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Selling to businesses has some differences than selling to consumers. Usually, the lead time is longer, more people are involved in the decision-making, and generally (except for a house or a car) the investment is lower.
However, business customers are still people. And, people will respond to the same cues regardless of whether they are deciding to buy a software package or a lawnmower.
Victor Schwab (“Mail Order Strategy”) compiled the following list of 40 emotional triggers that influence decisions. It was written in 1956, but it’s still relevant.
Here’s the list of emotional triggers:
People want to gain:
- Health
- Popularity
- Praise from others
- Pride of accomplishment
- Self-confidence
- Time
- Improved appearance
- Comfort
- Advancement: social-business
- Money
- Security in old age
- Leisure
- Increased enjoyment
- Personal prestige
They want to save:
- Time
- Discomfort
- Risks
- Money
- Worry
- Embarrassment
- Work
- Doubts
They want to be:
- Good parents
- Creative
- Efficient
- Recognized authorities
- Up-to-date
- Gregarious
- “First” in things
- Sociable, hospitable
- Proud of their possessions
- Influential over others
They want to do:
- Express their personalities
- Satisfy their curiosity
- Appreciate beauty
- Win others’ affection
- Resist domination by others
- Emulate the admirable
- Acquire or collect things
- Improve themselves generally
Tapping into the right emotion (greed, fear, want) can take your message from just OK to truly gripping, and make a world of difference in the results you get.
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