READING THE HIGH I

The high I is another behavioral style that is easy to read.  The high I, or Influential Talker, is 28% of the population, part of the 46% we call extroverts.  They are people oriented and prefer the indirect approach when given a choice.  They tend to be very disorganized so always have a backup plan when you are dealing with them.  Remember that they may be late or miss altogether the first 3 appointments you set with them.  Don’t let this frustrate you.  Call another Influencer in the local area and see if you can go to lunch with him or her, “if things break just right.”  

The high I is the most naturally optimistic person we will ever meet.  They just believe in their hearts that things will get better, no matter how bad or how good they are right now.  They don’t talk about how terrible the accident was.  They talk about how fortunate that it wasn’t a lot worse.  Tip:  Drop the word “problem” from your vocabulary when you are working with the I’s.  The word itself is so negative for them that they focus on the word “problem” and nothing else you say.  Instead, say that we have a “special challenge” or a “special opportunity.”

Influencers tend to make quick decisions and they like new and unique products or services.  They tend to notice the color red before any other.  They love glitz and pizzazz and they like to be the first on their block to have the new product.  They are very “visual” people so talk to them about how things look and how you feel about things.  “Picture this…….” is a good way to start almost any sentence.  Tip:  Always start the conversation with, “How’s it going?”  Any kind of small talk like that will get them started doing the thing they love to do:  TALK.  Just remember to bring them back to why we are talking (Ask for the order).  

Change doesn’t affect the high I much.  They may be so busy and so distracted that they don’t even notice it.  They don’t like conflict. They are great mediators.  They will always focus on the bright side of things and their natural ability to verbalize positions helps both parties reach an understanding.

Their office, their work and their life can be somewhat disorganized.  They tend to decorate their office in a contemporary manner, with lots of memorabilia of their experiences around.  Any flat spot can be a base for a pile to form.  Remember this disorganization, in the beginning you may want to contact them more often to keep from getting lost on the bottom of one of their stacks of stuff.  The high I is not very good at goal setting.  The intention is there, the planning is not.

Influencers like to read fiction and self-improvement books.  They like magazines like “People” or “Psychology Today.”  They write letters the same way they talk, lots of words with a warm people focus.  When they talk they use lots of big gestures and facial expressions.  On the phone they will use lots of tone variation in their voice to express their feelings.  High I’s tend to break the rules unintentionally, they didn’t know we had a rule about that.

The high I loves to talk, likes to get as close to you as possible, and can’t conceal their emotions.  When you read this in a person with a big smile on their face, you will usually be talking to a high I.  They don’t have the time or the interest in knowing the details so just hit the high points and ask for the order.  Well-designed brochures with colored charts, bar graphs and color-coded pie charts really get their attention.  Don’t ask them to understand the details if you can visualize your message for them.

Influencers love and live for personal recognition.  Tip:  Take every opportunity you get to notice them.  Get yourself a small laminating machine.  Anytime you see that I’s name in the paper, a trade journal or anywhere, cut it out and laminate it.  Send it to him or her with a handwritten note:  “Congrats.  Thought you would want to keep this.  Let’s talk Thursday.”

The high I is fun to work with so enjoy the experience with them.  If they get excited about your idea, you can sit back and watch them sell themselves.  Just remember some of the ideas they throw out so you can share them with other clients and prospects.   

MAKE YOURSELF A GREAT DAY!

Ron Keese