Article 3 in The 7 Client Personality Types series
This article is part of a series on The 7 Client Personality Types: an Ethical Sales framework to help you transform every sales conversation with potential clients into a clear, kind, and meaningful connection.
This article highlights the second Client Personality Type: The Lookie Loo.
Some clients aren’t ready to buy, and that doesn’t mean they’re a “waste” of your time.
The Lookie Loo Client Personality Type are non-combative “tire kickers” who typically enter a sales conversation without intending to purchase – and that’s wonderful! They’re simply curious and want to explore what you’re offering to keep the information for future reference or satisfy their curiosity.
Imagine you’re an immigration lawyer speaking with a Lookie Loo named Alex about getting a marriage visa.
During your initial sales conversation, you learn that Alex has just started looking for a lawyer, and you’re the first one they’ve spoken with. Naturally, Alex doesn’t intend to make an immediate decision.
What’s Great About Guiding The Lookie Loo (The High Side):
Lookie Loos can often be ideal referrals for your services! During the sales conversation, they are drawn to gathering information and satisfying their curiosity. Even if they don’t genuinely intend to make a purchase or take immediate action, Lookie Loos will keep you in their back pocket for another time, develop a professional relationship with you, or may even share your services with a colleague, friend, or client.
With Alex, you will stand out from the other lawyers on their list by sharing details about your practice and answering questions without pushing to close the sale. Even if they don’t choose to work with you, they will remember your kindness and may share your information with others seeking an immigration lawyer.
What’s Challenging About Guiding The Lookie Loo (The Low Side):
Working with Lookie Loos can be draining since they often don’t make a purchase or invest in your offerings. They can be inclined to avoid commitment and may hesitate to enter into a contract or financial agreement, even when it’s an excellent fit.
A frustrating situation that can arise with Lookie Loos like Alex is to spend time conversing with them, providing all the value and excellent service you’re capable of, only to learn that they purchased from another person later. This is why it’s important that you don’t over give in a sales conversation, otherwise resentment may build up for Lookie Loos.
Moving From Low to High (Uncovering The Sincere Lead Within):
Uncovering the Lookie Loo’s true intentions and employing empathy is the key to determining whether they have the potential to become a Sincere Lead.
With consent, you can ask a Lookie Loo directly whether they’re interested in investing or “just looking” for the time being. To better understand the Lookie Loo’s reality, reflect on areas in your life where you may be avoiding commitment and taking action to address those challenges. Consider the following suggestions:
- Honor The Lookie Loo: Understand that Lookie Loos aren’t clients for today. They are potential clients for the future. You never want to shame a Lookie Loo for doing what they do because it’s a natural part of their process. Instead, with Alex as our example, you can say, “It’s completely understandable that you’re not sure right now. Once you’ve spoken with the other lawyers, come back, and we’ll have a full conversation. I really feel like we can help you based on everything I’ve heard so far.”
- Set future expectations: With a Lookie Loo, the best thing you can do in an initial conversation is to educate them about the kind of clients you work with so they know what to expect when they return in the future. Paint a picture for them of the clients you love to serve and why so they can decide for themselves if they fit into that picture.
- Let go of the rope: If you aren’t careful, entering a tug-of-war with a Lookie Loo can be easy. Since they are genuinely interested, just not quite ripe enough, the tendency to pull them across the 50% mark might be strong. Every time you pull toward one direction, they stretch toward the opposite. Instead, let go of the rope completely. Let them know, “We only sign clients that want to work with us. If you’re not there yet, I completely understand. Can I answer any other questions for you?”
Remember, your only goal as an ethical salesperson is creating the clarity necessary for a “clear yes” or a “clear no” decision. When you create this clarity for Lookie Loos like Alex and celebrate their choice regardless, you’re building a genuine relationship with endless future possibilities.
Honor the Lookie Loo, and you may just earn a lifelong ambassador.
An important reminder: Every potential client holds all 7 Client Personality Types within them (and so do we!). What you first encounter may shift into another as the conversation unfolds — and that’s part of the beauty. Stay curious, ask thoughtful questions, and let each type reveal itself in time as you guide the conversation. Whether they evolve into a Sincere Lead or not, your goal is always the same: co-create clarity with care and consent.
Explore other articles in the 7 Client Personality Types series:
- The Secret to Making Sales Conversations Fun and Effective
- How to Ground the Dreamer Client and Make the Sale
- Turning Window-Shoppers Into Referral Sources
- The Vampire Client: How to Give Without Getting Drained
- Why Some of the Best Clients Are Also Salespeople
- Build Trust, Not Pressure: The Secret to Selling to Skeptics
- Turn Intuitive Clients Into Reliable, Aligned Buyers
- The Nesting Doll Secret to Spotting Dream Clients
Marla Mattenson
With a 25+ year career, Mattenson is a trailblazer in transforming sales paradigms from transactional to relational for professionals who prioritize the integrity & fulfillment of their services. She is a champion of consent-based sales.
www.instagram.com/marla.mattenson
