It probably does not surprise you to know that according to psychologists we all wear masks. Our masks show the world the type of person we want people to believe we are at any given time. Generally, accountants act like accountants and lawyers act like lawyers in a business setting. But there is always a lot more going on than meets the eye. And if we can figure out what our buyers are passionate about emotionally, and relate to them in that world, we will usually be welcomed as both business colleagues and as friends.
Big time marketers and advertisers are all over this concept. Take Harley Davidson for example. Most of their buyers are not card carrying members of the Hell’s Angels, but once a week they like to get dressed up, rev up their Hogs and act like they are. So Harley does not relate to the accountant or the lawyer in them. They pitch to the closet biker, the part of them that was “born to be wild,” and their buyers love it.
If you can identify your buyer’s deeper passions you will be on your way to making the type of emotional connection all master salespeople are able to achieve with their customers. Clues are everywhere . . . the way they dress, the kinds of cars they drive, their hobbies.
One question I like to ask that often provides great insight is, “You obviously have a huge job and a lot of responsibility here. What do you do to relax and unwind away from the office?”
The variety of answers never ceases to amaze me . . . skiing, biking, horses, coaching, cooking, poker, hunting, golf, fishing, acting . . . people are endlessly fascinating once we take a moment to figure out their passions and how they see themselves in the world.
So take a little time to find out who your customers really are as human beings. Because if you can connect at that level, good things almost always follow.
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