1. Present your proposition clearly, and with conviction.
2. Present your supporting data, with the right facts, logic and information.
3. Structure your “deals” and move on to the close.
But according to Dr. Jay Conger, Director of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California Business School, “Following this process is one surefire way to fail at persuasion.”
Why? Neuroscientists have recently discovered that the brain waves we emit when we engage in logical thinking are virtually identical to those we emit when we’re forced to plunge our hands and arms into ice water. It’s painful! Furthermore, these researchers have determined that our brains require 300 percent more effort-measured in calories burned-for heavy thinking, compared with “mental cruising.”
No wonder people hate a logical, reasoned approach! Luckily for us, our brains are hard-wired with mechanisms that help us make good decisions without painstaking analysis and reasoning. These mechanisms are known as triggers, but you can also think of them as “hot buttons.” Essentially, they’re the decision-making shortcuts we easily and naturally employ all day long. They are our automatic self-guidance systems. We often don’t even realize we’re using them!
Put simply, hot buttons are our navigational aids. They help us make easy, non-analytical,
yet correct decisions. There are seven major persuasion elements we all depend on to help us easily make quick, automatic and right decisions. One example is the consistency trigger. Here’s how it works. We all have a kind of database in our brains that records past thoughts and actions. This database provides a sort of roadmap for future decisions. When faced with a new decision, our brain does an instantaneous search for similar past decisions, and we’re oriented to act in a way that’s consistent with our past actions.
In short, we do what we’ve done before. A citizen who’s voted for the conservative slate in the past will usually do so again, without bothering to seriously analyze the rhetoric of all the candidates running. Spenders make decisions to keep spending… savers tend to decide again and again to save. Cautious people take careful actions… risk tolerant people do not.
That’s not to say that logic has no place in decision-making. But logic tends to come later… AFTER the decision-maker has responded to his or her internal triggers. For example, when people are in the market for a house, they’re often attracted to one that “feels right.” Maybe it reminds them of a place where they used to live. Later, when they’re discussing the house with others, they’ll talk about more logical aspects… the great neighborhood, easy access to the highway, a good school system, and so on.
Now, what does this mean for you, the business owner who is in the role of persuader?
Knowledgeable persuaders don’t force persuasion partners into icy water! Skilled business owners don’t demand 300% more energy for decisions by their prospects. They help their prospects make good decisions by learning what they want, doing the heavy thinking for them and then determining how to position the discussion to create an emotional reaction.
Skilled persuaders evaluate which of the seven triggers will apply to another person. Then they carefully frame and deliver a presentation based on those triggers. They use facts and figures only when needed… to support a hot button based decision.
An example: A sales rep recently spoke with a client who boasted that his company was successful because he was able to make and implement decisions quickly. Being well versed in persuasion techniques, this astute sales rep wrapped up her presentation to this CEO by saying, “Charlie, you mentioned that you like to make quick decisions-will that be the case here?” Essentially, the rep set up a prime situation for the consistency trigger to operate. The CEO had to be consistent with his prior statement, and the consistency trigger resulted in a handshake, and a $50,000 profit to the sales rep!
What’s great is that this formula is fundamental. Hit the right hot buttons to engage the prospect’s navigation system for making correct decisions. Use facts, figures, and logic only when needed to reinforce their hot button based decision. And enjoy the end result as you have now emotionally engaged the prospect with a compelling and persuasive reason to buy what you sell.
Once you master persuasion marketing, you will have the unprecedented ability to attract more clients… attract them with greater frequency… at a lower cost… and with total and complete confidence and certainty. That’s the power of laser target marketing.
This is the critical information we teach our clients every day. If you’re ready to learn more about this powerful process, or just need help building your business visit us at www.smallbusinessgrowthclub.com.
