The Psychology of Selling

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The Psychology of Selling

• Jim Burton, Ph.D.
• State Univ. of West Georgia

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Overview

• Why People Buy
• Psychological Influences on Buying
• FAB Selling Technique
• What are Important Buyer Needs
• Perceptions , Attitudes Beliefs
• The Buyers Personality
• Buyers as Decision - Makers

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Why People Buy

• The Black Box
• Sales Presentation
• Buyers Hidden Mental Processes
• Buyers Decision - Sale / No Sale
• Practical (Rational) Reasons
• Psychological (Emotional) Reasons
• Salespeople should Understand Buyers Behavior

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Psychological Keys

• Motivations to Buy
• Needs
• Wants
• Economic Needs - Price , Quality , Convenience of
  Buying , Service
• Awareness of Needs
• Conscious Need Level
• Preconscious Need Level
• Unconscious Need Level

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The FABulous Approach

• Features
• Advantages
• Benefits

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Maslows Needs Hierarchy

• Survival - Food, Clothing, Shelter
• Security - Feel Safe Secure
• Belonging - Accepted Loved
• Esteem Prestige - Respected by Family and Peers
• Self-Fulfillment - Know Act on Your Purpose in
  Life!!!

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Important Buyer Needs

• Fear
• Vanity
• Power
• Security
• Love
• Pleasure
• Importance
• Self - Preservation

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Match Needs with Benefits - LOCATE

• Listen
• Observe
• Combine Listening Observing
• Ask Questions
• Talk to Others
• Empathize

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Perceptions , Attitudes , Beliefs

• Perceptions - Hearing, Seeing, Feeling
• Selective Exposure, Distortion Retention
• Attitudes - Shaped by Past Present Experiences
• Beliefs - To Think a Thing Makes it So !!!

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The Buyers Personality

• Personality is the Individuals Character Traits,
  Attitudes, Habits
• Self - Concept
• Real Self How you actually are.
• Self - Image How you see yourself.
• Ideal Self How you would like to be.
• Looking - Glass Self How you think others see
  you.

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Positive Self - Concept

• Clarifying Your True Values
• Self - Disclosure Being Accepted as You Are
• Recognizing Your Strengths Achievements
• Owning Accepting Them
• Openly Sharing w/Others
• Giving Receiving Feedback
• Setting Goals to Stretch
• Real Accomplishments

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Buyers Personality Styles

• Lion, Fox, St. Bernard
• Carl Jungs Styles
• Thinker
• Intuitor
• Feeler
• Sensor
• Watch for Style Clues
• Observe Avoid Judging

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Buyers as Decision-Makers

• Classify Buying Situations
• Routine
• Limited Buyer unfamiliar with product
• Extensive Home, auto, insurance big
• Need Arousal
• Buyers Collect Information
• They Evaluate Information
• Make Buy/No-Buy Decision
• Satisfied Customers

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Questions Before Sales Presentation

• Type of Product Desired?
• Type of Buying Situation?
• Use of the Product?
• Who Makes Decision?
• Practical Factors of Decision?
• Psychological Factors of Decision?
• Buyers Important Buying Needs?

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People Will Buy if

• They Perceive a Need or Problem
• They Have Desire to Fix it
• Your Product Works
• Your Product is Competitive
• They Like You
• They Have the Resources Authority to Buy

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BIG Barriers to Success

• Fear of Rejection
• Fear of Being Conned
• Allowing Our Intentions to be Thwarted by Others!
• FEAR, FEAR, FEAR!

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Why Salespersons Fail

• Low level of Natural Assertiveness
• Poor Communication Skills
• Do NOT Learn from Experiences
• Lack of Specific Goals and Disciplined Success
  Plan
• Lack of REAL Caring about Others (Customers)