This document describes 8 different types of salespeople: The Vending Machine, The Wiki, The Schmooze, The Ego, The Bulldog, The Cheerleader, The Face, and The Time Killer. For each type, it provides a description of their personality and sales style, typical results, strengths, opportunities for improvement, and recommendations for how managers can coach each type to maximize their potential. The overall purpose is to help sales managers understand different personality types and how to identify strengths and weaknesses in order to improve sales performance.

1. Types of Sales People
Module 1
© 2008-2009 the Scarlett Road group
www.scarlettroad.com

2. Who Am I?
It is important as a sales person to be able to
identify what personality types you have., in
addition, as a sales manager, you MUST know
the drivers, inhibitors and how to manage
different personality types.
There is no one perfect type of sales person. They
all have their strengths and weaknesses.
Knowing these will help you use your strengths
to their potential and help overcome your
weakness.

3. Types of Sales People
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Vending Machine
The Wiki
The Schmooze
The Ego
The Bulldog
The Cheerleader
The Face
The Time Killer

4. The Vending Machine
This sales person does not seek leads on their own but waits for the client to walk into the
store or call up for information.
Results: Average to below average
Strengths: Always gives the client what they want, no less, no more. Clients usually
respond well to this person as they are very low pressure. Good with clients and
seems unthreatening.
Opportunities: With the vending machine’s ability to create a good rapport with clients
and sell based on need, they have great potential. The vending machine needs to
learn to obtain leads on their own and not rely on “walk-ins”. In times of economic
difficulty, the vending machine’s sales can really suffer.
What to Do: The vending machine needs to recognize that to achieve their own personal
WIN they need to do more than the minimum. They will be very successful when
marketing campaigns are driving calls or traffic but are at a loss otherwise. Have a
good conversation about this persons needs and what motivates them. Give them the
tools, such as lead generation skills and rapport building skills showing them how this
will help them achieve those needs.

5. The Wiki
This sales person has a wealth of knowledge that they love to share. They love to write
long letters and have long conversations about why their product is the one to buy.
Results: Average
Strengths: Excellent resource for information. The client always knows the full story
before they make a decision. Good at establishing leads as they are always willing to
share their knowledge on the street or over the phone.
Opportunities: Sometimes the Wiki can make a client feel stupid and talk themselves
right out of sales. The wiki needs to learn better fact finding so that they can convey
the right information to clients, not all of the information.
What to Do: The wiki needs to recognize that to achieve their own personal WIN they
need to build relationships with their clients to encourage a higher close rate as well
as build client loyalty. Providing a Wiki with rapport building tools and “Show Your
Client” tools will allow them to set up the relationship with their client and know what
to say and how to present the sale without talking themselves out of it.

6. The Schmooze
This sales person is everybody’s best friend. They use their relationships to
close deals and uncover opportunities.
Results: Above Average
Strengths: Excellent ability to create a strong rapport with clients. The
Schmooze leverages their relationships to draw in clients and to get
referrals.
Opportunities: Sometimes the Schmooze can be viewed as manipulative and
slimy. As they are so focused on relationships they are always sure to get
their client what they need but are the first to offer a promotion because of it.
What to Do: The Schmooze is already very good at building relationships with
clients and closing sales, they need to focus on achieving a better balance
between the needs of themselves, the client and the business. I would start
off by explaining this to them, knowing why we do something is the first step
in teaching, and then give them the tools they need to close sales without
relying on promotions, but instead, using the great rapport they have built.

7. The Ego
This sales person has a wealth of knowledge, clearly believes in their product
and is personally insulted if others don’t share their enthusiasm. Does not
care if the client likes them or not because they think they are always right
and anyone who disagrees is stupid.
Results: Above Average
Strengths: Strong ability to be viewed as a subject matter expert. Very
thorough in their sales and is quite relentless in overcoming clients
objections.
Opportunities: Not very strong in creating client rapport aside from being
viewed as an expert. Can be viewed as arrogant and pushy.
What to Do: Make sure you don’t tell the Ego what they are doing wrong! This
will get their back up and make them unwilling to listen. The ego is good at
closing sales and overcoming objectives as they are relentless, but if you
want long lasting relationships with clients, you have to help the ego see the
value of rapport building and give them the tools to get there.

8. The Bulldog
This sales person is relentless, never gives up and will do whatever it takes to
make the sale.
Results: Above Average short term. Below average long term.
Strengths: Amazing ability to generate leads. The Bulldog never says die and
will keep trying for the sale long after many would have given up.
Opportunities: The Bulldog is often seen as pushy and aggressive. Long term
clients and loyalty are not their strong suit. The Bulldog will exhaust all of
their resources fairly quickly and has a tendency to burn out.
What to Do: The Bulldog needs to slow down! Take their time building a
relationship with their clients to help with long term loyalty. The Bulldog is
very results oriented and needs to see that a good rapport with a client is
worth while. Give them the tools to “Sell Smarter” so they can take
advantage of every client contact instead of bulling the clients they speak to.

9. The Cheerleader
This sales type is very personable and tends to have a very good attitude
towards work. This type can sometimes be mistaken as a vending machine.
Results: Average
Strengths: Able to build a very strong rapport with clients. Very personable and
truly believes in their product. The Cheerleader is very positive and their
excitement is often contagious.
Opportunities: Though the cheerleader is very good at keeping clients happy
and is excellent at developing loyalty, (more so that the vending machine)
they are not proficient at generating their own leads and waits for leads to
come to them. Once they have a lead – look out!
What to Do: the Cheerleader lives for encouragement and positive
reinforcement. Don’t stop giving it to them. They can easily get burnt out if
they don’t feel appreciated. Give the Cheerleader lead generation skills to
help keep them focused. Leverage their talents by allowing them to prime
client loyalty and client appreciation initiatives.

10. The Face
This sales style uses charm to attract clients and to close sales.
Results: Above Average
Strengths: The face is extraordinary at using their natural charm to
attract clients and to talk them into a sale.
Opportunities: Similar to the schmooze, the face tends to build
relationships with clients to gain their trust and take their
recommendation. However, the face tends to create short lasting
relationships without much follow-up thus, not much repeat
business.
What to Do: The Face is hard to coach as they typically are very good
at their job. The two things to focus on are; keep them inspired and
make sure they do any follow-up activates they need to for clients.
The Face has a tendency to get side tracked.

11. The Time Killer
The time killer is present to get their pay check and do the absolute minimum to
get it.
Results: Below Average
Strengths: Usually has above average attendance and is a steady worker –
never extraordinary but steady.
Opportunities: The Time killer does not like to take suggestions and is not big
on going over and above the call of duty. The hardest thing is to find a way
to inspire them.
What to Do: The hardest of all to inspire. The time killer does not have passion
for their work and does not want to spend more time at work than they have
to. So what to do… before skills teaching, you have to focus on their needs;
why do they come to work, what is their definition of success, why did they
choose to work where they do. Once you have some answers, coach to
these needs and wants in relation to the business needs. If the time killer
sees this, then re-evaluate their skill needs.