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07/25/2004: "Do you sell to their "real" motivations?"

In 1986 I was sitting in the Beauty Salon awaiting my turn to be transformed into a raving beauty. The wait proved to be the most useful part of the visit as I was not thus transformed but indeed improved. At any rate, I flipped through the current issue of "Vogue" magazine as many women do while waiting. It is not a magazine to which I would ever subscribe but I will look at it when pressed for amusement.

There was, however, a very short item in the beauty tip section. This particular "tip" was to change my life --- if you'll allow me a bit of melodrama.

It said that smoking caused wrinkles and would cause you to age rapidly. Now I was at that time a smoker. All the stuff about causing your lungs to rot and your heart to stop failed to make me quit. But telling me that I would be a wrinkled old prune with ugly skin provided "instant motivation" for me to stop smoking.

I joined a program and in two months I had stopped and have not smoked since.

So what the hell does that have to do with you and your business? Simply this. You may very well not know what will cause your prospect to buy. Remember the very old, worn out cliche that people buy for their reasons, not yours? Well, it's true.

See, most folks would indeed stop smoking for their health. But a vain broad like me would only stop to stay looking young and having skin that was wrinkle-free. And you can believe that there are many vain people, men and women, who are motivated by that very thing.

So in selling your product or service, look for the "hidden" reasons people might buy from you. Don't just assume they'll buy for the obvious reasons or for the reasons you think they should buy.

If you do that, you'll sell a hell of a lot more stuff a lot more often.