There is a science to selling, and it’s not what you think! Psychology is one of the most powerful skills to master in the sales world. It’s a weapon that has been utilized throughout the history of man and continues to be used to this day. Understanding the nuances of human nature will help you reach your maximum sales potential, whether on your own or on behalf of your business.
Most salespeople improve their sales skills by using persuasive techniques. To achieve maximum satisfaction in sales, learn how to recognize the important psychological factors that influence the purchase decisions of potential customers and how marketers persuade people’s behavior when purchasing a product or service.
The overlaps between psychology + sales are real! You don’t need a master’s degree to be successful and have an impact. There’s a reason that salespeople have to be so convincing: when it comes to getting people to buy things, the only thing that matters is the person doing the selling.
It’s not about how much money you can sell or how many products you sell—it’s about who you are and how much influence you have over your customers.
If you want to succeed in sales, then you need to understand how psychology works. That means knowing what motivates people, why they buy things, and which psychological triggers will convince them to purchase.
What is the psychology of selling?
Sales Psychology studies how people make decisions and act in groups. It’s all about understanding how people interact with each other and with the products they sell.
One of the most important things to know about sales persuasion is that it’s not just about how you present your company or product to customers; it also includes knowing how your customers will perceive what you do and how they respond to it.
6 principles of sales psychology
1. Reciprocity
It’s like a “chain reaction” of custom, in which one action begets another. It also applies to business relationships—if you want people to use your products or services, you need to give them a reason to do so. This can take many forms: free samples, discounts on future purchases, and special deals for loyal customers.
This applies to everything! Reciprocity is what makes people want to buy from you again and again. People are more likely to be loyal to their favorite stores and brands: when they buy something from them, it’s like an unexpected gift that makes them feel special.
One example is the foot-in-the-door technique — it was born out of the social experiment of Robert Cialdini, which is a compliance tactic that assumes agreeing to a small request increases the likelihood of agreeing to a second, larger request.
2. Commitment and Consistency
Consistency gives customers confidence in the products or services you’re selling. If consistency isn’t present within any given company or product line, consumers may feel they’re getting less value than they should be. This could lead them down a path of not wanting to spend money with that company again in the future — or worse yet, boycott.
People don’t buy from companies they feel aren’t connected with. They like to feel good about themselves, so they’ll only buy from people who make them feel good. Consistency is key: if you try something that doesn’t work, don’t repeat it until you figure out what works.
3. Social Proof
Social proof is the idea that people tend to follow the lead of those they perceive as having a lot of influence or authority. It’s why you see people lining up at checkout counters, why people always stand in line at the movies, and why everyone buys the same brand of toothpaste.
You can use social proof by selling as many marketing pieces as possible. Put signs in every store location or point of sale so people can see them. Don’t just rely on one website or landing page—use multiple channels to reach potential clients!
The best way to use social proof is by making sure your customers feel comfortable around you. If they don’t know much about your brand or what it stands for, they’ll be more likely to choose the option that looks like it has a lot going for it.
4. Liking
When we like something, we have an emotional response to it—we enjoy it, identify with it, and want more of it. This reaction is often unconscious: we might not even realize that we’re experiencing something until someone points it out.
The same thing happens when you’re trying to sell someone on something: you must first create an emotional connection between yourself and your product or idea to get them interested. You need their attention before they buy anything from you—not just your product itself!
The principle of likeability is the idea that you can’t make a sale to someone if they don’t like you. The idea behind this principle stems from the idea that people are more likely to buy from people they like. This makes sense because it’s easier and more comfortable for our minds to make decisions when we emotionally connect with someone else.
5. Authority
Authority is a powerful thing. It can give you the upper hand in any situation, especially in sales and persuasion. This is because people tend to trust experts more than non-experts, which gives the expert extra power to convince their target audience.
Authority means that someone has been given the power to make decisions for other people—and not just any decisions: decisions that affect their lives in a major way. Authority also means that when someone uses their position of authority over others, those others will obey their commands without question.
Salespeople use this kind of power; they know how important it is to establish themselves as leaders and experts in whatever field they work in.
6. Scarcity
Scarcity is one of the most powerful psychological tools in sales. It’s also one of the easiest to use. The trick is to ensure that what you’re selling isn’t scarce but comes across as it is (that’s the goal, right?).
When you see a product, you first consider how much it costs. And if it’s not expensive, then you’re thinking about whether or not it’s functional. And if it’s functional, then maybe you’re thinking about whether or not it’s stylish.
But what if I told you that someone could have all three thoughts at once? What if they could be thinking about how much they liked the product, how well they knew the company, and how much they wanted to buy it? That’s exactly what happens when someone buys something—they have all three thoughts.
The reason for this is because of scarcity. Scarcity makes us want things more than we already do and makes us willing to spend money on objects that don’t need to be bought. In fact, we don’t even need to be aware that there are other options out there—we know this one is better than any other option we’ve seen before.
BD Paths Takeaway
Don’t feel different from your peers. Their business degrees and sports knowledge. Sales is about wanting to guide your prospects and customers to the solutions to their problems, help people through their struggles, give advice, and see them be successful.
Knowledge of human behavior, emotions, communication, and self-awareness are all critical to making sales. You are the priority. This value proposition makes for an extremely genuine interaction, where people have literally said, “you’re making it hard for me to say no” – imagine having that in your sales and partnerships process.
We can get caught up in the world of dollars and cents. Commissions and targets. Business growth and unicorn status. These things are great and exciting. But when you shift your focus as an individual, you worry less and enjoy the process more. Ask yourself, “Why do I wake up each day?”
Build your empire that others can benefit from. Build a genuine network and improve my communication skills to help more people.