You will close the deal if you understand these 11 types of customers

The final session of TAS's Advanced B2B Sales Skills program covered 11 common customer types. One sales director closed 2 contracts with foreign companies after applying what they learned.

Last Tuesday evening was the final session of TAS's Advanced B2B Sales Skills program.

My mentee is a Sales Director at a company specializing in high-end office interior design and construction.

Over the 5 sessions, what made me happiest was not the notebooks filled with notes.

It was that they managed to close 2 contracts with 2 foreign companies.

Not by luck.

But by applying the theory to change how they consulted, negotiated, and read customer psychology — far more effectively.

In the final part of the course, we played games and discussed a very interesting topic:

11 common types of customers and how to respond to each.

Many salespeople think: "I just need to give good advice."

Wrong.

Different customers need different approaches.

The same sentence. One person likes it. Another finds it annoying. One finds it convincing. Another finds it pressuring.

THE RESERVED CUSTOMER

They talk little. They show little emotion.

Do not try to talk too much. Show professionalism, logic, and thorough preparation. They trust competence more than emotion.

THE DOMINANT CUSTOMER

They like to control the conversation.

Be open. Communicate directly. Do not try to lead too much. Let them feel like they are the one in control.

THE SKEPTICAL CUSTOMER

They always ask: "Is this really true?" "Is there any risk?"

At this point, salespeople need confidence. No beating around the bush. No vague answers. The clearer, the better.

THE POLITE CUSTOMER

Do not mistake politeness for agreement.

Many salespeople hear a gentle tone and think the deal is close. Not necessarily.

With this group, sincerity always works better than sales techniques.

THE DETAIL-ORIENTED CUSTOMER

This is the type that makes many salespeople sweat.

I remember a real case from a mentee.

The customer was German.

In an online meeting that lasted nearly 3 hours, they asked about every clause in the contract. Every payment term. Every implementation commitment. Every possible risk.

Some questions were repeated multiple times from different angles.

If you lack patience, it is easy to get frustrated.

But my mentee calmly answered every question. Clear. Easy to understand. Logical. Backed by real evidence. With explanations of causes and solutions.

After nearly 3 hours, the customer said: "I feel very reassured working with you."

Detail-oriented people are not difficult. They just need enough information to feel safe.

Author

Ai Base Network (ABN), ABN ASIA was founded by people with deep roots in academia, with work experience in the US, Holland, Hungary, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. ABN Asia is where academia and technology meet opportunity. With our cutting-edge solutions and competent software development services, we're helping businesses level up and take on the global scene. Our commitment: Faster. Better. More reliable. In most cases: Cheaper as well.

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