisions

How to Sell to a "S" Customer Do's

• Proceed in logical order
• Ask specific questions to find out true needs
• Provide support
• Provide precedents to reduce uncertainty
• Remember fairness and justice

How to Sell to a "S" Customer Do not's

• Forget your promises
• Make unexpected changes
• Be unreliable
• Forget to provide enough information
• Move too fast
• Be impatient

Factors that Motivate a "S" to purchase

• Security, Reliability and Safety
• Maintenance of existing routines and systems
• Structure
• Fairness and justice
• Family-issues/feelings
• Removal of threats and uncertainty

"C" Customer

• Is quiet
• Focuses on details
• Proceeds cautiously
• Asks many questions
• Not comfortable with physical contact
• Appears reserved and somewhat timid
• May have done homework on the products/services
• Studies specifications and other information carefully
• Makes decision only after studying pertinent facts/issues
• May be very critical; criticism based on facts, not opinions

How to Sell to a "C" Customer Do's

• Listen carefully
• Answer questions calmly and carefully
• Be thorough; remember to include all relevant information
• Slow down your presentation
• Utilise written supporting materials
• Find out what the key issues are and focus on them

How to Sell to a "C" Customer Do not's

• Move too fast or too close
• Spend too much time with small talk
• Lose patience in providing all the requested information
• Expect decisions right away

Factors that Motivate a "C" to purchase

• Logic
• Plenty of information to make a “good” decision
• Clear, cold facts and details
• Factual comparisons
• Study and test results
• Security and Safety
• Clear instructions

Stressing in Style

Over the corse of time it is likely that there are going to be circumstances that cause each Style to stress in their own way (COVID 19 being a big one). Below is how to help each style deal with surrounding stressors

What could be Stressing an D?

Lack of control over a situation
appearance of being unprofessional or weak.
the possibility of being taken advantage of.
not getting definitive answers.
revisiting topics like schedules, COVID-19 responses, weather changes, politics.
interruptions
lack of independence or being able to take action.
falling into a boring, unchallenging routine.
dealing with the emotions of others.
anything that challenging their core belief of “I’m valuable if I’m producing or on top.”

What could be Stressing an I?

fewer opportunities to be social
feeling rejected even if there’s no objective evidence of it
not getting the attention they crave
lack of collaborative activities
routines feeling old, stale, or stifling
drop in energy level
not being able to follow impulses like gathering a group for happy hour or going to the gym
pessimistic or distracted attitudes of others
isolation or distance from others
fewer opportunities for self-expression
anything that challenges their core belief: I’m valuable if I can attract people.

What could be Stressing an S?

disrupted routines at work and home
all the unknowns making it difficult to plan ahead
having to multitask, especially when work-home divisions are blurred
the energy it takes to be on video calls
seeing people struggle and not being able to help
having over-committed, taken on too much at work and home
not feeling innovative, when innovation is what is needed
being unable to participate in their usual (and comforting) holiday traditions
having to work more independently, making more decisions on their own with less feedback from others
ways of maintaining positive relationships challenged by pandemic, work situations, or other changes
anything that challenges their core belief: I’m valuable if I’m accepted, if I can please.

What could be Stressing a C?

Not having all the desired facts to make decisions
Emotions displayed in response to political unrest, economic instability, mass shootings, or other news
Not knowing how best to respond to the needs of their loved ones
Anticipating more social and in-person events
Trying to show empathy via technology
Making well-considered plans then having to change them
Not being able to meet their high standards
Working under time pressure
Being unprepared
Not knowing when or how their organization will respond to changes enabled by coronavirus vaccinations
Anything that challenges their core belief: I’m valuable if I’m competent

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