Salespeople Need To Help Buyers With Their Emotions
I recently read an article that I think mischaracterizes the B2B buying behavior of individuals.
The article is titled “Rethinking Demand Creation” and it appears on Demand Spring. The author seems to imply that buyers are making an emotional decision first and then justifying it with logic. I do not believe that is true.
It is not that B2B buyers have a more personal attachment to the products. It is that their reputation within their community is more affected by their decisions. A bad decision by a team for a particular product will be remembered for years.
Things are often said around the coffee pot such as “I cannot believe Joe’s team actually bought that product. We shouldn’t let Joe’s team make any important decisions.” It is the fear of screwing up and be held responsible for years that affects them.
On the flip side is the positive aspects of a great decision. “Mike’s team really chose a great product for that project. It is saving everyone a lot of money and time. We should give Mike more responsibility.”
The latter part of the article actually gets to the right spot but it isn’t because “We then rationalize our decisions with the newest part of our brain, the neocortex” (quote from the article), but that buyers make a complete choice and they do weigh the value of not screwing up or if they will be handsomely rewarded for making a good decision.
So it isn’t about rationalizing the decision that a certain part of your buyer’s brain made. It is about trying to protect his/her personal reputation or enhance your standing in the work community.
These are valuable lessons. This is why in my book and on this site, I frequently explain that every salesperson must sell three things in every deal:
- your product,
- your company,
- you.
While your product and your company will give the buyer the confidence in making a good decision, it is you that gives the buyer the confidence that his peers will respect him after the decision is made.
If you are not familiar with my book, you may purchase Eliminate Your Competition from your favorite book retailer. The ebook version is available at the most popular retailers such as Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble. The paperback version is also widely available at such retailers as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books A Million.