The Hindu Business Line : Psychology of selling

“This may give you some ideas on the sales summit you are convening?” Rajat opined as he extended an invitation to PVR Rao, Head of Sales. ‘Psychology of selling’ was the subject of talk at the Rotary that evening. Rao consented, somewhat meekly though, at the prospect of an authority such as he, sermonised by another.

William (Bill) Oliver, introduced to the audience as an International Sales coach, was quick off the mark with his observations: “There is no such thing as a failed salesman; only a failed psychology! The key task of the management lies in creating enough conviction within the salesman for the value proposition to shine through and ‘ring true’ for the customer. The legitimacy of the value proposition rides on the psychological identity of the salesman being reflected on the offering.

“Salesmen weave a vision of their offering through a judicious blend of the features advantages and benefits (FAB technique) emphasising the superiority of the content (X-axis) on the one hand; and/or the cosmetic value of enhanced self-esteem, an exclusive patronage or identity with an elite group of users on the other (Y axis).”

Prized possession is what the customer perceives when the appeal of the content and the cosmetic are highlighted with conviction.

Prudent rendering points to a very functional rendition, devoid of any ‘bells and whistles’ that endears itself to a functionally oriented customer. Cosmetics get completely underplayed so much that the customer feels reassured at not having to pay for what they do not need .

Pretentious offering plays up to the prospect of allegiance to a ‘club of exclusive owners’, subordinating the virtues of the product in preference to the sheer ‘pride of ownership’.

Obsolescent commodity is the tag accorded to an offering in which the salesman sees neither content nor the cosmetics that the product is left to languish or die.

A salesman is a merchant of a self-fulfilling prophecy. They infect their own self-concept into the offering and invest their customers with a spiritual appeal that is hard to resist. The enlightened organisations care to shape the self-concept of their salesman towards building long-term premium yielding relationships with pride. Focus on the psychology of your salesman and win the hearts and minds of your customers forever!

The emergence of a much deeper consideration was not lost on Rao. Glancing at the report brought out by Chandrasekhar’s field calls, Rao was not so sure now if he knew what exactly he had to do now.

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