Igniting the Passion

At the Business Exchange meeting in Weymouth on June 24^th, I gave a presentation on Igniting the Passion. Very often people say they are passionate about their business, and think that is enough. Hey, your competitors are passionate about their business too. You need to have a plan to capitalise on your passion to give you a commercial advantage.

You may think that the decision to buy is about the facts, figures and features of your product or service. The evidence is that the final decision is an emotional one. In other words; it’s about feelings. We will then justify that decision with the data we have.

If you think back to your last major purchase, what was the real reason you bought that particular item? You may say it was the cheapest on offer, but why was that important to you? What need did that satisfy?  Alternatively, it may have been more expensive than another, so what led you to choose that one? This was its emotional selling point.

Another factor is that people tend to buy from people they like. If there is a rapport, common ground, respect, trust, and/or loyalty, then we are more likely to buy from that person. In other words, it is important that the seller can push our emotional triggers.

In Robert Cialdini’s book; ‘Influence – science and practice’, he explains the psychology of influencing people and the triggers that can help you to get them to buy. It makes very interesting reading. We learn to use many of these influencing skills sub-consciously over the years, but are we maximising them?

Triggers to buy may be fear – what might happen to me if I don’t? An example is peer pressure of being different to everyone else by not having one. It may be reciprocation. This can be as simple as you have spoken nicely to me, therefore I feel obliged to buy from you. It may be the pleasure of this will make me feel good or more confident. (“Because you’re worth it!”)

It is therefore important to be passionate about what you are offering, but it is also vital to generate passion in the buyer. Passion is defined as strong emotion, animation, excitement, intense desire or enthusiasm for something. This does not mean you have to necessarily be extrovert and flamboyant, but you do have to be authentic. It does mean you have to take your customer on an emotional journey and be watching for when you light their passion. Contact me if you would like more details about an emotional flight plan.

To enhance your commercial success, find your product’s emotional selling points, ignite the passion in yourself and then light it in your customers.