Many business people think buying decisions come from the minds of their prospects. This is not true.
The latest neuroscience confirms we make most decisions from our gut and heart; these impulses are then sent to our brain to act on and carry out. Here area few facts to help this idea land.
- Neurological studies have determined that 80% of our electrical signal flow travels “bottom-up” from our so-called lower structures to the brain (20% goes top down).
- Our gut has more neurons (brain cells) than a sheep has in its entire body.
- The human heart has 40,000 to 90,000 neurons and has a magnetic field 5,000 times greater than our brain. Magnetic vibration is a different form of intelligence than mind. It provides direct information regarding what psychologists call our “social engagement system.”
How can this help selling a product or service?
Here are a few tips to help you connect with your clients in ways that will endear you to them:
1) First Impressions Matter
- Make sure you are in an industry that suits you, and sell a product you deeply believe in — it shows.
- When meeting clients (or potential ones) make sure you are pleasant and presentable!
- Not only is it a good idea to ask questions that show you care about the people you are dealing with you need to really care — people can tell.
- LISTEN! Real listening requires empathy, not simply holding back until your potential client is done talking. Make sure they know you have heard them. This can be anything from a sincere um-hum to feeding back what they have said to make sure you understand them. This might sound like: “Let me see if I’ve got this right. . .”
- Arrive prepared to show you know your stuff in relation to their industry, business and situation.
- Like dating, people can smell a stiff fish, so relax and show your prospect something of who you are as a person.
- Make sure your marketing looks distinctively like you and sounds like someone who can help them.
- Prior to a meeting get into a quiet state and send loving thoughts to your client.
First impressions establish an important tone. Whether a client picks up an initial vibration (remember the strong magnetic field of the heart) or gets an instant “gut read” on you, those signals will be sent to their brain to be acted on.
If your prospect gets a good initial impression of you, either personally or through a flyer or website, their gut and heart will send signals to their brain to start looking for ways to work with you. If a first impression is not so good the opposite is true.
2) Why Counts
Birds of a feather flock together. People like to be around others who share their values. I remember buying, or buying extra, from people who’ve expressed concern for the state of our living planet because for me environmental concerns are a litmus test.
We are more likely to do business with people who share our values. Show a prospect you can help them and you are half way home; targeting people you likely share values with makes signing deals, and the work that come after, much easier.
Bottom line: At some point in your sales process expressing who you are and why you are in business will help you find customers who are the right fit for your company.
3) Protect Your Client’s Welfare
Neuroscientists tell us that mirror neurons allow us to feel what others are feeling just by looking at them or being in close proximity. People pick up information about us in so many ways it is impossible to innumerate, here are just a few:
• looking at your face and body language
• how you respond to situations (especially joy and stress)
• how you follow through
• do you show up on time
• are you “approachable”
• do you hold yourself and others accountable
• do you create and maintain a safe personal atmosphere.
• does it feel like you there just because of money
When you watch out for your client’s welfare they will feel it and get a sense you are there to help them. This is perhaps the best way to establish trust — a critical component of selling.
Beware: a feeling of trust can quickly be reversed if you fall into “sales mode” and try and push or maneuver your client. Most of us are conditioned to mistrust sales people, and for good reason; many have been trained to sell, not to help. (LATER - see my Blog: Sales: When prospects play cat and mouse)
Helping is the Best Form of Selling!
There’s a fine line between establishing relationships so you can help versus asking pointed questions to so you can make money. This is a common mistake.
Make the decision to dedicate yourself to watch out for your client’s welfare. You and your client will be the better for it, even if in some cases this sounds like: “I don’t think I have the best solution for you.”
Selling with this level of empathy and honesty will help you sleep at night, and will also make your days more joyful and stress free. On top of that it will put more money in your pocket. As Steve Jobs said: “People can tell if you are in it jut to make a buck.”
For more information see my (LATER - Blog: Sales: Balancing Empathy with Assertiveness.)
