“Logic makes people think, and emotions make people act.” –Zig Ziglar
Buying decisions are based on 20% logic and 80% emotion.This is true for both B2C and B2B buying perspective. Why? Because end consumers and corporate purchasers are all humans. Tapping into a person’s logic and emotion in selling is a powerful combination in the sales process.
LOGIC IN SELLING
“Logic makes people think, and emotions make people act.” –Zig Ziglar
Before engaging with a seller, remember that a buyer must have already done 57% of the research about the salesperson or the company. CSO insights 2019 Buyers preference study says that there are an average of 6.5 people involved at the buyers side, in decision making The same is true for you because before you approach a prospective customer, you must have already looked and prepared the logical element of the forthcoming sales transaction:
- Customer Understanding
- Product Awareness
- Sales process
- Analytical Presentation
- Sales Spiel
- Persuasive proposals
- Industry report
It is important that we, as salespeople know what information we give our customers, ask the right questions to reveal their problem and present the right solutions.
Despite the fact that logic plays the initial part in the buying decision process especially in situations of a high-dollar purchase combined with a data driven analysis of a product, the process will not be complete without the element of emotion. The ultimate key to closing the sale.
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.”- Dale Carnegie
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice and motivated by pride and vanity.”– Dale Carnegie
EMOTION IN SELLING
The selling process doesn’t stop after the layout of problems, solutions and plans to the customer. That is only the first part. The next play is going to be the most crucial and important- tapping into the emotional drive of the customers by:
- Empathizing
- Building trust and rapport
- Showing honesty and transparency in every interaction
- Listening effectively
- Maintaining a positive energy around customers
As we have covered in our previous article on effective listening in sales, only 7% of the meaning of a message comes from the words alone, the remaining 93% are found on non-verbal cues such the tone of voice, facial expression and body language. That is something every salesperson should remember, that is not always words that sell, it is more of actions and sincerity in communication.
The main goal on tapping into the emotions of customers is to resonate with them as humans and not as corporate robots who are presenting them of information, that are most likely known to them already. People buy from people they trust and like, thus likability is the goal of using emotion in selling.
CONCLUSION
Even though buyers are more inclined to their emotions when making a business decision. It is undeniable that logic and emotion in selling go hand in hand. Despite the bigger take of emotion in the buying decision, compared to logic, still, a decision will not be made without the two.
- Logic only is not equal to the sales equation.
- Emotion only is also not equal to the sales equation.
Logic + Emotion (at the right proportion) = Perfect Sales Equation.
Customer buying decisions nowadays are heavily data and objective-driven. Salespeople should be equipped in presenting facts and analysis to customers to fulfill their buying rationale. But we must also understand that behind all the numbers, reports and statistics, lies an emotion-based decision.
Selling to logic does not complete the sale if the customer is simply not ‘feeling’ it, while selling to emotion will have to be validated by reason and logic before the ultimate close of the sale. James Chartrand simply put it : “We buy on emotion and justify with logic.”
