”A Train Set Named Emotion” is the 8th in my 2022 series of articles based on my real life experiences, professional insights, personal views and fun stories. My hope is that in them you find joy and inspiration.
Much as I longed for it, I never in childhood became the owner of an electric train set. So handling the precision-crafted model locomotive in the toy shop kindled in me a nostalgia for those days long gone. I realised of course that buying the replica would not bring back those times. Yet I would easily have purchased the exquisite beauty had the shop assistant understood my yearning and made even a cursory effort to tap into my underlying emotion. But she didn't. She gave a dry presentation, concentrating only on highlighting features of the product. Her chance of a sale disappeared as if in a puff of smoke from a steam engine's funnel!
The episode reminded me of the powerful sway that our emotions hold over us in buying situations.
Has anyone for example ever bought security alarms other than through fear of being victim to a break-in or possible assault? Was a bed ever purchased where the buyer hadn't envisaged themselves comfortably tucked up in it? Did life insurance ever sell without a graphic scenario of bleak consequences being seeded in the buyer's mind? And what about an investment without the exciting prospect of gain? Or would you pay a sports channel subscription fee if you expected to be bored by watching?
No, in every instance your buying decision is based on the expectation of your purchase creating outcomes which satisfy your perceived needs. Needs driven by emotion!
So be it joy, fear, greed, desire, anger, sadness or surprise, or whichever of the many other human emotions, it's necessary when on the other side of the equation as a seller to understand the need to target the emotional response of your buyer. Do this by asking questions. 'Why' is powerful, then paint word pictures or visually present real ones to ignite the buyer's dominant emotion. Highlight the benefits of your goods or services rather than the features. Appealing to emotions is everything.
I, for instance, don't miss the things of my youth. I miss youth itself! - as recalled by the excitement, fun and adventure of childhood times. Reflecting on that, I did return to the shop and I did buy the train set. I persuaded myself that my emotional driver for doing so was compassion for the ineptitude of the sales girl. Or was it compassion of a different kind? A desire to make a wee boy's dream come true maybe?
Aa-a-all aboard … Toot-toot!!
I am Tom Riach. I live and write in the sunny south of Portugal.
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A TRAIN SET NAMED EMOTION is an original copyright Tom Riach feature.
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See you there! Regards, Tom.
Comments
Absolutely George, we are emotional animals. Any decision we make is a feeling which we justify with logic.
Most sales are based on emotion, it is a trigger that is easy to pull. Amazingly, most buyers will tell us exactly how to sell them, we simply need to ask. Thank you, Tom.