Building On Beliefs
A friend of mine was passionately trying to convince me to purchase an iPhone. Usually the instant adopter of new technology, I had been resistant to the iPhone because I was waiting for all the bugs to be worked out and couldn’t see what it did for me. Undaunted, my friend rattled on, noting there are 65,000 apps for the phone, that you can download movies, you can read stock reports, Twitter the governor… and on and on. This went on for 20 minutes, 20 minutes of blank stares from me. I was growing impatient and bored; he increasingly more frustrated.
My friend simply hadn’t thought about what triggers my wallet; what pushes my “need” buttons and why the iPhone should be that proverbial slice of bread for me. Suddenly, there it was: he mentioned the built-in GPS. Not only did he tell me about it, but for the first time in this selling tirade, he demonstrated the app. I was sold. You see, I have a terrible sense of direction. My friend knows this about me, having suffered with my wrong turns on highways for many years. He could have saved both of us time we’ll never get back by tapping into the soft underbelly of my needs.
Just because you believe something to be an immediate need doesn’t mean others will instantly fall in line behind you. Your ability to convince your boss, your investors, your friends, even your spouse depends on how well you’ve keyed into their needs.
As we try to convince people of a point of view it’s important to consider the following first:
- How does that person process information? Does he need proof – research, stats, and competitive analysis? Or is he sold more quickly with an example or anecdote how the software, molecule, product will save mankind.
- Does that person have to convince others in the chain of command in order to get funding? If so, package your information so that it is easily transferable without your supervisor having to go to much or any effort to move your proposal up the pipeline.
Back to the iPhone. I now have one. I love it. Now I’m the one proselytizing about the greatness of the device. But, before I go into my pitch I do try to target an exact need. When I’m with a good friend, who is a voice coach, I’ll key into the iPhone’s ability to quickly log into You Tube to demonstrate what is good or bad vocal technique. When I’m with a news buff I’ll tap into the neighborhood news that’s happening on the very street we’re walking down.
Taking just five minutes to figure out what makes that person tick will save you both time. It will conserve physical and mental energy, engender more sales and business, and will give you countless more hours to enjoy those 65,000 apps.