What's Your 'Sales Animal'?

Every salesperson has a unique selling style. To better understand what type of salesperson you are, it’s helpful to determine which animal (yes, as in animals from the animal kingdom) represents your selling style. Knowing your sales animal allows you to discover your dominant sales traits and leverage them for success.

So what type of sales animal are you? Take the quiz below to find out.

Quiz: Which Sales Animal Are You?

Select the answers that best apply to you. Then, tally up which letter of response you have the most to determine which animal you are, below the quiz.

1. What do you do to win over wary prospective clients?

A. I can usually push them a little bit more.

B. I try to better my relationship with the client.

C. I show them the extra benefits of my product/service.

D. I establish my credibility and express sympathy for the client.

2. What’s the most important skill for a salesperson to have?

A. Be assertive and confident when communicating with the client.

B. Listen carefully to the client.

C. Understand all the details and specifications of the product/service.

D. Maintain a strong relationship with the sales team to learn from one another.

3. What’s your role within your sales team?

A. I’m the breadwinner, often bringing in more revenue than my team.

B. I’m loyal to my team and on good terms with everyone.

C. I’m the go-to person for anyone who needs help in product training or mentoring.

D. I’m well respected by my team and I love when everyone is successful.

4. How do you respond to conflict?

A. I’m familiar with conflict and I find it easy to overcome.

B. I can handle conflict if it arises but prefer to avoid it.

C. I avoid conflict at all times.

D. I can take care of conflict well, though some have said I’m too aggressive.

5. Do you plan ahead?

A. No need to plan ahead. I take things as they come.

B. I try to plan ahead, but sometimes find myself not having time to.

C. I have my whole life planned out.

D. I plan for the immediate future, but not so much for the long-term.

6. How do you cope with missing your sales goals?

A. I rarely miss my sales goals. There is no excuse.

B. I lean back on my manager and peers for extra support.

C. I hone in on my sales pitch and see what I can do better next time.

D. I know why I didn’t make my goal and understand what it will take to succeed next time.

7. What do you think is most important when closing a deal?

A. My client closes with me quickly and efficiently, even if it takes some pushing.

B. My client is satisfied with the deal, even if it costs the company a bit.

C. My client knows exactly what they are getting from the product/service.

D. My client trusts me and believes that the deal will benefit them.

8. What do you wish you had more of from your manager?

A. I wish my manager would connect me with more leads.

B. I wish my manager would train me more on benefit selling.

C. I wish my manager would train me more on leadership skills.

D. I wish my manager would allow me more autonomy.

9. How do you make decisions?

A. I follow my instincts and do what comes naturally to me.

B. I consult other people and gather their opinions.

C. I analyze the facts and put my mind over heart.

D. I trust my gut, but it depends on how big the decision is and how it will affect the people around me.

Mostly A’s — The Shark

The shark knows when there’s blood in the water, and is the first to sense any sliver of opportunity. The shark aggressively pursues every deal with extreme speed and efficiency, allowing it to constantly outperform its peers.

The shark goes to all ends to achieve its goal, reflective of its highly competitive and dominant nature. Sharks also maintain momentum with eyes wide open, always keeping a lookout for the next deal. However, the shark’s assertive personality may tamper the overall customer experience.

Mostly B’s — The Dog

The dog is attentive and caring to other people’s needs, allowing them to build strong, lasting relationships with their accounts. Since the dog easily builds trust with its clients, the dog is no stranger to returning customers who keep coming back for more.

The dog also thrives from positive feedback from its clients, team members, and superiors, which motivates the dog to continue its stride. However, the dog’s focus on satisfying its existing customer base may distract it from finding new leads.

Mostly C’s — The Owl

The owl is an expert in its industries and products and loves any chance they can get to showcase their knowledge. This characteristic is valuable to customers while helping them better understand the product or service at hand — which can ultimately close a deal.

The owl’s knowledge is key to fostering customer confidence and they are motivated by their ability to do so. However, owls may require extra guidance on how to present their knowledge concisely to hold the customers’ attention, instead of overwhelming them with information.

Mostly D’s — The Lion

The lion is the born leader of the sales team not only for their outstanding performance but also for their unmatched wisdom. Lions are practical and productive — they seem to always know the right thing to do at the right time. Their presence commands respect from anyone they encounter.

Beyond striving for personal success, they also wish success for the entire sales team. However, lions may become overly defensive when their actions are challenged.

While this quiz is only a generalization of the various selling styles, it can shed light on your selling strengths and areas of improvement. It may also be helpful to understand which animal best represents other members of your sales team to uncover the dominant characteristics of your team and how you can collaborate to ensure team-wide success.

In the end, it’s best to have a mix of these sales personalities on your team to take your overall performance to the next level.