Selling to the 6 human needs….
Human wants and needs have been classified differently under various subjects and in numerous dimensions… They have been categorized and defined differently by various people and cultures….
Not withstanding the validity and relevance of all those categorization and definitions, I have found these needs to be the most relevant in sales terms:
- Certainty… Everyone likes certainty… We feel pain or pleasure based on the certainty of each event in our lives
- Variety/ Uncertainty… While it may seem counter-intuitive to state uncertainty as a human need in the same breath that we state certainty… we all need variety in our lives… we somewhere crave for that suspense in the hope that it ends positively for us
- Feel Significant… Everyone wants to feel significant. The closest of relationships break when we make someone feel insignificant and new relationships are forged in simply making someone feel significant. In terms of sales, this is the one human need that probably bears most weight
- Connection and Love… We love feeling connected… we crave for love
- Growth… Everyone wants to grow… What they define as growth may be different! But that growth is an extremely important a human need, can be easily understood
- Contribution… This feeds into the feeling of significance and growth… but everyone wants to contribute… They will work hard to make a difference… to create impact!
To grow your business, sales is key!
And to be great at selling, you must find a way to make people feel like their needs are being fulfilled….
People will pay based on emotions…. They buy because they like the sales person or because they love the brand or because they can pride themselves of owing something that makes them feel special!
When you sell your product, create certainty… help your buyers gain clarity on exactly what they are getting!
Let them enjoy the anticipation… the ultimate release of information that translates their uncertainty into the realization of that positive hope that they do love!!!
Make them believe that having your product or service will make them feel significant!
People will pay disproportionately more amount of money to feel significant… which goes on to explain why people absolutely want to wear a certain brand of clothes or accessories… why they want to drive a certain car!
Make that connection… let them know that you care!
And to make them feel special, you must do ‘more’ than what everyone else is doing and you must add more ‘value’ than anyone else is adding!
And many times, letting them know that they are making a contribution by partnering with you, goes a long way in closing that sale…. Remember those small percentages of the proceeds that people care about going to needy kids!!! Or simply tell them how they will be helping you by their purchase!
The end game of sales in not money… The end game is about making a connection… It is about making a difference… creating an impact!
When people ‘feel’ that you are making that difference… they will buy!
And the ONLY way to make them feel that you are making a difference is… to truly make a difference!!!
