No emotion = no action

Emotions are the driving force behind actions. Until a salesperson fully accepts that decisions and actions are based more on emotion than logic, they limit their potential as a professional. Sometimes, we view the idea of making buying decisions based on emotion as a negative aspect of human nature, as if we lack control or the ability to make sound decisions. However, I would argue strongly against this.

In fact, I believe that our decision-making process, based on emotions, is often highly effective and humanizing, especially in a world that feels increasingly impersonal. One of the challenges of selling is understanding that decisions originate from an emotional space in the mind. This involves learning how to appeal to, detect, and mirror these emotions. Emotions are complex and often difficult to put into words, as emotions and words do not originate from the same place in our brain.

Consider the basic things that people who make you feel happy and good do. They listen to you, ask about you, are available when you need them, and don’t make you feel foolish for something that may seem silly. They honor promises, don’t break your trust, and occasionally give you a compliment, reminding you that you are a friend and a good person.

They lift you up when you’re down. Now, I’m not suggesting we discard everything we know about sales, but perhaps I’ve just described the elements of a mini sales playbook. Forget about what you’re selling for a moment, and forget about buyer personas. Instead, embrace the idea that making people feel good, empowered, unique, and valued should be at the core of every call you make.

This is even more important for those selling into the SMB space. Why? These companies have limited personnel, and these individuals wear many hats and have a lot of accountability because they are often the only one performing a certain function. These people are generally more passionate, more engaged, and more willing to do what it takes for the business to succeed than your average employee. They are more emotionally attached to their work than perhaps an employee in a company with 50,000 people.

Nevertheless, we are humans. We are wired as such. We are emotional, and we have been ever since the fight or flight response was felt, and we always will be, and we always should be. Emotions motivate action. Appeal to that, utilize that, but don’t take advantage of it. Use it to connect with people, use it to create space to have discussions. What you say will always be less important than how you say it. What's most important? How you make them feel.