Getting into the Minds of Customers and make the Sale

Getting into the Minds of Customers and Make the Sale

by c.j. Ng

Without a doubt, selling is all about facilitating customers to buy. If the customer doesn't want to make a purchase, there's no way you can close your sale. Forcing your way to close the sale in such circumstances isn't selling, it's daylight robbery.

Hence, if you are keen on ensuring customers want to buy from you again and again, one way to do so is to simply get into the minds of customers, and find out what they want.

The First 3 Things on Customer's Mind

If you are selling to corporate customers, you'll know that you will get some kind of reaction when you talk about money. Most sales people will assume that the first thing on the minds of corporate customers will be about making money. On the contrary, it isn't.

Human beings are more or less motivated by 2 issues (adapted from Herzberg's motivation theory) , that is:

Seeking pleasure; or
Avoiding pain

Between the 2, however, "avoiding pain" tends to give us more urgency to act, since it's nature's way of protecting us from harm. While "making money" is a notion that many corporate customers might be interested to discuss, it is NOT the first thing on customers' minds. In fact, on the money issue, here's how most customers will prioritise:

Save money;
Make money;
Don't spend money

Apart from money issues, customers tend to prioritise based on avoiding pain first, then gaining pleasure later. This is why customers are

Less likely to switch suppliers,
More likely to stick to a certain brand if that brand has proven to work well, and
More likely to buy from established names in the market

This is even very much evident in cases when you have a much better product, but still customers prefer to stick with their tried-and-proven existing solution, than would they want to take any risk to "give yours a try"

Price vs. Cost

If customers are so conscious about saving money and not spending money, does that mean that they will always buy the lowest-price product?

Fortunately not.

The un-educated customer will equate the price they pay with the cost of purchase, which in actual fact, isn't the case.

Just think about this, if you are the cost-conscious customer. If you were to buy a new car for instance, will you buy the cheapest car available, or would you consider buying something that you deem as value for money?

Similarly, your customer will also be very much concerned about issues such as:

"Good Morning, (Prospect name) , My name is (employee name), with XYZ, Inc.

I am the assistant to our Director, (Employee name).

He has asked me to contact you and schedule a time to speak about some of your competitors and your business. He may have some suggestions related to some of the issues that you face in your business and the (industry type). Some of our clients in your industry have had concerns such as (Hot Button Issues).

(Mr \ Mrs Business Owner), what time would you be available tomorrow to speak with them on this subject?"

Here's my reply:

He has asked me to contact you and schedule a time to speak about some of your competitors and your business. He may have some suggestions related to some of the issues that you face in your business and the (industry type). Some of our clients in your industry have had concerns such as (Hot Button Issues).

In saying so, this may create the impression that they are dealing with a very junior person, and hence may not give the respect that the staff deserves. The part on "competitors and your business" may back fire as well, since there are some companies insisting that they are streets ahead of the competition. Whether they really are much better than their competition is immaterial, because as long as they perceive as such, they won't want to talk to you any further. The 2nd and 3rd sentences can be combined to make it more compact:

"I'd like to arrange for a time for you to have a discussion with (Director's name) regarding the (hot button issue) that is affecting your industry right now."

(Mr \ Mrs Business Owner), what time would you be available tomorrow to speak with them on this subject?

The usage of the customer's name for a second time is best done when you are emphasising a key selling point , but re-phrasing it to be their best interests. Using the customer's name here tends to put people off, as it just sounds too salesy. The phrase "available tomorrow to speak on this subject" sounds very "ancient" English. To customers, it sounds deliberate and not authentic. It will be best use everyday language, i.e. they way you would have said if you have asked a friend if he can speak to you tomorrow.

"Would it be OK if I get him to call you at (specific time) tomorrow to discuss/ explore further?" is how I would have said it.

In a nutshell, there's no "one perfect script", as whoever is using it has to be comfortable and then sound natural and authentic on the phone. If you think you need help, with your scripts, just e-mail info@psycheselling.com and I'll help whenever I can.

As you might have heard of them, the most common challenges faced by sales people in any country, and across nearly every industry, are as follow:

Having these concerns in mind, the Psyche-Selling ^TM is created as a result of 1-to-1 coaching with sales people from a variety of industries across 13 cities in Asia.

Psyche-Selling ^TM is currently a co-affiliate of the HR Chally Group, together with Shi Bisset & Associates, to help you identify gaps in your current sales force, and then formulate ways to help you get better results.

The HR Chally Group is a talent management, leadership development, and sales improvement corporation providing personnel assessment and research services for over 33 years. Chally is recognised as an international technology leader in scientific assessment and prediction for selection, job alignment and leadership development, and for management assessment. For more information about implementing Total Quality Sales Management in your company, pls. log on to http://www.psycheselling.com/TQSM-ExecBrief_email.pdf to get more insights.