Appeal To Your Customer's' Heart And Brain (In The Right Order) By Michael Masterson

The following story illustrates a million-dollar business secret.

RP was unsure about whether he should buy another standard SUV or upgrade to the deluxe model. We talked about it and compared costs, benefits, and uses. In the end, logic dictated the conservative choice and he left for the dealership, comfortable with our conclusion.

Three hours later, when he came back into my office, he was beaming. "So you are happy you made the right choice?" I asked.

"I am," he said. "I got the deluxe model."

In the conversation that ensued, I made an interesting observation. All the hemming and hawing he was doing before his purchase had been replaced with deliberate, assured statements. Although none of the factors about the car or RP's need for it had changed since we first talked, two things had happened:

1. He had opted — obviously for emotional reasons — to make the less-practical purchase.

2. His uncertainty was gone and in its place was a surprising confidence.

Why? Because RP's salesman had made the very shrewd move of spending a half-hour with him after the sale, showing him the features of his new SUV and enumerating the many specific features that only the luxury model provided. By taking the time to drum these features into my friend's head, he achieved several worthy objectives:

* He alleviated (even eliminated) "buyer's regret."

* He gave RP a set of phrases that he could use in the future to rationalize his purchase and, as a consequence, advertise the car to others.

* He left RP with the memory of having made a good and sensible deal with him. Next time RP thinks about buying another car, he will feel good about going back to this salesman.

There is an important truth about human psychology at play here. Understanding how this works could help you become a better copywriter (and, generally, a more persuasive individual).

According to Robert Cialdini in his classic book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion," a host of psychologists attribute our need to rationalize a buying decision to our desire to feel that our actions are consistent with a higher code of behavior.

But is this desire for consistency strong enough to compel us to do what we ordinarily would not do?

"Definitely," Cialdini says, "Prominent theorists such as Leon Festinger, Fritz Hieder, and Theodore Newcomb have viewed the desire for consistency as a central motivator of our behavior."

To prove the point, he cites this experiment:

On a New York City beach, a research associate posing as a sunbather set down his blanket and radio next to the subject and, after relaxing for a few minutes, went into the ocean. Moments later, another associate, this one posing as a thief, came by and "stole" the radio. The first 20 times this was done, only four subjects did anything about it.

The experiment was repeated another 20 times — but now the sunbather asked the subject to "watch my things." This time, 19 of the 20 went to the rescue, often restraining the "thief" or snatching the radio back from him.

In the case of RP, the motivation is the desire to feel consistent with the code of rationality. In the case of the sunbathers, it is the desire to feel consistent with a moral code — to do what one promises to do.

You can employ both aspects of the desire for consistency and make your package doubly powerful by (a) creating a "moral" obligation that impels the prospect to buy, and (b) helping him rationalize his decision after the purchase has been made.

I already explained how RP's salesman helped him rationalize his buying decision. Now, let me give you an example of how he might have first made RP feel "morally" obligated to buy.

Have you ever heard a salesperson say something like "John, if I could show you a way to do thus and such without risking thus and such, would you do it?"

Sure you have. It is one of the most common techniques of person-to-person selling. In the case of my friend RP, the salesman he dealt with could well have said "RP, if I could show you how to get the bigger tires you like, the upgraded sound system, the anti-locking brakes — all without increasing the $400 monthly payment you told me was your maximum — would you be interested?"

If RP had said "yes" — and he would have been sorely tempted to do so (by curiosity if nothing else) — when the salesman had shown him how he could get the better vehicle simply by extending the term of the contract by "a mere six months," he would feel morally compelled to be, at least, "interested."

In most impersonal forms of advertising (and that includes both image advertising and direct-response advertising), this technique is seldom used. For some reason — perhaps the feeling that they need to stick with the "push" part of the sale — copywriters don't think they have time for this kind of diversion.

But if you recognize the awesome power of creating a moral obligation with the customer, one that will compel him to take one step closer to the sale, and then helping him rationalize his emotional decision to buy, you will understand that you are not digressing at all, but making a very powerful move toward closing the sale.
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This article appears courtesy of the American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) -- the world's leading publisher of homestudy programs designed to provide members with financial security, independence, and freedom. The company's flagship, AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, teaches people a skill that allows them to leave their current 9-to-5 job, and start living a "retired lifestyle," working whenever they want, wherever they want, while still making a six-figure income. Learn more about the AWAI's Accelerated Program here!

*brought to you by SalesTrainingAdvice.com

You Are A Salesperson By Pegine Echevarria

If you live by yourself, or on an isolated island without a single living thing, you might say that you don’t sell. However, if you have to communicate with others, convince another person or animal to do anything, or even convince yourself to do something then you, my friend, are a salesperson.

For years I avoided thinking of myself as a salesperson, even when I was in sales. I just didn’t think I fit my imagined profile of a salesperson. I had some negative perceptions of salespeople; pushy, arrogant, self centered, not interested in helping others or making a difference in the lives of others.

It wasn’t until I was married, had children, two cats and a dog that I realized how often I ‘sell’ during the day. Convincing the dog to follow me, calling the cats to eat, being interested in my husband’s day, when all I wanted to do was sleep, so that we can communicate and bond together.

I was also ‘selling’ the power of vegetables to a four year old and engaging an eight year old in homework. At work I was promoting projects, recruiting new people, convincing my boss that my budget needed an upgrade and convincing myself that I was able to manage it all --- family, work, marriage and me!!!

How about you?

* Do you use persuasive language trying to influence or persuade others

* How often do you use various communication techniques so others understand what you need or want?

* Do you find yourself wondering how you can get ‘Jane’ to do a task?

Do you want to have more, do more, or receive more? Then the first step is to realize that you are a salesperson. Engineer, doctor, lawyer, administrative assistant, human resource professional, soldier, sailor or student may be your vocation, however you are also a salesperson.

So, if you are a salesperson how do you communicate, persuade and influence others effectively? You need to know what top salespeople have either inherent within them or what they have worked diligently on to master their sense of self.

First, they build their confidence and skills.

Salespeople read, learn from and listen to motivational speakers; they read inspirational material. They know that they have to constantly learn about themselves and develop techniques to build their inner strength. The four core areas that great salespeople focus on developing are:

1. Confidence
2. Persistence
3. Service
4. Communication skills

Second, they practice.

Great salespeople know they will fail and know that they have to fail to become really good at what they do. They are willing to practice throughout the day. They practice their communication skills while looking at themselves in the mirror. They learn how to serve others by practicing how to ask questions to learn their clients’ needs first. They learn to ask themselves questions. They learn how different questions illicit different responses.

Third, they know why they do what they do.

They understand what they are selling, why they are selling it and how it creates value in the lives of others. They are excited about what they are offering, because of what it can do for their clients’.

So, if you are the lead salesperson in your own life, work and family I suggest that you evaluate your sales skills.

# Are you confident and are you building your communication skills?

When you look in the mirror are you really happy that you see yourself? Do you walk into a room filled with joy and a sense of positive expectation? Do you learn how to communicate effectively, or do you just allow things to happen?

# Do you practice?

Do you practice asking questions? How about asking different questions? Instead of asking your teenager “How was school?” ask “what was the funniest thing that happened today?” The next day change the question. Ethel Kennedy asked each of her eleven children a current events question everyday. I laughed when I heard one of her children share that the kids would run for the chair closest to Mrs. Kennedy, because they could share about the front page news. If you were sitting in the last seat you had to know something deep within the newspaper to share with everyone.

# Do you know why you do what you do?

How often have you told someone to just do something, but never really had a reason why? It was just ‘because’. Maybe you want your team to do a report a certain way, do you know why you want it that way? Are you sure that there isn’t another way to do it? Often conflicts occur because we don’t know why we want something done a certain way...we just want it done that way. Why do you do all the things you do? How do they help you be the best you? How do your tasks, your work and your leadership make a positive difference at work, home and in your life? If you can’t answer quickly, take a step back and ponder why you do what you do.

This article is about you. You the salesperson, you the leader, you reaching your potential.

Try-its:

Spend time in the bookstore or library browsing and reading sales books and motivational books

Identify two techniques or actions that you can practice this week.

Practice them. Write what you learned. Go back to the bookstore or library and find two more techniques. Repeat. Buy the book and commit to reading two pages a day.

Most people won’t do this try-it. This is one of the most powerful, life changing actions you can take. Each day I read two pages of a motivation, sales, or personal development book. Each day I learn something and try to implement what I learned.

I can testify that I am different and that I have changed because I took the time to learn and change. My family improved because of this action, my finances changed dramatically and I’m so happy. I want the same for you.
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Pegine is a nationally recognized expert on success, leadership, and teambuilding, and has 30 years of experience in the workplace, ranging from corporate America to public service. Visit her site at Pegine.com

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