Sales Training Tip - Sell With The Flow

In matters of principle stand like a rock, but in matters of persuasion sell with the flow.  Study after study reaffirms that a customer’s emotion trumps their logic in the decision-making process.  One of the most persuasive emotions is that of congruency, or being consistent with one's values, rhetoric, and actions.

 

Some may say that we are mentally lazy, others that we are just being consistent to a personal declaration or value.  Regardless of the reason, the fact is that it is human nature to retain our personal credibility by remaining consistent to word and deed.  Facts and logic just don’t have the same power over us that emotions do.

 

When we attempt to sell against another's belief, even when the belief is not accurate, we are selling against the flow.  To be persuasive, you must move their emotion!  This is the primary reason it so important to understand others before we attempt to be understood.   The key is to understand from their perspective. When we genuinely see things from the other’s perspective, we are better suited to speak to their paradigm.

 

So, if you are trying to persuade people to trust and believe you, then you would be better off to speak to the beliefs they already hold rather than trying to sway them with facts and figures.  And the key is to know what and who they believe in . . . you discover that when you take the time to truly understand them - Seek Understanding First is one of the 12 Triggers of Persuasion.

 

Customer's will stand like a rock on their principles.  In order to persuade, you must sell with, not against, these principles.  This is the principle of Congruency, you can read about all 6 Compliance Principles. 

As the saying goes "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."