“We tend to think that our message is what moves people,” says Robert Cialdini, author of Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. “But it’s what we do first to create a particular mood in our audience that makes them receptive.”
Also read: What is the golden circle and how it will boost my sales.
Offer coffee, for example: Research has shown that when people hold something hot in their hands, they become more generous. Or also what social scientists call “the rule for reciprocity.” In one study, candy shoppers were 42% more likely to buy something if they received free chocolate.
“Many things that shape our mood are so primitive and automatic that they are not part of the deliberative process,” says Cialdini. So you can tilt those instincts in your favor with these ideas:
How to increase your sales.
1. Find a common area.
“It’s not just that people want to deal with someone they like, it’s that they want to deal with someone who likes them and is like them,” Cialdini says. “People trust that those who like them will not lead them astray.”
Visual cues (team jerseys, college rings) can help you find common ground during the sale, but for deeper preparation, thinking about the next meeting with a client, use social media heavily, such as LinkedIn and create recognition. “So if you see that they have a common hometown, an alma mater, or a love of sports, you know how to steer the conversation in that direction,” Cialdini says.
2. Know your starting gambit.
(Gambit: Chess move that consists of sacrificing a pawn or piece at the beginning of the game to achieve a favorable position)
When researchers approached people and asked for their email addresses in exchange for a bottle of a new drink, 33% gave up their information. But when the researchers first asked, “Do you consider yourself an adventurer?” Nearly 76 percent of people provided their email addresses.
Why? “These kinds of direct questions,” says Cialdini, “significantly increase the percentage of people who consider themselves adventurers,” making them momentarily “highly vulnerable to aligned requests,” for example, your sales pitch. (Know what a pitch is and how to create an excellent one)
If you’re competing for business with a company, start by asking: Why did you invite us here? “They will start telling you about all the things they find favorable and powerful about what you are offering them,” Cialdini explains. “Now you know your strengths and you can enhance them.”
3. Highlight your best feature.
You can influence how much importance people place on quality, speed, service, or another feature through visual cues. When researchers created an online furniture store with fluffy clouds or shiny coins on its website, they found that consumers who viewed the clouds ranked comfort as more important than those who viewed the coins.
Those who saw the clouds were likely to seek features over comfort and eventually buy more expensive furniture.
However, when questioned afterwards, most participants denied that clouds or currencies had any influence on their purchasing behavior. As Cialdini explains, “Calling attention to the ‘best feature’ is effective not only in getting audiences to notice it, but also in making them attach exaggerated meaning to it.” In other words: It may be time to rethink your website.
4. Draw strength from your drawbacks.
To understand how to increase your sales, you must learn that pointing out your flaws is winning points, says Cialdini. The faster you do it, the better. “People are surprised when you mention a weakness of yours, and that makes you more trustworthy. Then they will believe everything you tell them more.”
In 1962, Avis famously advertised: “When you’re only No. 2, you try harder.” The rental agency went from 3.2 million dollars in negative balance to 1.2 million dollars in positive; his first profit in 13 years. That technique of pursuing a weakness with a strength is key.
5. Do not mention your competitors.
Congratulations on how well you know your competitors. Now, don’t mention them. “There is a substantial advantage for a brand when consumers focus solely on it,” says Cialdini.
In fact, when people are asked to consider a particular product, their purchase intention naturally increases. But when they consider the product after mentioning what your competitor has to offer, the buying impulse plummets.
6. Scarcity sells.
“Our brains panic when resources are scarce, making consumers more likely to buy,” says Cialdini. “Anything that plays on that fear, for example the clock emoji in an email marketing campaign, offers limited time and can fuel that sense of urgency and impulse purchase.”
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business and want to find more information on this subject, buy our book “How to create a company while you work. Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
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