The human brain is an amazing thing!
When it comes to selling your product or service, there are a ton of persuasive techniques you can master to increase your profits. I’m a huge fan of leveraging the power of physical commitment. As human beings, we are often forced to commit to tasks that we rather not do. A verbal commitment is strong, but when it comes to putting pen to paper, nothing is more rock solid than the physical act of signing our name.
Psychology has proven that our brain has the ability to “bookmark” events very similar to the way you bookmark a website in your Internet browser. It plants a little flag as a reminder of an event that has been committed to. The cool part about that little reminder is that it is considerably strengthened if you activate some sort of physical response to the original commitment.
This theory has been proven very effective when it comes to sales. Customers who signed their name next to an invitation for an upcoming sales event, and physically committed to attend by putting pen to paper, were more likely to show up than those that just verbally acknowledged the request. We feel compelled to uphold our agreements, but for some unknown reason, if we only reply verbally, we feel less committed to our promises.
The concept of commitment in sales is not new. Successful sales gurus have been preaching their amazing results for years. As an entrepreneur, you know how important it is to make money. That seems like a simple concept, but many business men and women fail to educate themselves on how to effectively sell the product they offer. They feel so passionate about their business, that they assume potential customers will feel the same way, and simply hand over their money. By now you have learned that that’s not how the business world works.
By implementing psychological sales responses, you will increase your profits, and continue to grow your business. If you are afraid of being perceived as some sort of small business mind freak, then you need to look for a different profession! Our purchase decisions are made primarily on impulse. Your customer has already committed to buy from you; they just don’t know it yet. It’s your job as a salesman, to lead them to the register…one way or another.
For more information on proven methods of sales persuasion, I strongly suggest reading the book "Yes!" by Dr. Robert B. Cialdini.
- Andy
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Andy Sokolovich is the owner of small business marketing firm Bent Business Marketing. He can be reached at andy@BentBusinessMarketing.com.
