How a personality model can help your real estate sales

Are you a green, blue, gold or orange?

According to sales expert and author Stu Schlackman, we are all one of these colors, or even a combination of them, and the personality traits associated with these colors impact how we make sales decision. By determining your client’s color, you will be able to better understand them and how to make a sale.

How do you know what color a client is? Schlackman said first, determine how the client communicates. Blues are typically sociable, casual, sincere and genuine, while golds are very formal, structured, firm and controlled. Greens are analytic, inquisitive and curious, and oranges are bold, energetic and persuasive optimistic.

“For the same house, you have to show it differently to each color. You see the differences why they buy. They buy based on their personality; it’s how they make decisions. Golds and oranges are fast buyers, while greens and blues are slow to make decisions. It’s a lot of fun once you realize their color,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to figure what color they are. In the beginning, I will move at a decent pace. I will listen closely to their words. I won’t pressure them, but I will be direct, and answer their questions. Once I determine what color they are, I will test the waters. ‘When are you planning to make a decision? How do you want to move forward?’ Let them lead the way.”

Once you determine a client’s color, how you communicate is important. “For blues, maintain good eye contact, listen well, build trust, never force them into a decision, let them lead, and know they value honesty,” he said. “Slow down.”

For golds, he suggested being more direct and firm. “Focus on bottom line, know what are they looking for, and focus on return on investments. You can ask them to make a decision.”

As for oranges, you can push them into making a decision if you get excited, he said. “Oranges are impulsive. Don’t be detailed, they are big-picture people. Center on them. Always about them. Why wait? They don’t like to wait.”

Finally, move slowly if you identify your client as a green. “Spend a lot of time answering their questions,” he advised. “They won’t commit right away, they will probably visit same house three times, because they figure they missed something. They are known for perfectionism, wanting details and wanting facts. Be able to answer their questions.”

And if you’re just not sure what color they are? “Adjust accordingly and then adapt. It’s not what they want, but why,” he said.