Sales training: every customer decides differently

A salesperson is quick and direct. She sends a client a three-point proposal and expects a decision the same week. One client says yes straight away. Another asks for more data for the third time. A third quietly disappears, because he had no time to consult his colleagues. The salesperson did everything the way that comes naturally to her. Her clients simply decide differently.

Most salespeople communicate with every client in their own natural style. It works with clients who are like them and loses the ones who decide differently. Insights Discovering Sales Effectiveness helps a sales team see their own selling style, notice each client’s preferred way of communicating and adapt their behaviour at every stage of the sales process. It is not a new sales script. It is the ability to listen to and understand clients more consciously.

When sales training helps

Sales go well with one group of clients, while with others deals drag on or stall.
The proposal has been sent, but the client has gone quiet and the salesperson doesn’t know why.
The salesperson talks about product benefits, while the client actually needs certainty, data or trust.
A new salesperson knows the product well but needs the skill to work with different kinds of clients.
The team has completed Insights Discovery: An Introduction and wants to use the shared language with clients too.

Every client buys differently

The training is based on the Insights Discovery® colour energy model. Everyone has all four energies, but preferences differ. This shows in buying decisions too:

A client with a preference for Fiery Red energy wants to get to the point quickly: clear benefits, results and a decision.
A client with a preference for Sunshine Yellow energy needs enthusiasm and connection: they want to see possibilities and feel heard.
A client with a preference for Earth Green energy looks for trust and security: how the decision will affect people, and whether you will still be there after the sale.
A client with a preference for Cool Blue energy needs facts, evidence and time: accurate data, comparisons and the chance to consider things calmly.

A colour energy is not a person. We don’t label clients. We use the model as a clue to what a client is telling us through their behaviour and how to communicate with them better.

The six stages of the sales process

The Insights model of selling divides a sale into six stages. In the training we look at each stage: what the salesperson does naturally and what the client needs.

Before the sale begins. You think through what communication style the client is likely to prefer and prepare accordingly.
Identifying needs. The most important stage. You ask questions so that even a cautious or quiet client tells you what they really need.
Proposing. You present the same solution in the client’s language: briefly and focused on results for one, thoroughly and with evidence for another.
Dealing with hesitation. You understand what lies behind an objection: time, risk or trust. You respond to that, not only to the question.
Gaining commitment. You neither push nor wait too long, because you know what reassurance the client needs to decide.
Follow-up. You maintain the relationship the way the client values it. That is where repeat business and referrals come from.

How we work

A short conversation. We discuss your sales process, your clients and where deals tend to stall. We check whether the team already has Insights Discovery profiles.
Personal profile. Each participant receives the Effective Selling chapter, which describes their natural selling style, strengths and development areas across all six stages. If the team has no Insights Discovery foundation yet, each participant completes a 15–20-minute online questionnaire before the training, and the workshop starts with the colour energies and the personal profile.
Workshop. We explore each participant’s selling style and its impact on clients, how our strengths can push clients away when overused, and how to recognise colour energies in client behaviour. Then we practise real client situations in groups of three.
A plan for a real client. Each participant chooses one real client and writes down how they will communicate differently with them in the next stages.

Programmes

Insights Discovery: An Introduction is the foundation. It provides a personal profile and a shared language for people’s differences.
Insights Discovering Sales Effectiveness takes that language into work with clients.
As a next step, 360° feedback lets salespeople gather feedback from clients as well.

Participants keep their personal profile. In the next programme, only the new profile chapters are added to the price.

Price

Example: Insights Discovering Sales Effectiveness for a sales team of 10 who have completed Insights Discovery: An Introduction costs from EUR 1,750 + VAT. This includes a one-day workshop (6–7 hours), the Effective Selling profile chapter for each participant and the Team Wheel. A participant without an Insights Discovery profile also needs a personal profile (EUR 100 + VAT). We agree the final price together after a short conversation. Travel outside Harju County is charged at EUR 0.50 per km.

Where the training takes place

We train sales teams across Estonia at your premises or a venue of your choice, whether in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu or elsewhere, and virtually on MS Teams. Training is delivered in English or Estonian. The ideal group size is 8–16 people.

Who leads the training

The trainer is Ertti Hermanson, the only licensed Insights Discovery practitioner in Estonia, with more than 30 years of leadership experience at Alexela, Servaali, Kaupmees & Ko and Momentin. Kvadrant Koolitus is the official Insights Discovery partner in Estonia.

Example from practice

The Estonian team of Boehringer Ingelheim (15 participants, mostly medical representatives) took part in a one-day Insights Discovery workshop in August 2026, focused on communication with clients and colleagues. Afterwards, participants committed to thinking through each client’s preferred communication style before a meeting, listening more and adjusting the pace of the conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Is the training also for people who don’t call themselves salespeople?

Yes. It suits anyone whose work depends on persuading clients and earning their trust: account managers, consultants, project managers and customer service staff. The stages of the sales process are the same even when the work is not called selling.

Does the team need to complete Insights Discovery: An Introduction first?

An Insights Discovery foundation is needed, but it can be built in the same training. If the team has completed An Introduction, the Effective Selling chapter is added to their existing profile and the workshop focuses straight on client communication. If there is no foundation yet, the training starts with the colour energies and the personal profile.

How is this different from sales technique training?

We don’t teach scripts or pressure tactics. The training adds behavioural awareness to your existing sales process. We look at how the salesperson sells and how the client buys, and bring the two together.

Isn’t this just labelling clients?

No. A colour energy is not a person, and everyone has all four energies. We use a client’s behaviour as a clue to check with questions, not as a box to put the client in.

What group size works best?

Ideally 8–16 people. For a larger sales team gathering, we design a playful custom session that doesn’t require personal profiles.

Can the training be delivered on MS Teams?

Yes. If the sales team works in different locations, the training can be delivered virtually on MS Teams. We agree the length of the online format based on your team.

How is the price made up?

The price depends on the length of the training, the number of participants and whether they already have an Insights Discovery profile. All prices are subject to VAT. We prepare an exact proposal after a short conversation.

Let’s talk about your sales team

Or email ertti.hermanson@kvadrantkoolitus.ee or call +372 51 19 878.