Why Do We Say Yes to Another Person?
Ever wonder what causes one person to say "yes" to another person's request? Or why is it that a request stated one way will be rejected, while one that asks for the same favor in a slightly different manner gets approved? As a salesperson, the study of persuasion fascinates me - and even if you're just a consumer, you may find this discussion interesting too because we all employ these techniques and/or fall prey to them!
So in the next few blog posts, I'm going to talk about some of the psychological principles that direct persuasion behavior, and how these tricks and techniques are often commissioned by salespeople. In other words, how do they get someone to say "yes"?
Now I'm not going to talk about the rule of self-interest which basically says that every person wants to get the most and pay the least. Getting a good deal is definitely important - don't get me wrong--it's just that I don't see the reason of having to explain why that's important. OK?
So without further ado, let's begin.
The first psychological trigger that's as old as Biblical times is Telling Stories.
Stories hold readers and listeners spellbound. They work almost like magic too because most people love to hear a good story. In addition, you can give people information and motivate them without having the barriers of resistance come up. Here's an example of a story that has been used to sell stocks and bonds on Wall Street.
"On a beautiful late fall afternoon, two men entered the same college. They were very much alike. Both were better than average students in high school, both were personable and both were filled with ambitious dreams for the future.
Recently, these two men returned to high school for their 25th high school reunion.
They were still very much alike. Both were happily married. Both had three children. And both, it turned out had graduated from college and had started to work for the same manufacturing company, and both were still working there.
But there was a difference. One of the men was manager of a small department of that company. The other was its president."
Telling a story allows a sales practitioner to set up the important principle of persuasion known as contrast.
The contrast principle says that people like to judge a difference between two things that are presented one after another. And if the second item is fairly different from the first, people will tend to see it as more different than it actually is. Here's an example of what I'm talking about.
A salesman who successfully sells sweaters once said that he will often tell a story first before he tries to make a sale. His story involves a famous celebrity customer who claimed that he learned how to judge a good sweater by first trying on a three-piece suit. Therefore, the salesman recommends that all his customers do likewise. After telling this story, the sweater salesman says that 98% of his male customers will agree to try on a three-piece suit first before putting on a sweater.
Question: Why does the salesman want his customers to try on a suit?
Answer: Obviously he makes more money by selling a three-piece suit than a sweater, but that's not the real reason. According to the salesman, the suit is just more expensive than a sweater! A man might balk at paying $195 for a sweater, for instance, but if he has tried on a suit first that costs $995, the high priced sweater will still seem relatively cheap in comparison when he tries it on later. So telling a story gets the customer interested in trying on the suit, and then comparing the two items of clothing.
In real estate, I sometimes tell a story about the first house I ever sold. It's a humorous story and I'll mention how hot it was that day and how my old car didn't have air conditioning. And the house my buyers purchased as they left my car, their backs drenched in perspiration, was the second home that I showed to them. Why is that important? Not because I want to boast about my sales ability, it's simply because I have found that many buyers have been advised by others to take their time when home shopping. They may even be told: do NOT purchase the first or second house that you see. But by telling a story about how other purchasers found the perfect home, my new buyers might want to do likewise. Of course when showing these people homes, I'll invariably show a less attractive home first, and then watch as the eyes of my clients light up when seeing that desirable home second home.
Use the principle of contrast with your story-telling and see if it helps you to become more effective at selling your product or service.
Comments(0)