How Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green personality types shape sales

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Monday 01 September 2025

Many entrepreneurs wear several hats when starting out. Not by choice, but out of necessity: there isn’t always enough budget to hire staff for every task. Sales often falls on their shoulders too, and that doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Yet, attracting new clients is crucial for success.

Understanding psychology can make a big difference in sales. Knowing what drives people and how they prefer to communicate helps in building trust and closing deals. One practical tool to support this is the 4-color personality test.

This 4 color test identifies four types: Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green. Each type has a unique way of communicating and making decisions. Learning to recognize these types—and knowing how to adapt your approach—can greatly improve your sales results.

Selling to Red personalities

  • How to recognize them: Reds are the doers. They take charge, love competition, and radiate confidence. You won’t have to tell them what to do; they’ve likely already started.
  • How to communicate: Be clear and direct. Reds respect people who know their facts and don’t waste time.
  • How to sell: Show them how your product or service helps them win or stand out from the rest. Confidence is key, and don’t be afraid to ask for the deal.

Selling to Blue personalities

  • How to recognize them: Blues are the social types who bring energy to any room. They thrive on connections, are enthusiastic, and often have large networks.
  • How to communicate: Let them talk and keep things casual. Build rapport as if you’re friends.
  • How to sell: Blues love trends and want the newest and best. Share who else is using your product or service, be enthusiastic, and keep it fun.

Selling to Yellow personalities

  • How to recognize them Yellows are the empathetic and caring types. They are warm, sensitive, and often drawn to helping others or connecting with nature.
  • How to communicate Be open and genuine. A calm tone, honesty, and positive conversations work best.
  • How to sell Focus on the “feel-good” benefits and how your product helps others. Testimonials and success stories resonate strongly with Yellows.

Selling to Green personalities

  • How to recognize them: Greens are the analysts. They value structure, order, and facts. They prefer research and data over small talk.
  • How to communicate: Be straightforward and factual. Avoid unnecessary stories or fluff. Respect their need for details and boundaries.
  • How to sell: Provide all the information they need and allow time for decision-making. Pressuring a Green will almost always cost you the sale.

The Role of the Online Sales Assessment

While understanding personality types helps in day-to-day client interactions, organizations often want a more structured way to measure sales potential. The online sales assessment from TestGroup is designed specifically for this purpose. It evaluates key sales competencies and identifies whether someone is more suited to a hunter, farmer, negotiator, or consultant role.

  • Hunters are often linked to Red traits: driven, competitive, and focused on winning new business.
  • Farmers show more Yellow and Green preferences: they build long-term relationships, nurture accounts, and ensure client satisfaction.
  • Negotiators typically combine Blue and Red energy: persuasive, confident, and skilled at closing deals.
  • Consultants lean toward Green and Yellow: analytical, trustworthy, and focused on providing tailored solutions.

By combining the insights of The Bridge Personality with the results of the sales assessment, organizations gain a clear picture of both personality and role fit. This ensures that sales professionals are placed where they can deliver the most impact, while also giving managers practical tools to coach and develop their teams.

The 4-Color Personality Wheel and Sales Roles

In addition to the four main colors, you can explore the 4-Color Personality Wheel, which expands the model into 72 unique positions and eight distinct personality types. These include The Auditor, The Planner, The Visionary, The Entrepreneur, The Director, The Connector, The Mediator, and The Change Agent. Each of these types represents a blend of two colors and gives organizations a more detailed understanding of how personality preferences play out in practice. This deeper insight is especially valuable in sales, where matching personality to role can be decisive. By combining the 4-Color Personality Wheel with TestGroup’s sales assessment, companies can identify whether someone is more suited to a hunter, farmer, negotiator, or consultant role—and how their color profile supports success in that role.

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An online sales assessment measures key sales skills such as customer contact, outreach, and problem-solving. It provides immediate insights into candidates’ talent and is widely used by companies worldwide to identify top performers. You can order individual assessments or choose a cost-effective subscription for ongoing us

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