Pay-off: become better at steering others towards action
Investment: < 2.5 min
You’ve no doubt heard that people buy emotionally and justify with logic.
Another way of looking at it is that logic makes us think and emotion makes us act.
What do you want your customers to do? Think, or act?
You’re probably rightly → thinking ← that the skill here is pulling off both in the right ways at the right times.
Head or heart?
You should recognise your customer’s style of thinking in the current context – head or heart?
You can usually spot emotion since there’s motion, animation, volume, energy.
Logically then, based on this, if they’re not giving off the emotional signals, you may not yet have created the conditions for them to act. You’re going to need to find some stronger pain or pleasure points. Everyone has them.
You should also recognise your own default style of thinking that you’re inclined to project onto them – head or heart?
Because your style might be the wrong key to the door.
Ever tried to convince someone emotionally charged that logically they are not acting in their best interests? Wrong tool for the job buddy.
Ever tried to convince Mr Logic that he should do xyz because the outcome will be so exciting that you can all gather under a rainbow and hug? Wrong use of emotions!
Ever tried to convince an accountant to sell? (I have.) They don’t usually care that it might be fun once they get going and that they might be even better financially off (better holidays? Buy that boat?) No, they think, “that’s not logical. I’m an accountant. Accountants don’t sell.”
But they are still operating under the same forces. Their inaction to sell is still an emotional decision justified by logic. They → feel ← uncomfortable. Terrified even. Emotion decides. Then they create the logic (“accountants don’t sell”) to justify.
However, meet their perceived logic in a respectful logical fashion, and work with them to build a logical case for approaching business development in a logical, easier, more comfortable manner that suits their style, and they begin to → feel ← better about it and the wheels start turning. Action!
So, let’s turn this into action:
What’s your default style? Head or heart? And so which key to the door are you missing? You’ll need to acquire one.
And who are you trying to help right now to make an important decision? What’s currently driving their thought process? Is the emotion there? Is it a useful emotion? Or is it leading to inaction? Do you need to help bring the emotion out? Do you need to ride on the logic they’re using to create more useful emotions? Do they need some more logic from you to work with to → feel ← comfortable?
How are you steering the right doses of logic vs emotion to help them act on the right decision?
Are you helping them structure their thinking in a way that navigates THEIR emotions to arrive at a useful conclusion? That’s your job right now.
If you develop this skill…
What impact could it make on your sales, your business, your career, your lifestyle, and the experiences you have with your family and friends around you?
How could it positively impact your clients, relationship with colleagues, and your boss?
And perhaps the one that matters most to you – what impact could this ability have on those closest to you when one day you need to persuade them to avoid making a terrible life-changing mistake?
Will you be ready?
What are you doing to make sure you are?
Come on, the world’s your oyster!
Hang on, sorry, I just lost the “Mr Logic’s” amongst you didn’t I? Ah well…I’ve done it now, where’s that rainbow?
P.S. I’m here if you need help
