Have you ever wondered why there are some customers or staff members that are just hard work?

Have you ever found yourself explaining something and you notice that your message is just not getting through, even though you are making perfect sense to you?

The great news is that the solutions to these common situations is simple. 

There are only four types of people you will ever meet, and once you learn how to spot them you will find you are able to adapt your messages for the most effect.

Over the coming weeks I will explore the four types with you using a framework known as Extended DISC and share with you what makes each tick and how to use this information in your business communications.  I will show you how to get their attention and how to have them run for the hills. 

This information has application in every aspect of your business, but there are some areas where it is vital.

The first is the sales and marketing area.  Sales and marketing is a cornerstone activity of every business, irrespective of its nature.  Without clients or customers there is no business, so it makes sense that strategies to improve the effectiveness of communication to your target market has value.

Once you are able to spot the different styles, you are able to adapt your language, written messages like emails or letters, and even your marketing co-lateral for maximum impact.  Through using simple techniques and key words and phrases that resonate with your target audience you immediately improve your communication effectiveness.  The customer hears you, and even more than that, the customer gets the feeling that you are like them. 

Human beings like people who are like them, and are more likely to do business with people who they like, so any strategy that enhances this feeling in your customers must pay dividends.

Understanding  the four styles is also valuable in your own recruitment.  A high performing business is dependent on an effective, high performing team working together towards shared goals.  This means that the more cohesive the team you are able to create, the less stress created in the workplace because of behavioural style incompatibility, the better the performance of the team.

Even with the best of intentions, there are some people who will find working together stressful.  This is not a reflection on their personality, but due to their underlying natural behavioural style.  For example creating a work pair comprising someone who is very quiet and detailed oriented and someone who is big picture would be unlikely to perform at optimal effectiveness for any length of time.  It may work in the short term, but over time issues would arise that would start to impact performance.

Understanding the styles and their characteristics can also assist business owners when making decisions around staff promotions.  How often have you heard about a great technician who is performing well and who is “rewarded” with a promotion to a new managerial role, and who fails miserably?  One key reason for this failure is the natural style of the person – their natural style finds managerial work stressful, so failure is inevitable.

In my next article, I will share with you how to identify, communicate with and manage the first style – “D”.  My expectation is that in addition to learning about how to understand your staff and customers better, you will also gain insights into your own style and maybe have the odd “aha” along the way.

Until next time

Narelle.