---
title: "Character Determines Sales Style"
description: "This article explores whether personality determines sales success, arguing that while character does not dictate sales ability, it shapes distinct sales styles. It outlines four personality types—Power, Popular, Peaceful, and Analytical—and their corresponding sales approaches, emphasizing that diverse teams and market adaptability are key."
author: "孔庆奇"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
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published: "2015-01-02"
language: "en"
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# Character Determines Sales Style

> This article explores whether personality determines sales success, arguing that while character does not dictate sales ability, it shapes distinct sales styles. It outlines four personality types—Power, Popular, Peaceful, and Analytical—and their corresponding sales approaches, emphasizing that diverse teams and market adaptability are key.

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“What personality is suitable for a career in sales?” “What kind of person can excel in sales?”
This seemingly professional yet non-professional question is pondered by many who are interested in sales and professionals alike. A quick internet search will show that discussions on this topic are abundant. In fact, the question itself is not the key; rather, the way it is posed is leading, with a tendency to assume that “character determines sales.” But I would like to ask: Does character really determine sales?

Character Does Not Determine Sales
Indeed, when people think of sales, they often imagine talkative, aggressive individuals; companies also tend to hire extroverted, bold, and thick-skinned people for sales roles. Everyone equates salespeople with those adjectives. They believe that salespeople must proactively interact with all kinds of strangers, so an extroverted personality is essential. Conversely, introverts are considered unsuitable for sales, as if “sales” has nothing to do with them.

This has historical roots. In the early stages of sales development in China, both salespeople and their trainers and managers lacked depth and professionalism. The generation that bore a specific historical mission had to choose a “shortcut” or “quick fix” because the market demanded immediate results. Thus, those who appeared to be successful in sales were those with good verbal skills, extroverted personalities, and the ability to go door-to-door. This concept has been passed down through generations. In reality, this is a misunderstanding. Even if we follow the great directive of Chief Architect Deng Xiaoping to “let some people get rich first,” how can we define it as “only those people can get rich”? This idea must be stopped!

Looking at the world, we see that among extroverts there are top salespeople, but among introverts there are also top salespeople. For example, Joe Gandolfo, one of America's top ten salespeople, is a typical introvert. He described himself as “mumbling, lowering his head when meeting people, and not daring to speak loudly,” yet he achieved great success. There are also many other top salespeople who are not necessarily fully extroverted. In Japan, a company surveyed over 100 of its salespeople and found that sales performance depended on sales willingness rather than introversion or extroversion; those with poor sales results often lacked ambition. Character does not determine sales; it only shapes different sales styles. These various styles may be perceived as “suitable or unsuitable” based on our subjective views.

Character Determines Sales Style
Now, let's explore the classification of human personalities and the sales styles they form.

As we know, personalities are divided into extroverted and introverted. However, we cannot ignore that even within the same personality type, people have different thinking angles—whether they focus more on things or on interpersonal relationships, i.e., “task-oriented or people-oriented.” A scientific approach is to use extroversion/introversion as the vertical axis and task/people orientation as the horizontal axis. This creates four quadrants of personality: extroverted and task-oriented is called “Powerful” personality; extroverted and people-oriented is called “Popular” personality; introverted and people-oriented is called “Peaceful” personality; introverted and task-oriented is called “Analytical” personality. The basic characteristics of these personalities are:

“Powerful” personality: Generally strong ambition, likes risk, proactive, competitive, prefers to control the overall situation and give orders, dislikes maintaining the status quo, but has strong action orientation and will go all out once goals are set. Their weakness is being dictatorial and uncompromising, making them prone to conflicts and friction.

“Popular” personality: Enthusiastic, eloquent, image-conscious, good at building relationships, enjoys making friends, compassionate, and optimistic. Their weakness is being overly optimistic and often overlooking details. They are emotionally expressive, like to show off, and are good at finding fun in work. However, attention should be paid to their mood swings and preventing detail errors.

“Peaceful” personality: Steady in action, not exaggerating, calm and gentle, dislikes causing trouble, kind-hearted. They are often mistaken for being lazy or inactive, but once they decide to commit, they are the best example of “a long road tests a horse's strength.” They need more attention and efforts to tap into their inner potential.

“Analytical” personality: Traditional and conservative, strong analytical skills, high precision, the best quality assurance, likes to systematize details, reserved and cautious, respects rules and loyal to duties, but may be seen as “nitpicking.” They are good at clearly analyzing and persuading others, objective and reasonable, but sometimes get stuck in a rut.

So, what sales styles do these personalities form and exhibit?

Salespeople with a “Powerful” personality are the ones who grow fastest in the early stages because they are the first to cultivate the “wilderness” with practical actions. They don't have too many “ideas,” don't waste time on “smooth talk,” and they have action. Therefore, they are often considered the most “suitable” for sales. Their style is assertive, fast-acting, self-motivated, and they become stronger with setbacks, able to self-regulate. They have strong influence. In sales, they typically get straight to the point, speak directly, and are clearly one-way sellers, lacking two-way communication. But they always control the scene and manage the situation. At work, they are energetic, positive, and self-disciplined. In a team, they are competitive, always wanting to surpass others, and more willing to challenge themselves. They are typical “do or die” types. Because they are task-oriented, they pursue results and appear utilitarian. They have a strong desire to “sell the product.” Their feeling is: they must close the deal; if there is no result, they feel no sense of achievement, and doing other things (like meetings, meals, rest) makes them uneasy. So they are diligent at work, and working overtime without complaint is fine as long as there is a result and the goal is achieved. However, they don't like too much “strategy” or “artistry,” such as hosting a dinner or setting up a situation, or waiting for a big opportunity to close. They can't stand that “torture”; they prefer quick closes and one-time sales. They can create “amazing miracles” in a short time. They are experts in “promoting and closing” in sales. Keywords to describe them: hardworking, closing, pragmatic.

Salespeople with a “Popular” personality are those who look absolutely great as sales candidates, especially in interviews; their charm is irresistible. In fact, clients also enjoy meeting with such salespeople. Calling them “smooth talkers” might be derogatory, but they do have a talent for it. They pay attention to external image and environment, focus on beautifying the process, like to create atmosphere with clients, and enjoy taking detours to add artistry. They are typical “even if the deal fails, the friendship remains.” In their eyes, there are no strangers, and they always find fun in sales work. They quickly win clients' favor and have good customer relationships. Entertainment and relationship-based sales are their favorite methods. They often discover clever sales techniques, but unfortunately, they don't consolidate or develop them because they keep finding new ones. This is due to another strength: strong immediacy and randomness. Sometimes they forget what they just said. So planning seems unnecessary to them, and they dislike making plans and preparations. It seems that results are not the most important thing to them; they often get lost in the process and forget to pursue goals. Therefore, even if they promise goals, they rarely fully deliver. Because they are people-oriented, they have many clients, but the proportion of high-quality clients is not high. Often, they talk for a long time without starting the sale, and sell for a long time without closing. Sales often stay on the surface. They are reluctant to push clients and don't rush to close deals. For them, as long as the relationship with the client is warm, they feel a sense of achievement. They lack the inner desire to guide customers to complete the sale and close the deal; closing seems to be their “weakness.” So the process feels good, but the results often disappoint managers. “Likes sales, but no performance” is often said about them. In sales, they are experts in “conference marketing and early-stage customer development.” Keywords: diligent, sales-oriented, good-looking.

Salespeople with a “Peaceful” personality are those who don't look like ideal sales candidates, often overlooked in interviews. I like to call them “peanut people”—you can't tell from the outside; you have to look inside. Whether in internal meetings or with clients, they speak little. If a manager asks if they have confidence, it often leads to silence. So managers often think they are hard to motivate and mistakenly consider them unambitious. No matter what changes in the external environment, you won't see much change in them because they lack the willingness and ability to show changes immediately. Since their action is not strong, they have fewer clients. If they do have clients, they are usually high-quality. Their special sales method is “nurturing clients”—slowly cultivating and managing clients. They have patience and are typical “treat others as you want to be treated, exchange sincerity for sincerity.” They never exaggerate product benefits and prefer to tell the truth. They don't think too big, but a long road tests a horse's strength. As long as they are willing, or clients are willing to stay in contact, the relationship is usually good. They are the most trustworthy salespeople, people-oriented and low-key, down-to-earth. They are also excellent listeners. Don't despise them for not being talkative, even appearing a bit clumsy, thinking they are not cut out for sales. You might be wrong. When they are with clients, it's usually the client who talks, the client who “sells.” They are always composed and can withstand pressure. They like to think, but usually about where they need to improve. In sales, they are experts in “following up and managing clients.” Keywords: loyal, nurturing, honest.

Salespeople with an “Analytical” personality are truly “working with heart,” but unfortunately, it's not obvious because they don't say unnecessary “nonsense” and don't show it, but they are indeed very dedicated. If the Powerful type is externally action-oriented, the Analytical salesperson is internally action-oriented. Their minds are active before their hands and feet move, which is called “thinking to get rich.” They are typical of “precision marketing, winning respect with wisdom.” They appear to be “arrogant” salespeople; ordinary clients may not catch their eye, and they are clearly picky about clients. (Of course, ordinary clients may not fancy them either.) They focus on organizing thoughts, designing strategies, and analyzing problems. Rather than being “lazy” in action, they are “thorough” in thinking. They don't like to “play the field”; if they don't think someone is a client, they won't waste time trying. They don't “sweet-talk” everyone. For them, guessing clients' thoughts and analyzing sales problems is a pleasure; they think that's real work, while running around is “blind effort.” Because they want to “precisely manage” clients, the closing time is longer; don't get impatient. Sometimes they complicate simple clients and matters. They are experts at resolving client objections, with strong logical thinking and persuasiveness. At work, they are always writing and noting, looking serious, but you can't see what they write, and usually can't understand it. They are the type to plan before acting, emphasizing planning. They are good at analyzing things but like to argue; the fear is getting stuck in a rut. They have strong goal orientation and creativity, and are internally strong. They love to think, but about what breakthroughs can be made with clients. In sales, they are experts in “strategic analysis and objection handling.” Keywords: experienced, strategic, capable.

The Market Does Not Reject Personality
Once you understand the four personalities and their different sales styles, I think you will no longer use phrases like “suitable or unsuitable for sales.” Because each has its own strengths and stands out. Although styles differ, there is no good or bad, right or wrong. Especially for professional managers, I believe we don't have the “qualification” to comment on likes or dislikes; we should leave that judgment to the clients.

From a market perspective, the variety of clients also determines that salespeople need different styles. In fact, no single type of salesperson can dominate, because clients' personalities and needs also differ. Some clients think salespeople must be eloquent; if you can't express yourself, they think you are unqualified to serve them, either because you have a guilty conscience or lack professionalism. So such clients prefer “Popular” style salespeople. In other clients' eyes, “Popular” is exactly the image of a “street performer”; the more you talk, the more they suspect: “Look, how professionally they spin a story.” They find “Peaceful” style salespeople more reliable, appearing “steady and refined.” Some clients think salespeople should be confident, hardworking, and willing to endure hardship, so they appreciate “Powerful” style salespeople, even if they are overly enthusiastic or pushy; clients see it as valuing them. In contrast, they see “Analytical” style calmness as indifference. For other clients, they can't stand “Powerful” style salespeople, finding them too utilitarian and coercive, lacking a sense of security. They prefer the calmness of “Analytical” salespeople, as they need someone who seems “cultured” and “professional,” and they see it as respect.

It can be seen that those who adapt to pressure and like challenges will get along well with “Powerful” style salespeople; those who are accustomed to being unhurried get along well with “Peaceful” salespeople; those who value atmosphere and excitement are more compatible with “Popular” style salespeople; and those who like to seek truth and follow reason can better enter the realm with “Analytical” style salespeople.

Teams Need Personality Diversity
Yes, for individual team managers, they themselves also tend to favor a certain personality and style. Naturally, they feel comfortable with similar styles, and may feel uneasy with other styles. Especially among sales managers, there is a tendency toward “cloning” management. I think, as cultivators and managers, we should move away from personal and client-like “short-term views and individual standards.”

The so-called short-term view means clients only see the salesperson's immediate performance; they have no obligation to understand the behind-the-scenes and growth process. So sales managers should shift from short-term standards to stage or long-term planning standards. In the early stages, we usually prefer Popular and Powerful types because they are extroverted and easy to see. “Popular” gives the earliest impression, and “Powerful” gives a deeper impression. These two styles have the talent to “seize the initiative,” but in the long run, lack of stamina may become their bottleneck. However, their enthusiasm, positivity, and diligence are essential for our entrepreneurial success. Usually, in the early stages, we don't think highly of “Peaceful” and “Analytical” types because we can't immediately see what we expect from their words and actions. They are introverted and not easily visible. No matter how anxious we are, they seem “indifferent.” They may already be acting, but they neither say nor show it; they are just working hard internally. But just when our managers are about to “despair,” they suddenly make a “breakthrough,” so most managers have mixed feelings of love and hate. Their persistence, loyalty, and wisdom are also necessary conditions for our success. It is especially important to note that the earlier the stage, the more obvious and prominent these styles are. As sales experience increases, market tempering, and self-awareness, they will continuously adjust and correct themselves, cultivating themselves at a balance point. Their style will become more adaptable to the market, and they will lose the extreme individuality of the early stage. This transformation and maturity take time and a process.

The so-called individual standard means clients only “experience” sales behavior from their own perspective. Managers, however, focus on two groups: our clients and our team. We cannot stop at any individual standard. We serve a diverse group of clients with diverse needs, so we should build a “multi-functional” sales team. Only such a team can better adapt to the ever-changing modern market and truly become strong. Each style member is indispensable, such as for different work combinations at different times, different market sequences, and coordination with different clients. We must not only respect differences but also use them and unleash their potential.

In summary, the success or failure of a sales career is not determined by personality but by our willingness; personality only leads to different sales styles. I hope more people with diverse personalities join the sales force, and I hope to see a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend in the sales army. I also hope sales managers broaden the limitations of sales talent selection and cultivation, and lead a more humane, harmonious, and stronger new generation of sales teams. If the mission of salespeople is to give life to the company's various products and sell them, creating market value, then the mission of sales managers should be to tap into the unique style and charm of willing salespeople of all types, unleash their energy, and create labor value. In fact, only diversity brings creativity, and only complementarity brings true strength.

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