The Science of Selling

1. Science revolutionizes sales: Evidence-based strategies boost effectiveness

"Armed with scientific data, we now have the tools to improve any salesperson's performance."

Paradigm shift. The integration of scientific research into sales techniques marks a revolutionary change in the field. By understanding how the brain makes decisions and what influences human behavior, salespeople can dramatically improve their effectiveness.

Evidence-based approach. This new approach to sales is grounded in decades of research from various scientific disciplines, including social psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics. It replaces traditional, anecdote-based sales techniques with strategies that have been proven to work through rigorous scientific study.

Measurable results. Companies that have adopted science-based selling techniques have seen significant improvements in their sales performance:

• Closing rates increased by up to 92%
• Sales revenue growth of up to 156%
• Customer retention improved by nearly 50%

2. The two routes of influence: Peripheral and central paths shape decisions

"The more that closing strategies mirror the mental steps the brain takes when buying, the more successful they will be."

Dual processing. The brain processes influence through two interconnected routes:

1. Peripheral route: Focuses on factors outside the message (e.g., likability, credibility)
2. Central route: Concentrates on the content of the message itself

Heuristics and mental shortcuts. The peripheral route relies heavily on heuristics, which are mental shortcuts that allow the brain to make quick decisions without deep contemplation. Key heuristics include:

• Single-option aversion
• Asymmetric dominance effect
• Likability bias
• Social proof

Message-focused persuasion. The central route involves careful consideration of the message content. To be effective, salespeople must align their message with how the brain naturally processes information and makes decisions.

3. The Six Whys: Guiding buyers through strategic commitments

"The Six Whys® are six specific questions, each (unsurprisingly) beginning with the word "Why," that represent the mental steps all potential customers go through when making a purchasing choice."

Structured decision-making. The Six Whys® framework provides a structured approach to guide buyers through the decision-making process:

1. Why Change?
2. Why Now?
3. Why Your Industry Solution?
4. Why You and Your Company?
5. Why Your Product or Service?
6. Why Spend the Money?

Incremental commitments. By addressing each of these questions throughout the sales process, salespeople can help buyers make a series of small, strategic commitments that naturally lead to a positive buying decision.

Objection prevention. Understanding and proactively addressing the Six Whys® can help salespeople anticipate and neutralize potential objections before they arise, smoothing the path to a sale.

4. Emotions drive decisions: Understand and leverage buyer's emotional states

"The brain uses emotions to assign value and mark something as good or bad. It's how the brain distinguishes between what matters and what is irrelevant."

Emotional foundation. Contrary to popular belief, emotions play a crucial role in decision-making, even in business settings. They help the brain assign value and determine preferences.

Emotional states. The collection of emotions a person experiences at a given time, known as their emotional state, significantly impacts their perception and decision-making process. Positive emotional states can:

• Boost comprehension
• Enhance decision-making capacity
• Increase receptiveness to persuasive requests

Shifting emotions. Salespeople can influence buyers' emotional states through various techniques:

• Emotional cognition (mirroring emotions)
• Leveraging the Hawthorne effect
• Discussing topics that naturally trigger positive emotions
• Changing nonverbal behavior

5. Asking powerful questions: The three levels of inquiry

"Answering second-level questions, which prompt buyers to state their opinions, increases neural activity in the areas of the brain associated with reward and pleasure."

Layered questioning. The science-based questioning model consists of three levels:

1. First-level questions: Open up topics by revealing thoughts, facts, behaviors, and situations
2. Second-level questions: Guide buyers in assessing and explaining first-level responses
3. Third-level questions: Excavate deeper layers of information, uncovering dominant buying motives

Brain-aligned inquiry. This model aligns with how the brain naturally discloses information, making it easier for buyers to share meaningful insights and for salespeople to gain a deeper understanding of their needs.

Enhanced engagement. By using this questioning model, salespeople can:

• Build trust and rapport
• Improve their understanding of buyers' perspectives
• Guide buyers to think through and verbalize their needs and motivations

6. Primary buying motivators: Problems, emotions, and requirements

"Why would buyers choose to purchase your product or service?"

Three key motivators. Understanding and addressing these primary buying motivators is crucial for sales success:

1. Buyer's Problems: Identify and amplify the issues that make change necessary
2. Dominant Buying Motives: Uncover the emotional reasons driving the purchase (desire for gain or fear of loss)
3. Buying Requirements: Determine the specific factors influencing the buying decision

Problem-centric approach. To effectively address buyer's problems:

1. Find problems by providing insights and asking leading questions
2. Understand problems by identifying their cause and scope
3. Make problems hurt by helping buyers feel the negative impact of inaction

Emotional drivers. Recognize and leverage both types of dominant buying motives:

• Desire for gain: Positive outcomes buyers will receive after purchasing
• Fear of loss: Negative consequences of not making the purchase

7. Creating value and neutralizing competitors: Science-based techniques

"Once an anchor is formed, it creates a bias that shapes how the brain perceives subsequent information. In other words, the brain uses the anchor as its starting point and contrasts new information with it."

Value creation. Use the Primary Buying Motivator Statement® to clearly connect your offering with what matters most to buyers. This approach:

• Aligns with how buyers assign value
• Demonstrates a deep understanding of their needs
• Increases the perceived relevance of your product or service

Leveraging reciprocity. Offer valuable insights or resources upfront to trigger the reciprocity principle, making buyers more likely to engage and share information.

Neutralizing competitors. Use the inoculation theory to preemptively address potential competing arguments:

1. Present a weakened form of a competitor's argument
2. Guide buyers in developing counterarguments
3. Strengthen their resolve against future competing messages

Anchoring technique. Strategically use anchors to shape how buyers perceive value and price:

• Introduce high anchors early in the sales process
• Use anchors when negotiating to set favorable starting points
• Frame your offering's price in relation to beneficial anchors

8. The art of closing: Obtaining strategic commitments throughout the sale

"Commitments demand action from buyers and predictably change their future behaviors."

Redefining closing. Closing is not a single event at the end of the sale, but a series of strategic commitments throughout the process.

Types of trial closes:

1. Involvement Trial Closes:
   • Imply ownership
   • Confirm value
2. Commitment Trial Closes:
   • Generate active, verbal commitments
   • Predictably change future behavior

Leveraging consistency. People have a strong desire to be consistent with their commitments. Use this principle to:

• Speed up sales cycles
• Increase compliance with requests
• Strengthen buyers' resolve to follow through on commitments

Asking for the sale. Once you've obtained commitments to each of the Six Whys® and ensured a positive emotional state:

1. Use a closing statement: A crisp, assumptive statement leading to a positive buying decision
2. Use a closing question: A direct question that, when answered positively, results in a sale

9. Crafting compelling presentations: Five science-based strategies

"The brain thinks in terms of pictures. To our cortex, unnervingly, there is no such thing as words."

1. Less is more. The brain has limited cognitive resources. Reduce options and information to prevent overwhelming buyers.

2. Use anchoring. Strategically introduce anchors to shape how buyers perceive value and price.

3. Mirror your buyers. Subtly mimic buyers' verbal and nonverbal behaviors to build rapport and increase influence:

   • Mirror posture
   • Mirror gestures
   • Mirror rate of speech
   • Mirror word usage

4. Leverage the picture superiority effect. Use visual aids to enhance understanding and retention:

   • Dominate presentations with pictures
   • Explain concepts visually, then verbally
   • Minimize text on slides

5. Tell compelling stories. Craft narratives that engage buyers emotionally and help them envision the benefits of your offering:

   • Remove unnecessary details
   • Use characters similar to your buyers
   • Create a compelling introduction
   • Let characters speak (use dialogue)
   • Have a clear conclusion
   • Convey a singular point

10. The future of selling: Embracing research and improving hiring practices

"Science-based selling is now a reality. But what does that mean for you and the profession of sales?"

Paradigm shift. The future of sales lies in embracing scientific research and evidence-based practices. This shift will lead to:

• Increased sales effectiveness
• More predictable outcomes
• Better-served customers

Research renaissance. As the value of science-based selling becomes more apparent, we can expect:

• Increased academic interest in sales
• More partnerships between businesses and researchers
• A continuous feedback loop of data and insights

Improved hiring practices. Science-based approaches will transform how companies identify and recruit top sales talent. Key qualities to look for:

1. Intrinsic motivation
2. Focus on others' perspectives
3. Integrity
4. Growth mindset
5. Skilled interpersonal communication

Continuous improvement. Embracing a science-based approach to selling means committing to ongoing learning and adaptation. Salespeople and organizations that do so will be better equipped to thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive marketplace.

Last updated: February 4, 2025