#8: People Buy On Emotion And Justify It With Fact

You may challenge this observation. You may say to yourself, I'm a rational and knowledgeable individual. I make calm, considerate, well thought out decisions. I don't buy on emotions.

However, here again, I've learned a different story. I've learned that sales results have little to do with a salesperson's proposals or price. Sure, these things count and all are important . But you need to have something else first.

You need to have an emotional connection with the decision maker, the buyer.

Recently, I was shopping for a new car. I consulted consumer ratings, compared prices and talked to friends. Based on the facts, two models seemed just about equal, with one slightly ahead. But I chose the other. My “gut feeling” told me I'd be happier with it and the selling dealer.

Such feelings don't spring out of the blue. They're based on emotions that can't be quantified.

The fact that we buy on emotion and justify it with fact is neither good nor bad. Some salespeople seem to intuitively grasp what it means to make an emotional connection with customers. The rest of us have to learn it. My 23 years of continuing self-training has taught me this fact: The easiest way to create an emotional connection with your prospects and customers alike is with the written word.

When your prospect reads your sales letters they instantly become involved. They start thinking about you and your product or service instead of wondering why their gums hurt and why their horse ran last. As a result your prospect will do far more than merely think about your product or service, they'll experience it.

Nothing can take the place of a personal letter or E-mail in today's sales world. The words need not be poetic to be recalled long after the pithiest of verbal messages is forgotten because the written word makes a human—an emotional—connection.

The facts are clear. If you need to motivate, influence, and lead people, put your sales thoughts in writing because good sales letters—and thus the writer—are emotionally stirring.

Good luck and good selling,

Copyright © 1992-2007 Thomas J. Bryan
This site is protected by copyright and trademark laws under U.S. and international law.
All Rights Reserved.