(ounlel The four faces at your counter

By Mike Dandridge

THE secret to a successful distribuI torshio is twofold.

(l) Knbw your customers' preferences.

(2) Continually work toward satisfying those preferences.

The challenge, of course, is to determine what are those preferences. Such an undertaking may seem daunting, if not impossible.

Fortunately, there are psychological profiles that offer insight into the decision-making process of certain personality types. Known as personas, these personality types can be divided into four core categories: the Conductor, Illuminator, Resistor and Adaptor.

The Conductor

When this customer walks up to the sales counter, he's in a hurry to get material and get back to the job. The Conductor is the most likely to complain after a distributor rearranges the sales counter. Knowing where everything is displayed gives him a sense of control, and the Conductor likes to be in control.

He also likes to negotiate. Holding up a drill, nut driver set, or the latest piece of test equipment, he asks, "What's my price?" Highly competitive, the Conductor looks for products that give him an edge. Don't try to sell him because he resents feeling pressured. Instead, be knowledgeable about your product, give him the nofrills bottom line, and let him decide.

The Conductor enjoys a good argument, so be aware of his sledgehammer-subtle attempts to start a debate over new school products versus old school. Often this individual is a foreman or the owner of the company.

Since the Conductor likes to be in charse. this customcl is the lcast fie, qucr)tl\ lirurrtl irr thr'e()ilntct as it is rnorc his stylc to sencl son'rcone else to pick up sLrpplics. Bettef yct, hc ',voulcl t'athcr thc distributor brin-u the ntatcfiai to thc job si1c. Gct the Concluctor in and or,rt as quickll as possible.

What to look.for:

. Fast-paccd rvalk

. Functi<tnal clothin-g: ivork shirt. boots

' An1 :igrt of uulholit)

Seriulrs tacial cxpressron

The Luminator

TI'ris custorner likcs to announcc his arrivai. shouting sontcthing likc. "Arc rve having firn vct'1" us hc crosses thc thresholcl into thc bnrnch. Hc en.jor,s sales countcrs that are livcly and activc. ancl if vorrrs is boring. hc'll go somervhclc else

All custontcrs shoultl bc grcetecl as soon as they cntcf thc salcs coLlnter. espccialll thc LLrnriltator'. Hc likcs attention ancl it'hc doesn't fccl likc hc's rcceiving it. a.uain. he'll -9o sonrc*'here elsc.

Why calcr to this pclsctn'l Bcciilrsc he ': e r el') ()ll(] '\ llrvtlt'ile ( u\t()nlct. Thc Luminatol is Iikablc. his enthusiasnr contagious. He likcs to havc fun. ancl hc likcs to spcncl rnoncy. His rnatcrial list. cornposcd 0n thc back ol' a tast-lirod sack or a tx4. is onlr,a suggesti()n. a sti||tills point. Hc pro viclcs a running colnmcntar,\'ls hc recitcs each itcr.n on his list. often tirkin-e otf on unrelatecl tan-qcnts. It's up to the salcspcrson to kccp thc I-unrinator on tnrck. Ask qucstions that lcad back to thc ctrcler at hand.

Scll ncw ploduct to thc Lulninator br pointine out thc "cool fuctor" ol'the itcrn. 'Ihc Luntinator ntakcs thc ntost spontaneous and irnpulsc buys of irll