Marketing | PERSONALITY TYPES
A Marketing Typology

This set of four Personality Types, clearly similar to the four temperaments of antiquity, is taught to the sales personnel of a prominent international company. It is used in marketing to evaluate an office manager and quickly determine the most effective pitch to make a sale. Now, with respect to eMarketing, where there is no face-to-face meeting, the utility of the schema is obviously limited. This typology finds application in general marketing, in negotiations, in situations that require rapid assessment of motivation and intent.

The first table shows the four types and their respective descriptors. I've correlated each type with its ancient equivalent in the second table, which summarizes the types and suggests the appropriate pitch for each. Judgments of type and selection of the pitch should take place, it is said, within the first eight seconds of contact.

Study of the four temperaments reveals that most people evince characteristics of two or more, rarely just one. The same applies in this typology. Nonetheless, the schema presents useful categories and descriptors that might provide insight.

Apply the schema to yourself first, see if it works for you. Perhaps one of the four types will seem more "dominant" than the others. Maybe three will seem strong and the fourth will not appear to apply. Simple schemata of this sort sometimes enable us to sort observations and facilitate preliminary, chiefly intuitive insights, but no such schema is definitive in the evaluation of personality or intrapsychic dynamics. Any attempt to fit oneself or others into a static mold is inevitably problematic.

Even so, it's an interesting exercise. If you'd like to learn more about these four types, read the descriptions of basic strengths and weaknesses developed by Peter Urs Bender.

Art of Relating Amiable Analytical Driver Expressive Appearance casual/ conforming formal/ conservative business-like fashionable/ stylish Work space personal/ friendly structured/ organized busy/ structured stimulating/ cluttered Pace slow/ easy slow/ systematic fast/ decisive fast/ spontaneous Priority maintain relationship task/ process task/ results relationship/ interacting Fears confrontation embarrassment loss of control loss of prestige Under tension will submit withdraw/ avoid dictate/ assert attack/ be sarcastic Seeks attention accuracy productivity recognition Gains security by close relationships preparation control flexibility Wants to maintain relationships credibility success status Supports his/her feelings thoughts goals ideas Likes you to be pleasant precise to the point stimulating Wants to be liked correct in charge admired Irritated by insensitivity/ impatience surprises inefficiency/ indecision inflexibility/ routine Measures person's worth by compatibility with others precision/ accuracy results/ track record recognition/ compliments Decisions are considered deliberate definite spontaneous

Low Caring Low Control Analytical Melancholic more cautious, threatened by change factual, preoccupied by detail logic & facts have higher priority than relationships be organized, prepared Driver Choleric driven, task-oriented individuals willing to take risks needs to be in control strong, forceful "Here are your options, what do you want to do?" keep relationship business-like get right to the point Amiable Phlegmatic prefer status quo, like the world as it is easy-going but cautious about making decisions don't enjoy conflict, don't like saying "No" relationship-driven, need to trust you first offer personal assurances that you stand behind your decision Expressive Sanguine lively, social individuals who love to talk, thus ask questions conceptual, spontaneous prefer variety over routine be stimulating, lively & enthusiastic don't focus on little details, paint the big picture High Control High Caring

NOTE: If you're interested in further exploration of typologies, read an overview of the Enneagram