Discovering the “Buy Button” – Neuromarketing: The Cutting Sales Edge
Scratching your head over why your prospect didn’t buy when you were so sure the sale was in hand? It is well known that customers decide with their emotions not their primitive fact-based brain.
How do you create an emotional sales process that motivates the buyer?
Let’s jump into understanding Brain Basics, then look at how it works and its importance in the sales process.
There are 3 layers in the brain: the Reptilian Brain, Limbic System (the Mammal Brain) and the Neocortex Brain (Neo-Mammal).
The Reptilian Brain is the instinctive brain; it’s very basic and governs information like heartbeat, digestion and other body maintenance items, as well as survival. It also collects data, facts, and memory and processes this data, meaning there are not many interpretive, cognitive or emotional aspects working. This primitive part of the brain is prone to make snap, short-term decisions. You don’t want your prospects making purchase decisions with this information only. Christine Comaford, author of Smart Tribes, referred to this as “The Critter State”, a limited fact- based part of the brain, during her webinar in June 2015 on “Sell and Market Better with Neuroscience”.
Finding your tribe – your “peeps” – is within the Limbic System and is the emotional brain where people connect with one another, seek belongingness, look for alikeness, commonalities and mutual behaviours which in turn create trust. It is the sweet spot for building rapport, relationships and connection as it governs emotions (emotions are the predominate motivator when we make buying decisions) and perceptions and processes the data of the Reptilian Brain and Neocortex and decides how to respond to you.
We evolve significantly in the Neocortex Brain. It is the advanced thinking area which involves planning, processing and interpretations like deciding if you are an enemy or friend and how to respond to you and it makes choices like fight or flight, preserve or protect and without sufficient data about you it defaults to negative assumptions and reactions such as a ‘no’ to the purchase.
How do we incorporate Brain Basics or science into our sales process? Here is a sure-fire way to structure your sales presentation – Neuromarketing is brilliant, we actually work in reverse!
Process of sales presentation
- Strongest appeal is to the Limbic System (are you one of ‘me’, do we have similarities I align with and can belong to, have you built my trust and safety in my decision, what is our emotional tie?) Make emotional connections here.
- Feed the Neocortex Brain (reduce anxiety and fear with information, planning and solving problems).
- Don’t ignore the Reptilian Brain – include facts, stats and figures in your presentation. The Reptilian Brain is the root of the decision process and now will also assess the Limbic System and Neocortex data to justify the purchase
Process of decision making
- Reptilian Brain makes the decision and assesses Neocortex and Limbic System data to justify the purchase(give me the facts – is generally defensive, anxious, risk-adverse and reactionary mindset).
- Neocortex Brain assesses friend/foe, safety/fear, is self-aware, thinks, evaluates, plans and problem solves.
- Limbic System is the root of emotions, connections, sameness and relationship
Discovering the “buy-button” is now easier as you appeal to the person’s 3 brain parts to create a powerful sales process. Perhaps you’ve been missing a component?
Successful sales people no longer sell by pushing the client or by presenting two fact based A/B options. Instead, we can leverage the knowledge of how people make decisions, the science of the brain and the complexities and emotions of the person. The human need for emotional connection, dispelling their fears and understanding why they need to make safe and sound buying decisions is key.
I’d love to hear from you and welcome your stories, struggles and successes, and how you’ve added this cutting edge tool into your business.
About Christine:
Christine Boyle specializes in working with business owners in acquiring and retaining more clients. Using proven business practices she moves you into focus and action, improving your sales and productivity, together growing your business with less stress and in less time. She is an accomplished businesswoman, has 20+ years business experience having held numerous corporate, sales and leadership positions, is an entrepreneur and a professionally trained Co-Active coach. Christine offers strategy sessions to businesses committed to making change and has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. She is the mother of a budding young woman and Christine loves exotic travel recently visiting the Andes and Amazon when in Peru.
www.fusionenterprises.ca christine@fusionenterprises.ca 647 274 0033