The Psychology of Selling
Being an excellent sales person is an art. But you can use some of these physiology tips could perhaps push you forward a bit more.
Look at all the things you buy, why do you buy it? What about impulse buys?
Now look at the job market, all the things you buy involved someone who sold it. Working in sales can be rough. Perhaps you have a certain goal to meet or you want to do better than others but what tactics actually work?
While the human brain is incredibly complicated and there’s no guarantee that any certain tactic will work on every single person, every single time. But let’s look at some things that have been shown to drastic increase your chance of selling something.
Emotional Decisions- When people want to buy something it’s based off of a feeling, need, or emotion for whatever product.
Justification for purchase- Once they encounter that feeling, need, or emotion telling them they want said product, they look at the facts. Perhaps you see a car that you fall in love with, it looks awesome and you would look awesome in it. But just because it looks good, what does it have to offer? What makes them actually consider a purchase? Knows the facts, research, proven results, and any extra information on a product to be able to explain what the product has to offer.
Value- Most people think the word value and they think of the cost. But value isn’t a fixed number. The value of an item is based on what you’re selling, what other companies charge, what they’re used to paying, how badly they want it and how they perceive the difference between you and other companies that sell the same thing.
Egocentric- Egocentric simply means centered on the ego or self. We see the world based on how it relates to us personally since it’s our life we’re living. Make sure to have in your mind the answer to the question they don’t ask but are always thinking, “What’s in it for me?”
Thoughts in terms of people- scientists have proven that the brains primary function is to deal with social interactions. For example, remember in Math Class when Chelsea has 10 apples but dropped 2 on the ground, so how many apples did Chelsea go home with? When placed in a real life scenario, it makes the problem easier to understand and solve. How to relate this to selling a product? Feature people through names, use personal pronouns, quotes from real people, testimonials, stories, and even photos of satisfied customers.
Force doesn’t work- You can try to force someone to buy something but it won’t work. You can urge and force and push but that tactics doesn’t work on everyone. You have to be able to show how a product can meet their own personal needs making them want to buy it.
Sheep theory- We’ve all heard the term people are sheep, meaning they follow the leader no matter how good or bad it is. When someone is uncertain about something, they look around or ask around for other’s opinions to make a decision.
Be likeable- We’re more likely to say yes to something if we like and connect with the person selling or asking us to purchase something. Create a personality that reflects your stores value, if they like your store then they like you if you represent those same values. Also, when trying to sell a product, it can work in your benefit to show other products commonly bought with your featured product.
Pricing- Think of the cost as the amount of risk a person is willing to take on. It’s easier to sell something that’s $1.00 than something that’s $100.00
Genuine belief- You can’t fake belief in a product you don’t believe in. People will see right through it. If you love a product, use it and provide a personal testimony of why you love it, people will see how excited you are about it and want to try it too!
Emotional Journey- take your customer on an emotional journey. Figure out what emotion rises when they talk about a product and allow them to reflect on that. Perfect the art of when to lean take and let the customer take the floor. Step into their shoes and explain how the product can be the solution to their problem. Example: Yesterday at work a girl came into my section (I’m a beauty advisor) staring at the foundation. I asked if she was finding everything alright and she hesitated and said she thinks so. I had two options, say let me know if you need help or ask what she’s looking for. This girl clearly had a very visible birth defect on her face that you could tell she was uncomfortable about. She explained how she never gets the right color. So I got an idea of what make-up she’s currently using, what she’s wanting to achieve and asked if I could match foundation for her. I suggest a brand with a better color selection and a brand that I myself use and believe in. I ran to the backroom to get sponges and covered both sides of her face. She seemed surprised that I had no problem touching her face and giving her advice. I could tell it was a sensitive subject for her and you could see the look of relief and excitement that not only did someone take the time to ask to help her, but stepped up even more to go above that and actually find her a perfect match, which she had never found.
Lastly, consider a different approach- So many of us trudge through our jobs, trying to meet sales goals but we’re not invested in what we’re doing or selling. But instead of selling something, consider how you’re helping someone with something. Be honest with them, if something doesn’t work for them, let them know and suggest something else. They’ll appreciate that you’re honest and see you’re not just pushing sales.
Like I said, selling is a gentle art. But forget selling to people, commit to helping them instead. If you’re passionate about your product and possess the need and want to help others, along with keeping a positive attitude and a smile on your face.
Got any tips you found work to help you sell your product? Share them in the comments below!
Vibe Higher,
Lobeless