Exploring the 3 Different Types of Sales People: Which One Are You?

At D2DCon, we believe sales isn’t just a job—it’s an art form. Every conversation is a canvas where you connect, understand, and solve problems using your words and ideas. You can be the best in your field or settle for average. But your choices dictate whether you’ll be the superstar sales advisor everyone trusts or just another name on a business card.

Let’s discuss how you can avoid career potholes and be the best version of yourself by identifying what type of sales professional you are.

1- A Know-it-All or One Who Knows 

Among the types of sales people, some stop learning after onboarding, thinking they know all there is to know, and those who continuously expand their knowledge to set themselves apart.

As a newbie, you learn how to pitch your company’s solutions and their features and benefits. It’s easy to fall into the trap of just knowing the basics about your product or service.

But that’s not enough to impress your clients. They can find that information on your website or from your competitors. 

They need you to tell them what they don’t know. 

You see, too many salespeople stop learning after their onboarding. 

They think they know everything they need to know to sell. 

They don’t bother:

• Researching their prospects, challenges, opportunities, or goals. 

• Asking questions, listening, or understanding 

Talk, talk, talk…

That’s all they do! 

But, hey, that’s not the D2DCon way! We believe in continuously seeking information and experiences that set you apart as a knowledgeable and trustworthy partner​​.

The standout sales reps are driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. 

They engage clients with meaningful conversations.

They ask thought-provoking questions, listen attentively, and seek to understand fully. They’re educators at heart, guiding their clients through the latest trends, issues, solutions, and outcomes that are most relevant. 

By positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than mere vendors, they create genuine value and cut through everyday sales noise.

The standout sales reps are driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. They don’t just present; they guide. Drawing from the ABCs of Closing principles, they use techniques like soft closes, storytelling, and listening deeply to understand their clients’ needs.

2- Self-Oriented or Client-Oriented

The distinction between types of sales people is perhaps most evident in their orientation.

Some people are self-oriented.

They only care about what they want instead of what their clients want, making them pushy, aggressive, and manipulative and forcing their solution on the clients without considering if it fits them best. 

The self-oriented don’t care about building relationships and instead focus on making transactions. 

However, the client-oriented salespeople operate differently. Taking a lesson from the Achievement Framework, they embody empathy and adaptability, recognizing that long-term success stems from creating value for clients, even if it means sacrificing short-term gains. These professionals prioritize relationships, earning trust, loyalty, and eventually, more business​.

They care about what their clients want, not what they want. They are driven by their clients’ needs, not their own needs. They are consultative, collaborative, and respectful and try to find the best solution for their clients, even if it’s not in their best interests.

They care about building relationships instead of making transactions. 

This may sound counterintuitive, but the more you focus on your clients, the more business you win. They will trust you more when you show them you care about them. When you help them achieve their goals, they will value you more. When you make them feel good, they will like you more. And when they trust you, love you, and like you, they will buy from you. 

3- The Old School Sales Rep or the New Age Sales Rep

When looking at the types of sales people, you can easily differentiate between those who cling to outdated methods and those who embrace modern sales practices.

Old-school methods might have worked, but today’s buyers are more informed and demand personalized solutions. Modern salespeople leverage tools, insights, and a client-centric mindset. They understand that success lies in offering value and addressing pain points directly, as Sam Taggart has outlined in Eat What You Kill.

Choosing a legacy sales approach is like showing up at a car dealership looking for a horse and carriage. It’s based on old methods from the 60s to 90s, which don’t meet what buyers want today.

On the other hand, using a modern sales approach gives you a considerable edge. It’s all about creating value for your clients, helping them navigate change, and making decisions they’re not used to. If you’re in sales, you’re likely to find more success with this modern way of doing things.

Sam breaks them into three categories: herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

• Herbivores rely on leads being handed to them. They sit at the dealership waiting for a customer to walk in or depend on an employer’s marketing team to provide quality prospects. As long as they’re fed a steady diet of leads, they can survive. But when the leads dry up, so do their sales.
• Carnivores eat what they kill. They generate their own business by cold-calling, knocking doors, networking, and scouring databases for prospects. Carnivores don’t worry about whether leads are good or bad because they create their own opportunities.
• Omnivores are a mix of both. They can work with provided leads but aren’t afraid to hunt when needed. While this adaptability is valuable, a true omnivore must still lean heavily on the carnivore mindset to thrive.

Most salespeople start their careers as carnivores, hunting for every sale, but many lose their drive over time and become dependent on the company to provide their meals. Once you shift from hunter to herbivore, it’s hard to go back. The highest-earning reps in any industry never let themselves slip into the herbivore mentality—they stay hungry, self-reliant, and constantly chase new opportunities​.

How to Communicate with Your Clients

Regardless of the type of salesperson you are, how you communicate with your clients influences how they perceive, trust, and buy from you. You want to communicate in a way that makes your clients feel comfortable, confident, and compelled to work with you.

Here are some tips on how to communicate with your clients effectively:

• Don’t talk too much. Let your clients do most of the talking. Listen more than you speak. Ask open-ended questions, encouraging them to share their thoughts, feelings, and needs. Show genuine interest and empathy. Don’t interrupt, judge, or argue. Summarize and confirm what you heard. 

• Don’t talk too little. Don’t be shy, timid, or passive. Speak up when you have something valuable to say. Share your insights, ideas, and stories. Teach your clients something new, challenge their assumptions, and inspire them to take action. Be confident, assertive, and persuasive. 

• Don’t talk too fast and rush through your conversation. Slow down and pause. Give your clients time to process and respond. Use silence as a tool to create tension, curiosity, and anticipation. Don’t fill the gaps with filler words, such as “um,” “uh,” or “like.”

• Don’t talk too slowly and bore your clients with long, rambling, or irrelevant stories. Keep your conversation focused, structured, and engaging. Use stories, analogies, and metaphors to make your points memorable and relatable. Use humor, emotion, and enthusiasm to make your conversation more enjoyable and lively. 

• Don’t talk too high and use jargon, acronyms, or technical terms your clients don’t understand. Don’t try to impress your clients with your knowledge, vocabulary, or credentials. Don’t make your clients feel stupid, confused, or intimidated. Use simple, everyday language your clients can easily understand and relate to. 

• Don’t talk too low and use slang, swear words, or inappropriate jokes that your clients may find offensive, unprofessional, or disrespectful. Don’t be too casual, friendly, or familiar with your clients. Use polite, respectful, and appropriate language that your clients can appreciate and respect. 

Here is a video of Brigham Lindy, a seasoned veteran in the door-to-door sales industry, sharing invaluable insights from his decade-long career. From his record-breaking summers to his strategies for maintaining a positive mindset, Brigham dives deep into what it takes to excel in sales. Watch as he discusses the importance of finding your “why,” mastering daily inputs, and staying motivated through challenges while leading by example and inspiring his team to achieve greatness.

Sales: A Job or a Craft?

Many salespeople clock in, do the bare minimum required, and clock out.

They don’t care about learning new skills, improving performance, or creating client value. They want to get paid and go home.

Some salespeople see sales as a career. They have more ambition and motivation than the jobbers. They want to advance in their organization and earn more money and recognition. They invest in their professional development and seek feedback.

But the best salespeople?

They see sales as a craft. They have a passion and pride for what they do because they view sales as an art form, not a mechanical process. They constantly hone their skills, experiment with new approaches, and learn from their mistakes. They create value for their clients by using their words and ideas to solve their problems and achieve their goals. Instead of selling products or services, they sell solutions and outcomes.

At D2DCon, we, too, view sales as a craft, an art form where every conversation is a canvas for connecting, understanding, and solving problems with nothing but your words and ideas.

Inspired by the “carnivore” mindset from Eat What You Kill, the best sales reps take control of their destiny, continuously honing their skills, experimenting with approaches, and learning from their mistakes.

These individuals see every client interaction as an opportunity to deliver tailored solutions rather than pushing products. They don’t just sell; they solve, building long-term trust along the way​.

Crafting Your Sales Identity at D2DCon

Direct sales has no one-size-fits-all strategy—what works for one person might not work for another. Some salespeople thrive in established markets, where demand already exists, making them masters of moving high-volume products. Others succeed by becoming industry specialists, leveraging deep expertise to offer tailored solutions that customers can’t find anywhere else.

The key to long-term success? Play to your strengths and understand the market. Identify your best interests, align them with people’s needs, and structure your approach accordingly. Whether you excel in a well-known product space or carve out a niche as an industry expert, your success is determined by how well you adapt and refine your strategy.

Ultimately, the type of salesperson you become is your choice—it reflects your actions, mindset, and dedication to the craft. As the Achievement Framework suggests, top performers aren’t just lucky; they combine purpose, passion, and persistence to create lasting success.

At D2DCon, we encourage you to be the kind of sales rep clients want to work with—not just another pitch they have to sit through. Join us to engage with peers, learn from industry experts, and take your sales game to the next level.