Appeal to the heart, not the brain

There are all sorts of products and services we buy, not because we want them, but because we need them. The services of an accountant can be a case in point.

The problem with this type of purchase is that it doesn't make your heart sing. Worse still, we may come to resent the money that we've been obliged to spend.

So how can you sell in a way that appeals to the emotions of the potential buyer, not to logic? Although I appreciate we use logic to justify our spending. 

One way is to create an irresistible offer (sometimes referred to as a 'sexy' offer). This is what I call the red Ferrari moment. One can buy a very nice car for much less - but for many of us the moment we take ownership of a red Ferrari (or any vehicle of your desire) will stand out forever. Why? Because it's such an icon of achievement and such a beautiful and desirable artefact in itself.

Let's think for a minute about that moment when you take the driving seat. You'll probably have worked hard to build your business to the point where you can afford the car in the first place. So this is your reward for all that effort. Secondly, you'll be conscious that driving a Ferrari will be a very visible emblem of your success. And thirdly, depending upon how you feel about cars, there'll be the sheer joy of driving a top-of-the-range model.

Turn that on its head to look at what the Ferrari dealer is selling. Many people might say 'dreams', but I'd rather say that it's the dream reward. For many, business success is inextricably linked to what this enables them to do, whether this is to buy a dream home, or drive a red Ferrari, or something else.

Most of us are not selling anything so glamorous, but we can still tap into the whole reward complex, especially if your product is something that will help the customer reach that point.

The key is to focus not on how your product can enhance the customer's profits (or any other benefit), but what their ultimate aim is. Not many people like to have money for its own sake; they're interested in what they can do with it.

When I'm working on business growth strategies with my clients, my key question is not how they are going to reach a particular target, but how it will make them feel when they get there - will this be 'the red Ferrari moment'?

That's what I call selling to the heart, not the brain. Sell the idea first: working out how to achieve it comes later.