It’s a good thing!
Sales is a transfer of enthusiasm. The unbridled excitement that something GREAT is going to happen IF…is the fuel that propels the intellectual and emotional engine of every buying decision we make. There is power in words. “You’re worth it”… “You deserve a break today.” It’s personal, relevant, and attainable, and its purchase promises to bring immediate and lasting satisfaction. The promise of something amazing occurring if I buy or acquire can grow from a perception to reality, resulting in yet another sale, and thus propelling the juggernaut that is consumerism forward. It’s a good thing, acceptable even. When I feel passionate about something, and I can make you feel that same amount of passion (better yet, make it your idea), then you are open to moving forward because the idea is yours, resulting in another sale. A very good thing.
It’s better when you know the M.O.
Sales is a transfer of belief. We buy from people we feel comfortable with. There are essentially four types of buyers, and it is the understanding of their motivations that can result in more sales. Fact. Future. Form. Feeling. Each person has the capacity to operate in all four arenas, yet they will have a particular bent for one or the other. It’s better when you know the M.O. Typically, CEOs and A-type people live in the Fact and Future grids. “Give me the facts, the bottom line…” or, in contrast, “Just give me the big picture.” “What’s the five year ramification and long term impact on the budget?” The last two are more interesting, even cerebral: the intangible, Feelings; and the tangible, Form. You will notice an emotional response and they will tell you how they feel. This is the easy one to identify, because how we feel about something is a universally relatable quality that defines our humanity. The last one, Form, requires a little more knowledge on the sales rep’s side, as you will need to know how to respond to the question, “Can you break it down for me step by step?” To a salesperson, hoping for the opportunity and invitation to drive home the benefits, these words are very sweet indeed.
Who wins?
Sales is a function of psychology: breaking down barriers and powering through objections with a pretty little jackhammer of truth. Again, perception is reality, and truth is relative. Given this fact, belief in the credibility of the salesperson, in correlation to the relevance of the words being used, speak to the psychology of need. The fear of loss vs the desire to gain. Who wins?
It depends on the motivation and perception of the buyer; after all, your job is to make it their idea, right? When you can speak to their desires, in a language all your own, in words they understand, and you can involve the intangible magic that is emotions, feelings, beliefs, and enthusiasm, you have prepared a psychological arena where the ideas can dance and play freely, thus leading to greater sales success.