What do you really need to know now if you are going to be persuasive in selling and marketing?
On video.
Live in person.
Text.
You must comprehensively understand what motivates the specific person or the specific group of people to buy and then you push all the right buttons in the right sequence.
Today I want to give you the building blocks so you are ready when you arrive at IBC.
Before you launch into creating and presenting your own offer, whether in person, on the web, or in media like TV or radio, you need to do some homework (gasp!) to insure that your offer is going to be accepted.
Use These 7 Core Elements to Persuade
I want you to see core “reasons” that cause people to buy from you or say, “yes,” to move ahead with your proposal.
Are there other “reasons?”
Yes. And they are significant. I’ll share them with you in Las Vegas.
Today I am going to outline things that cause people to buy from you, and then show you how to have control over each of these core factors. Then I’ll give you the framework you need to use these motivators that can drive people to buy from YOU.
What motivates people to buy?
Factor One…
1. Emotion
One of the causes of people buying or saying “yes,” is that of emotion.
Emotions like…
*Disgust:
You’ve begun to notice more ads using disgust. Disgust is one of the seven basic and universally recognized emotions.
Disgust is a strong motivator to buy or to gain agreement when laid out carefully. Disgust causes people to click on ads that they don’t want to see any more. Often the moving images are of spiders. This week I received a 9 x 12 envelope from a marketer. The envelope had a plastic spider inside. The strategy, had it worked would have been to dispose of the plastic spider and then allow the sales letter that was enclosed to be the relief of the disgust that was felt upon seeing the spider.
I wanted it to be effective but the poorly photocopied sales letter looked like it was put together in Elementary School. Not so great. But the concept was there. He’ll get it right eventually.
I’ll talk with you about disgust and this underutilized and misunderstood emotional driver at Influence: Boot Camp.
* Fear:
Fear of looking foolish.
Fear of missing an opportunity.
Fear of losing their job.
Fear of death.
Fear of a future price increase.
Fear of what others think about them.
Fear of the unknown.
Fear of growing old.
Fear of being alone.
Fear of being cheated.
And it goes beyond “simple fear.” There are hundreds of different phobias that drive people to buy from you, today.
People buy life insurance because they fear death while leaving their family financially lost.
The masses buy exercise equipment because they fear looking terrible to others.
They buy alarm systems because they fear they are going to be violated in some way.
People make a lot of purchases because of their fears. And they buy many things or services that are promised to alleviate those fears.
* Passion:
Passion for sexual fulfillment.
Passion for food.
Passion for money.
Passion for our children.
Passion for our partner.
Passion for our career.
Passion for romance.
Passion for success.
Passion for fame.
Both you and those you influence are passionate about and for many things.
Whether the passion is a relationship or a recreation, a possession or a position, everyone has something they long for.
Virtually everyone has those special things that they “love.” And they spend a lot of money in pursuit of those things.
I began reading voraciously as a kid. I bought thousands of books. Genre led to genre. Field to field.
Why?
Because my passion for reading triggered an emotional response… I wanted to know as much as a human could…and I was as good as sold long before walking into Barnes and Noble.
To this day I have and have read everything possible about Biblical Archaeology, Religious Literature, The Historic Jesus, Decision Making, Behavioral Economics, The Illusion of Consciousness, Consumer Behavior, Evolutionary Psychology, Strategic and Critical Thinking, Motivation, Rejection, Relationship Research, and well a few other …dozen areas of interest….
Perhaps the “desire to gain knowledge” is an addiction. What do you think?
You and those you wish to influence make a lot of purchases based upon passion or love.
Things that make them happy, that bring them joy…that increase their pleasure. People buy food in many cases not because they are hungry, but because they love eating.
People buy self-help books not because we need to improve our reading skills, but because they long to improve their lives. People buy roses because they love their spouses.
Passion – it fuels a great number of buying decisions.
Fear and passions, in most contexts, are the two biggest emotional buttons that cause people to make purchases.
There are others:
Sorrow, reverence, hate, sadness, surprise, anger, joy, excitement.
People buy because of all of these emotional triggers.
Now, here’s what to do…
In reality, people buy very few things for rational reasons. Instead, they buy (especially those “spur of the moment” impulse items!) because of emotion and because of feelings.
Now, since people buy products based on emotions, what can you do to trigger those emotions?
Secrets of Tapping into Emotions
There are two secrets to touching the way people feel about things that work the majority of the time (I’ll delve into both of these more later and in-depth at Boot Camp, but let me introduce a couple of them now)…
Present problems and offer their solutions. Do this early on in your offer or your presentation. Outline a problem that your buyer or your audience is probably facing and then point out how your product provides the solution.
Online:
One of the biggest obstacles facing most people doing business online is generating traffic to their websites.
Let me show you how to really get quality people who are interested in YOU and your WORK, product, service, experience, to YOUR website…
One effective strategy is to contrast your work with others. My personal viewpoint is that in general there’s no need to replicate information. So I produce where others are deficient. Most gurus are poor at helping people start out at much of anything. So I like to put attention on the beginning of processes which is where almost everyone fails.
That’s a huge competitive advantage…USP…if you will.
Face it. Someone who goes to a seminar for $5000 with high hopes but gets nothing but a sales pitch or a bunch of sales pitches has good reason to be upset.
It doesn’t take rocket science to know people are still upset about that experience.
They wanted value. They trusted someone and their trust was broken. And that’s where an opportunity is created for me to create happy and loyal lifetime relationships.
Think of the last time you went to a seminar that was really a sales pitch for a bunch of other stuff.
What emotion might triggered here? Anger? Absolutely! Most likely the reader is angry because she herself has been taken and disillusioned.
What’s important to me is that there is a problem that they face that remains unsolved. This is the reason they went to the first event. Now there is the possibility of a solution for them to take a “chance” on Kevin Hogan.
When they do, they will make a change from disillusioned to very pleased in short order. Life long client and customer.
In this hypothetical scenario where I get to speak with someone or some group who has been disillusioned I can point out what happened with the other event. I’m happy to let it sting.
Then let the reader/audience/prospect/customer/future client see the existing problems that caused them to want to go to THAT event in the first place, then offer solutions where possible.
Don’t exaggerate, lie or hype. Offer realistic, reachable solutions that will come to fruition in the very near future.
Everyone has problems and everyone wants them eliminated. People don’t mind paying for those solutions — if they are real solutions.
Be the clear alternative.
If you can’t be passionate about being the clear alternative….
* Present luxuries and offer opportunities. The flip side to that coin is to present something that triggers passion and offer a chance to obtain it. For example, here’s one that would get a lot of people moving now…
“Wouldn’t you like to improve your golf game so dramatically that you’ll have your buddies scrambling to keep up with you?”
“Let me show you how to take at least 4 strokes off your game by the end of the month. You’ll drive the ball farther, hit more accurate chip shots and putt like a pro. Here’s how…”
Aaaah. Show me where to sign up!
What emotions are triggered here? Excitement! Joy! Passion! Pride!
There is a certain “attraction” between their psyche and an opportunity to fulfill something they are passionate about.
The idea for you is to highlight an existing emotional want.
For example, If you get targeted traffic to your website, or the right people in your store, then it is EASY present your work to your visitors because of their existing desires.
They already want something! All you have to do is be credible enough to persuade them that they can have it.
One reason they buy is because the offer or opportunity triggers some feeling inside of them that prompts them to go for it.
Your job is to let them pull the trigger!
2. The Value Factor
How many times did your Mom go to the store and buy something she wouldn’t need for a year or two…and the reason she bought it was because it was on clearance and 80% off?
People love a good deal. They buy things because they are valuable to them.
There are two basic ways people judge value.
* Quantity
Two for the price of one.
Buy one get one free.
Free medium drink with any hamburger order.
Extra value meal.
Thirty days free to new members.
These are all ways of providing MORE quantity for the same price. And that, in the estimation of many, is a determining factor in how valuable something is.
After all – what’s more valuable: A large pizza for $14.95 or a large pizza with a free 2-liter Diet Coke for $14.95?
Obviously the free 2-liter Diet Coke adds more value to the order.
That is a simple quantity increase.
It prompts you and I to order, simply because there is more “bang for the buck.”
* Quality
The other measuring stick of value is quality. Let’s stick with pizza as our illustration. I like Godfather’s Pizza. Far and away my favorite. I rarely taste anything that good. When I was a kid we at Quonset Pizza in Waukegan. I have no idea if they are still in business…but I can’t imagine anyone not being their customer forever if you lived in Northern Illinois!
Any store could sell pizza at 1/2 of the price of Godfathers and it is not interesting because the quality of Godfather’s is supreme.
I am happy to pay a premium because of quality. I would rather pay more to receive something of higher quality.
Quality sells.
People often make purchases because they see some kind of value – whether quantity or quality. Give them either and you’ve most likely got a customer. Give them both and it’s a done deal.
3. The Element of Expectation
Herein lies a tremendous motivator for purchases. People buy based on what they expect to achieve from use of the purchase. In other words, they buy based on what they perceive will be the end result of that purchase. For example…
People buy exercise equipment because they EXPECT TO SEE THE RESULTS of weight loss, muscle tone and overall better health.
They buy grass seed because they EXPECT TO SEE THE RESULTS of a nicer lawn.
They buy cookbooks because they EXPECT TO SEE THE RESULTS of nice meals and desserts.
They buy movie tickets because they EXPECT TO BE entertained.
People make a great many purchases because they expect to see some kind of desirable outcome as a result of that purchase.
Don’t attempt to sell someone your product, but rather the end result of using your product.
You aren’t selling products or services, you are selling results. You are selling weight loss, not weigh loss pills. You are selling an education, not tuition. You are selling a romantic evening for two, not a candlelit dinner.
People buy because they want results. Want to sell more? Start approaching your offer from the end and not the beginning. Ask yourself a simple question… …“What does the prospect want to achieve with my product?”
Focus on the results.
4. The Referral Factor
Many times they purchase based solely on a recommendation from a trusted friend, family member or associate.
Referrals are SO important in business but most people never get them.
We’ll talk about this one in much more detail later and in-depth at The Persuasive Comprehensive.
I’ll even show you how to get these referrals for free! I just want to introduce you to the idea now.
People make purchases in a lot of cases simply because someone make a recommendation.
How many times have you bought something because someone suggested it?
I have bought a literal ton of books because one of a few trusted friends and colleagues have suggested that I do so.
You’ve made similar purchases yourself.
5. The Recognition Factor
People often buy things because of REPUTATION and/or RECOGNITION. And of course, everyone buys things because of name recognition.
People buy things because of Familiarity.
Why?
Because of the scientific principle of priming. It’s that simple and it makes companies millions and billions of dollars every year.
Answer these questions without thinking…
What is your favorite soft drink?
What is your favorite brand of jeans?
What kind of pain reliever do you use?
Now, why do you drink the same soft drink over and over? You like the taste, right? Why do you buy the same jeans over and over? You like the fit, right? Why do you buy the same pain reliever over and over? You like the lack of pain, right?
In other words, you buy what you are FAMILIAR with. You buy because of the REPUTATION each of those has with you. You buy because you RECOGNIZE them. You are loyal & predictable because of your IDENTIFICATION.
We make many purchases because of that very reason.
You buy because of recognition, reputation and familiarity. So does the person you are talking with.
6. The Necessity Factor
Let’s face it, sometimes you and I buy because we NEED to buy. When the tube of toothpaste is depleted, I amble on down to Wal-Mart and buy a new tube. I NEED toothpaste. When my electric bill comes in each month, I pay it. I NEED electricity.
Every 3,000 miles (about once annually) I pay to have the oil changed in my car. Why? Because IT needs it! We buy a lot of things because we need to. That’s the principle of necessity. You already knew that, I am sure.
But, did you know that you can CREATE need in your offers. And NO, I don’t mean, “You need to buy my product now! You need what I’ve got! Buy from me, buy from me!” That won’t generate a sale.
And that brings us to number seven…
7. The Presentation Factor
People buy because of PRESENTATION.
This is THE MOST IMPORTANT Principle of them all. Master this one and I assure you, you will make more sales than you could ever imagine. You and I buy things because of the way the offer is presented to us.
Bottom line: This is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINING FACTOR IN ALL PURCHASE DECISIONS.
Why? Because with the proper presentation of your offer, you can conquer all six other factors at the same time. You can: trigger the emotion, provide value, build expectation, use referrals, become familiar and prove there is a need for your product.
All of the other six factors rest on this seventh.
It is the umbrella that covers them all. If you learn to present your offer the RIGHT way, then selling is the easy part.
So, what is the RIGHT way? That’s what we are going to do at Influence: Boot Camp The Persuasive Comprehensive. I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about PRESENTING your offer. You are going to learn how to master each of these principles (and more) in ONE presentation.
Your offer itself (whatever product or service you are selling, for the price you are selling it) must be presented in such a way that it compels people to buy. PRESENTATION is just as important as the substance of your product or service…
In fact, it’s probably more important. Why? Because no one will ever see your product or service until you present an offer that they must say “yes” to. As long as they can say “no” to your offer, as long as they can reject what you are “trying to sell them,” then your substance doesn’t do you a bit of good.
Presentation – that is the key. You’ve got to make it easier for them to say “Yes” than it is for them to say “No”.
Reserve your spot now!
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