Are your sales lagging? Is it difficult for you to meet your quota? Are you looking for a more persuasive way to boost sales?
For the last century, psychologists have been studying simple persuasion tactics that can be used to motivate people and get them to take immediate action. This article gives you three persuasion strategies guaranteed to have a positive impact on your sales.
1. Make Your Product Appear “In Demand" or “Hard-to-Get". Always present yourself and your product as “limited," “scarce," or “in demand." Why? People want what they can’t have. Repeatedly, persuasion researchers have shown that human beings find more value in things that they have a hard time obtaining.
This is an important point for sales and marketing purposes. Car salespeople are quick to let you know that, “This is the last model like this available—after it goes, that’s it." Newspaper and television ads tell us that the “sale ends soon," that “supplies are limited" and that “time is running out."
When customers feel an opportunity is about to be taken away or product is running out, they want it more. Make sure that you present your opportunity as “scarce," “exclusive" or “in demand."
2. Talk Losses, Not Gains. Here is one great example of how you can excel by merely changing the way that you phrase your sales message. Persuasion experts know that salespeople who learn to talk losses, not gains, will achieve optimal results. In other words, rather than telling a prospect what he or she will gain by using your product, tell them what they are going to lose by not using your product.
Why is this strategy more motivating? This strategy works because the pain of losing something that you already have is more intense than the pleasure of gaining something you don’t have.
Insurance agents sometimes make the mistake of presenting insurance as a gain. “With this policy you gain peace of mind," they say. The better approach is to tell the prospect what they stand to lose by not buying the product. “Think about all of the things that you currently have—your new Cadillac, your expensive Asian rug, your beautiful new home . . . Without this policy, you are at risk of losing all of those things."
By talking losses, you effectively disrupt comfort zones and provide customers with the motivation to act. Paint a picture of what the customer already has but stands to lose. This approach creates a more motivating message.
3. Position Yourself as Someone Valued by the “Experts". When uncertain about what product to buy, human beings often look to the behavior of others, especially experts, to determine their own course of action. This is why you often see advertisements claiming that “four out of five doctors recommend … ," or, “the fine food experts since 1969."
I often find myself persuaded by the expert strategy. I buy Crest toothpaste. Why? It has been approved by the American Dental Association. We have been conditioned to follow the advice of experts and we do so often.
You can use the expert strategy for your own purposes. Do this by finding experts who have a high opinion of your product or service. Share their testimonials, advertise awards your business has earned, collect and share comments of satisfied customers. Convince your customers that you’re the best by showing them that the experts say that you’re the best.
To maximize the persuasion potential of the expert strategy, always refer to others who your prospect admires. Is the market leader in your prospect’s industry using your product? If so, advertise it. Are there important authorities in your industry who have said good things about you or your service? If so, share it. After all, if the “big names" are using your product, others will follow suit.
Scott Moldenhauer is considered an expert on consumer behavior and persuasion. He has taught persuasion at both The University of Arizona and The University of Phoenix. He is the author of The Best-Kept Persuasion Secrets of Master Communicators. If you are looking for loads of FREE information on the psychology of persuasion, go to http://www.persuasionconsultants.com/ . To find information on The Best-Kept Persuasion Secrets of Master Communicators, visit http://www.persuasionconsultants.com/offer/offerpage4.htm .
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