My Michael Tregonning
Welcome to Monday
There are a lot of hang-ups that hold back business owners and salespeople. The mother of all hang-ups, however, focuses in on the use of Logic and the use of Emotion.
Here is a video clip where we observe Humphrey Bogart (the sales coach) coaching Woody Allen (our salesperson) as he tries to sell Diane Keaton (the prospect) on a relationship.
Woody’s internal conflict is between the Logic that says she (Diane Keaton) will never see him as a romantic partner and Bogart’s suggested use of the Emotive, if not corny line
“I have met a lot of dames but you are really something special.”
This is where we first hear Woody Allen’s classic line “She bought it”
People new to business and sales tend to focus on logic. They will talk about product, features and benefits early and not notice their prospect has gone to sleep, or if on the telephone already hung up. While product features and benefits are important it is only the features and benefits your prospect engages with which are relevant, and to find which ones are relevant you need to engage emotionally.
This is especially true with the new generation of business people who have grown-up as digital natives. Selling to young entrepreneurs takes an investment in time to plan a call. According to Harvard Business School most business people have as good an understanding of the likely products and services they need as a salesperson. If you do not engage with them straight away you are forever labelled as a ‘loser’ or worse.
To engage quickly you need to use emotion and start pushing their emotional green buttons straight away. In today’s world the successful business and salesperson consistently use emotion as a standard part of their sales patter.
Ask yourself, what is actually going on when you are in a typical sales interview. What is your first and most essential objective?
I cannot second guess you so let me tell you what I am trying to achieve. Rapport and mutual affinity. There is absolutely no point in talking about my product or service until I am pretty sure I understand the prospect’s Buying Style and start communicating effectively.
This is why understanding the principals taught in my book “Selling to the 7 Emotional Buying Styles” and the sales app “Sales Analyzer” are so essential to developing the confidence and sales skills to engender that all important rapport and affinity you need to make a sale.
Once I understand the prospect’s Buying Style I can use specific emotive language that will motivate and engage that particular prospect or client.
Let me emphasis my point by giving you one product example and several feature benefits pertinent to each distinct Buying Style. If you establish which of the seven primary Buying Styles you are dealing with you might approach this office equipment sale targeting that specific individual’s emotive button.
- With one style you might suggest “This is the most recognized and reliable brand machine in the market.”
- With another you might say “Most prestige companies are paying over $40,000 for this quality machine but if we do business today, I can do better.”
- With another “Hey, you know you get me with this machine as well.”
- Another style might respond well to “In the last two years I have not seen one of these machine falter or break down.”
- Equally, another style might respond to “This machine has an excellent Energy Rating and it will produce quality results, even on recycled paper.”
- If you have established rapport you might like to say “It’s simple John. You and I both know this is the best machine in the market and you are not one to accept second best.”
- Finally, another style would respond well to “Tell me what function is essential for you and I will walk you through it right now. Although, I bet you have already worked out how to do it.”
Some of the statements will work as a green button with certain Buying Styles and act as a red button to others. You need to know how to recognize the difference and also understand that the use of emotive expressions are only advisable when you have developed a level of intimacy that comes from rapport and mutual affinity.
Think about it in a simplistic form. Don’t you immediately feel an affinity with someone when you find out he or she supports the same sporting team? or went to the same school?
Rapport and affinity can be achieved if you can learn how to establish the client or prospect’s Emotional Buying Style.
If Woody Allen can do it with the right coaching…so can you.
Today’s question and actions
Consider one of the customers you have done business for some time and another you may be struggling with and ask these questions;
- What is the emotional connection I have / do not have with them?
- What is one thing which might work well with the struggling relationship to engage with them emotionally?
You will be surprised at the difference in a relationship once you start pushing green emotional buttons. Of course reading more about buying styles and using an app to give you more guidance could also help.
Have a great week!
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