INTRODUCTION Why Use Science to Sell?
- Even the training that salespeople receive is commonly based on anecdotal evidence grounded in the experiences of one or a few individuals.
- Influence is the foundation of selling.
PART ONE FOUNDATIONS OF SELLING WITH SCIENCE
CHAPTER 1 Why Salespeople Underperform
- 85 to 90 percent of all sales training has no positive impact after the training.
- There is no causal relationship between extraversion and heightened levels of sales performance.
- Before you ask anyone for a donation, you first ask them how they’re feeling. After they tell you they’re feeling good… they’ll be more likely to contribute
CHAPTER 2 The Two Methods of Sales Influence
- If you and the competitor are presenting back-to-back, you should go first, because your presentation will shape buyers’ perceptions and create biases that will put your competitor at a disadvantage. However, if the time between the presentations is considerable — more than a week — you should go last.
- The following are four potent yet practical heuristics that you can use to improve your ability to help potential customers perceive you and your message in favorable ways:
- HEURISTIC# 1: SINGLE-OPTION AVERSION: When presenting your products or services, always give buyers a few options.
- HEURISTIC# 2: ASYMMETRIC DOMINANCE EFFECT: Offering a decoy will make it easier for the brain to arrive at a decision
- HEURISTIC# 3: LIKABILITY BIAS: One study by behavioral scientists Jonathan Frenzen and Harry Davis identified that likability shapes buying behaviors almost as much as the product or service. A straightforward way to show buyers that you genuinely like them is to identify something about them that you sincerely appreciate.
- HEURISTIC# 4: SOCIAL PROOF: Tell buyers about your customer success stories.
- The goal of every sales process should be to guide buyers to commit to the salesperson’s message (the central route) while using heuristics (the peripheral route) to effectively convey that message.
CHAPTER 3 How to Sell the Way People Buy
- When a positive buying decision is made, it is comprised of a series of small commitments I call the Six Whys®.
- The sales equation states that a buying decision is a function of the Six Whys® and the buyer’s emotional state (ES).
- If you can preemptively inspire your buyers to commit to each of the Six Whys®, you will neutralize all possible objections.
- Instead of allowing buyers to choose the product options they wanted, set up standard product packages and allow buyers to customize (remove) the options they do not want.
- WHY# 1: WHY CHANGE?
- If you don’t give potential customers a compelling reason to change, they won’t.
- The best way to answer and gain commitment to Why Change? is to help buyers fully understand the problems that make change a necessity.
- Step 1 – Find Problems: To identify buyers’ problems, challenge the status quo with insights that compel your buyers to think about how they can improve themselves or their business.
- Step 2 – Understand Problems: After a problem has been found, you must now assist your buyer in acquiring an accurate awareness of its cause (why is it happening) and scope (who and what is being affected).
- Step 3 – Make Problems Hurt: Ask deeper questions that help buyers feel the painful outcomes of allowing those problems to continue.
- WHY# 2: WHY NOW?
- Countless sales have been lost when salespeople try to create urgency, but instead trigger reactance.
- WHY# 3: WHY YOUR INDUSTRY SOLUTION? [i.e. the category you are part of]
- Typically, your main competitor is not another provider: it is buyers simply bypassing your entire industry and designing a solution themselves.
- Demonstrate how you provide superior results in comparison to those outside of your industry.
- Convey the problems that may occur if buyers choose a solution outside of your industry.
- WHY# 4: WHY YOU AND YOUR COMPANY?
- Although there are many ways you can generate trust in buyers, here are two science-based strategies: (1) Demonstrate Expertise. This can take the form of a new idea, strategy, or research report that delivers value to buyers. (2) Communicate Confidence
- WHY# 5: WHY YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
- There are two primary types of competitive advantages: (1) Cost Leadership (2) Differentiation.
- WHY# 6: WHY SPEND THE MONEY?
- Any time you ask buyers to purchase your product or service you are also asking them not to do something else.
- Dominant buying motives
- Desire for Gain
- Fear of Loss
CHAPTER 4 Selling to Your Buyers’ Emotions
- Positive emotional states can even raise your average sale price.
- Four strategies that you can use to directly engage and change buyers’ emotional states for the better:
- STRATEGY# 1: UTILIZE EMOTIONAL COGNITION.
- People tend to ‘catch others’ emotions.
- Use Productive Voice Inflections
- Use upbeat, enthusiastic voice inflection (as opposed to monotone)
- Use a warm, caring tone
- Verbally Convey Strong Beliefs
- Adding the word “because” increases compliance.
- STRATEGY# 2: LEVERAGE THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT — that is, the change in behavior that occurs when a person realizes that he or she is being observed. When attempting to alter buyers’ emotional states, you can leverage the Hawthorne effect by calling attention to their emotions.
- STRATEGY# 3: DISCUSS TOPICS THAT NATURALLY TRIGGER POSITIVE EMOTIONS
- Family, hobbies, or a vacation
- When negotiations and sales calls begin with casual chitchat, a favorable outcome is more likely to be achieved.
- How can you identify these emotionally charged topics? Conduct precall planning on the buyer’s hobbies, family, vacations, group memberships, associations, awards, and so on.
- STRATEGY# 4: CHANGE NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR – especially smiling.
- STRATEGY# 1: UTILIZE EMOTIONAL COGNITION.
PART TWO THE SALESPERSON’S TOOLKIT
CHAPTER 5 The Science of Asking Powerful Questions
- Just asking people about their future decisions significantly influences those decisions, a phenomenon known as the mere measurement effect.
- Buyers will only entrust you to solve their problems once they believe you understand them.
- When you ask insightful questions, it produces something central to the success of the sale: trust. The following are some of the most common ones cited by sales trainers: (If distinguishing the types of questions seems confusing, that’s because it is.)
- Open-ended questions
- Closed questions
- Situation questions
- About questions
- Barrier questions
- Framing questions
- Investigative questions
- Data questions
- Reflective questions
- Problem questions
- Implication questions
- Objective questions
- Amplification questions
- Internal Summary questions
- Solution questions
- Need-Payoff questions
- Outcome questions
- Probing questions
- The human brain is hardwired to disclose information in layers. As each new level is accessed, more in-depth information is revealed. There are three distinct “layers“ or “levels“ of questions you can ask.
- First-level questions are preliminary questions that open up a topic by revealing thoughts, facts, behaviors, and situations. Example: “What are the requirements you have established for this project?”
- Second-level questions guide buyers in assessing and explaining first-level responses. They are elaboration questions. Just ask customers to either assess or explain a first-level response. Example: “That sounds like it is very important to you. May I ask why?”
- Third-level questions excavate the final layer of information by guiding potential customers in thinking through and verbally disclosing their dominant buying motives. They provide you with an understanding of how potential customers will benefit from investing in your product or service. Creating third-level questions involves asking potential clients to reveal something they fear losing or desire to gain. Example: “If your end users were thoroughly trained and were using this platform effectively, how could that increase company productivity?”
CHAPTER 6 Why People Buy
- Buyers expect value not only after purchasing your product or service, but through every stage of the sale.
- The key to effective listening is not to listen more, but to know what you should be listening for.
- Primary buying motivators are the essential conditions that must be fulfilled in order for buyers to desire and be able to purchase your product or service. Every buyer has three primary buying motivators.
- PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 1: BUYER’S PROBLEMS. If they are aware of their issues, you can ask first-level questions such as, “Is there anything about your distribution process that you would like to change? ”
- PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 2: DOMINANT BUYING MOTIVES are the emotional reasons why they would purchase your product or service. Dominant buying motives are made up of two behavior triggers: the desire for gain and the fear of loss. How do you find dominant buying motives? You ask third-level questions (emotional questions about how they will benefit from buying).
- PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 3: BUYING REQUIREMENTS. This buying motivator unveils who is involved in the buying decision, how that decision will be made, and the specific criteria that will be used to judge your company, product, or service.
- To determine decision criteria:
- DETERMINE PRODUCT OR SERVICE PARAMETERS: “When evaluating [state the specific product or service], how will you know if any option is right for you?”
- IDENTIFY A TIME FRAME
- FACE FINANCES: Addressing finances early in the sale is crucial, as your buyers’ financial situations will heavily influence their ability to agree to the sale.
CHAPTER 7 Creating Value, Neutralizing Competitors, and Overcoming Objections
- You devise and execute a Primary Buying Motivator Statement® by following three straightforward steps:
- Identify how your company, product, or service meets your buyers’ primary buying motivators.
- Remind your buyers of their primary buying motivators.
- Link the value that your company, product, or service delivers with buyers’ primary buying motivators.
- Two labels you can utilize to boost compliance rates and more capably navigate the buying process:
- 1. Expectation Label: “A lot of people in your situation have a hard time deciding between these two products, but what always works is when they can compare them side by side. Once they see a list of the features of both products right next to each other they always know which is the best option for them.”
- 2. Positive Label: The behavior you publicly praise will increase. For instance, encourage rapid replies by putting a positive label anytime a prospect responds quickly.
- Inoculation theory: Assert, “One thing that is unique about our company is that we are the only provider who offers [distinct value]. From what you have expressed, it sounds like a solution that did not include [distinct value] would not meet your needs, is that correct?
- Three rules of effective objection handling:
- RULE# 1: IDENTIFY THE OBJECTION (S) QUICKLY
- RULE# 2: MONITOR YOUR BUYERS’ EMOTIONAL STATES
- RULE# 3: FOLLOW THE OBJECTION-HANDLING PROCESS
- THE PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING AND OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS
- Step# 1: Use a Softening Statement. Example: “I can see how that could be a concern.”
- Step# 2: Isolate the Objection. Isolating is when you ask a question that guides potential customers to reveal whether they have any other objections. Example: “Other than [objection], is there any other reason why you would not invest in this product?”
- Step# 3: Identify the Root of the Objection. Mentally identify which of the Six Whys® the objection is linked to.
- Step# 4: Answer the Objection. When creating the responses for each of the Six Whys®, you should focus on two particular areas: (1) Evidence: For example, if the objection is the cost of your product or service, reframe cost with the monetary gain buyers will experience after purchasing. (2) Third-party Stories:
- Step# 5: Gain Commitment
CHAPTER 8 Closing Redefined: Obtaining Strategic Commitments
- The key to effective closing is small commitments throughout the sale. Small commitments naturally lead to bigger ones.
- For the brain to construct the decision to purchase a product or service it must make certain foundational commitments to the Six Whys®.
- “If for any reason something does change and either you or your CIO or VP of sales will not be able to be present at the appointment, will you send me an e-mail or give me a call so we can reschedule?”
- Help their prospective customers make small, strategic commitments to quality over cost.
- There are two classifications of trial closes: involvement and commitment.
- INVOLVEMENT TRIAL CLOSES.
- Involvement trial closes guide potential customers in envisioning owning your product or service and acquiring buy-in to your statements of value.
- I recommend using involvement trial closes that imply ownership whenever it fits naturally into the conversation.
- Involvement trial closes that are focused on confirming value: “Does this program meet all the requirements that your team laid out?”
- Examples: “Would you want the installation to occur during normal business hours or would you need the software installed after business hours?” or “Of these three service options, which one would best meet your organization’s needs?” or “If you did have this product, how would you utilize it?”
- COMMITMENT TRIAL CLOSES
- Commitment trial closes do just what their title suggests — they guide buyers in making commitments.
- Example: “Knowing what you now know, would you ever attempt to create a solution internally?
CHAPTER 9 Five Science-Based Sales Presentation Strategies
- STRATEGY# 1: LESS REALLY IS MORE. Many salespeople frequently hinder the effectiveness of their sales presentations by engulfing buyers in a plethora of options.
- STRATEGY# 2: ANCHORING. Failing to show the highest priced item first will trigger anchoring to work against you, which will reduce your sales.
- STRATEGY# 3: MIRRORING. Four Behaviors to Mirror
- Behavior# 1 — Mirror your buyer’s posture:
- Behavior# 2 — Mirror your buyer’s gestures:
- Behavior# 3 — Mirror your buyer’s rate of speech:
- Behavior# 4 — Mirror your buyer’s word usage:
- STRATEGY# 4: THE PICTURE SUPERIORITY EFFECT. Make sure that your presentations are dominated by pictures.
- STRATEGY# 5: USE STORIES. Use Stories with Characters Who Are Similar to Your Buyers. Quote the characters.
PART THREE MERGING SCIENCE AND SELLING
CHAPTER 10 The Future of Selling
- Three major shifts that I predict will occur in the near future.
- SHIFT# 1: SALES TRUTH WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE
- SHIFT# 2: SALES RESEARCH WILL BLOSSOM
- SHIFT# 3: SALES HIRING PRACTICES WILL IMPROVE
- The majority of bad hiring decisions are a consequence of the fact that many sales leaders do not know what they should be looking for in a salesperson.
- Five essential qualities scientifically linked with high levels of sales performance:
- Top Performers Are Intrinsically Motivated. How can you identify whether someone is intrinsically motivated? Begin by asking them questions like these: Why are you in sales?
- Top Performers Focus on the Perspectives of Others. How do you know if a salesperson is attuned to her buyers? Ask: “How do you acquire an understanding of what would motivate buyers to purchase from you?” When you listen to the answers to these questions, look for demonstrable evidence that the interviewees are actively thinking about the perspectives of others.
- Top Performers Possess Integrity
- Top Performers Embrace a Growth Mindset. Ask: “Outside of the training your previous employer provided, what have you done to improve your sales ability?” Look for the belief that selling is not a skill you are born with
- Top Performers Are Skilled in Interpersonal Communication