Why do people buy?

This emotion doesn't come into play, Skip. It is a simplistic notion to a rookie that "feeling good" enters into every business-related decision.

I'm saying that after 30 years of selling B2B, I have never sought to make anyone feel good in order to influence a decision to buy, rather, I've sought to:
>> understand their business needs;
>> identify where my company/offering can assist;

Where there has been a confluence of the above two dynamics, I've typically been successful.

The motivators to buy in B2B typically relate to "needs" vs "wants" never to "feeling good". I would really be concerned if a rookie were asking a decision-maker, "what would it take to make you feel good?" Where, I've been asked such a question, I've responded with, "...you paying-off my mortgage...". Then, after the flabbergasted response, I'd say, "well, you asked what it would take to make ME feel good!".

The situations (such as those provided) are frequently far to complex to contemplate the offering appealing based on someone feeling good. The example of my $127K sale related to a serious oversight by legal counsel in an M&A situation (legal assumed that the software licenses were "acquired" along with the assets). Marketing assumed that the business plan (for which the licenses were intended) required NO more funding. Without realizing that incremental funding would be req'd, throughout, the user group were pitching suspects hard on the "load testing" application (video-on-demand in Asia). In such a complex set of dynamics, no one entity could be made to feel good. We quite simply had to find a way to make the situation work ...

Your question doesn't apply in B2B because you're trying to bring it down to a single motivator.

Skip, I'm not trying to win-you-over to my camp but you really need to step back on the concept of "single-emotion-motivators-to-buy" applying broadly in the B2B arena.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

Quote:

Originally Posted by OUTSource Sales

This emotion doesn't come into play, Skip. It is a simplistic notion to a rookie that "feeling good" enters into every business-related decision.

I'm saying that after 30 years of selling B2B, I have never sought to make anyone feel good in order to influence a decision to buy, rather, I've sought to:
>> understand their business needs;
>> identify where my company/offering can assist;

Where there has been a confluence of the above two dynamics, I've typically been successful.

The motivators to buy in B2B typically relate to "needs" vs "wants" never to "feeling good". I would really be concerned if a rookie were asking a decision-maker, "what would it take to make you feel good?" Where, I've been asked such a question, I've responded with, "...you paying-off my mortgage...". Then, after the flabbergasted response, I'd say, "well, you asked what it would take to make ME feel good!".

The situations (such as those provided) are frequently far to complex to contemplate the offering appealing based on someone feeling good. The example of my $127K sale related to a serious oversight by legal counsel in an M&A situation (legal assumed that the software licenses were "acquired" along with the assets). Marketing assumed that the business plan (for which the licenses were intended) required NO more funding. Without realizing that incremental funding would be req'd, throughout, the user group were pitching suspects hard on the "load testing" application (video-on-demand in Asia). In such a complex set of dynamics, no one entity could be made to feel good. We quite simply had to find a way to make the situation work ...

Your question doesn't apply in B2B because you're trying to bring it down to a single motivator.

Skip, I'm not trying to win-you-over to my camp but you really need to step back on the concept of "single-emotion-motivators-to-buy" applying broadly in the B2B arena.

Good luck & Good selling!

I'm afraid you've missed my point to a large degree. You seem to want to make it sound like I'm suggesting that we, as salespeople focus on "making" someone feel good, which is not at all what I've said. But so be it.

Skip, now I'm really confused. You've stated throughout:
>> "People buy for one over-arching reason and one reason alone: to feel good."
>> "The real issue for salespeople is this: we have to find out what "feeling good" looks like to our prospects, and then position our product/service accordingly."

Now you're saying that you didn't say that ... what am I missing?

Pat

Hmmm...maybe you're right, Pat. Perhaps saying that people buy to feel good is a bit too simplistic. Let's expand the reasoning a bit. People buy to feel fulfilled. People buy because they have needs they want to fulfill...such as pain relief, enjoyment, better health, financial security, self-improvement, achieve success, alleviate hunger, save time, better sex, lose weight, etc. That being said, all of the aforementioned not withstanding, it still comes down to one overriding reason...people buy to feel good or feel better.

Dale King

Apparently my point is being missed entirely, Dale. What you're talking about relates to what motivates consumers to buy. It goes beyond simplistic, it simply does not apply broadly in B2B.

In business, the "correct" decision might well make some decision-makers feel "other-than-good". Decisions in business frequently go against the grain for some people. For example, the best decision might be something which isn't ecologically friendly and the decision to go-ahead, therefore, might be personally difficult for the individual.

A decision-maker might have a personal preference to go with his brother-in-law (for example) but he realizes that this goes against company policy. In this case, the right decision is awkward for the individual.

It is also fair to say, that, frequently in business decisions are made which have nothing to do with the individual making the decision. So, equating the decision to something emotional for that individual simply doesn't make sense.

To meet the criteria to go-ahead, in business, there is seldom an element of the decision-making process which "makes them feel good". The experienced SSR's out there recognize that they need to identify all of the business dynamics surrounding the impending decision, rather, than seeking some philosophical set of emotional motivators.

I would be most uncomfortable if our newbies were spending valuable time in front of B2B prospects probing about some personal foibles which may or may not come into play in the ultimate decison.

It would be best for the rookies out there if this gets acknowledged.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

Quote:

Originally Posted by OUTSource Sales

Apparently my point is being missed entirely, Dale. What you're talking about relates to what motivates consumers to buy. It goes beyond simplistic, it simply does not apply broadly in B2B.

In business, the "correct" decision might well make some decision-makers feel "other-than-good". Decisions in business frequently go against the grain for some people. For example, the best decision might be something which isn't ecologically friendly and the decision to go-ahead, therefore, might be personally difficult for the individual.

Pat, you make a very valid argument and you're absolutely correct. The "feel good" emotion does not apply broadly in B2B. There are often underlying, complicated and various emotional factors involved in the decision making and buying process. I stand corrected.

Dale King

Quote:

Originally Posted by OUTSource Sales

Apparently my point is being missed entirely, Dale. What you're talking about relates to what motivates consumers to buy. It goes beyond simplistic, it simply does not apply broadly in B2B.

In business, the "correct" decision might well make some decision-makers feel "other-than-good". Decisions in business frequently go against the grain for some people. For example, the best decision might be something which isn't ecologically friendly and the decision to go-ahead, therefore, might be personally difficult for the individual.

A decision-maker might have a personal preference to go with his brother-in-law (for example) but he realizes that this goes against company policy. In this case, the right decision is awkward for the individual.

It is also fair to say, that, frequently in business decisions are made which have nothing to do with the individual making the decision. So, equating the decision to something emotional for that individual simply doesn't make sense.

To meet the criteria to go-ahead, in business, there is seldom an element of the decision-making process which "makes them feel good". The experienced SSR's out there recognize that they need to identify all of the business dynamics surrounding the impending decision, rather, than seeking some philosophical set of emotional motivators.

I would be most uncomfortable if our newbies were spending valuable time in front of B2B prospects probing about some personal foibles which may or may not come into play in the ultimate decison.

It would be best for the rookies out there if this gets acknowledged.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

1. Decisions can be difficult in B2B, as well as B2C. But the overarching need is to feel good. There are lots of other levels of need lower on the totem pole than that overarching need. The reason the person doesn't purchase from his brother-in-law, to speak to your scenario, is because he wants to avoid pain - the pain of her boss finding out that she purchased from her relative. And easing pain feels good.

2. To make a broad brush statement that emotions do not play a role in b2b sales is astounding to me. And it is incorrect. Feeling good is a universal emotion that all people seek, whether shy or extroverted or corporate or consumer or old or young or analytical or flaky or whatever. Corporations are made up of individual human beings, all of whom have a role to play in the larger organization, but all who are also people, not machines. Companies choose product "B" over "A" all the time, even though product "A" made more sense to someone who analyzed the situation. Sometimes "feeling good" is in line with stereotypical corporate interests like saving money, but sometimes it isn't. Every corporation wants to save money, but companies make buying decisions every day that are contrary to "saving money" and other non-emotional goals.

3. I want younger and inexperienced salespeople here at Salespractice to know that, although you must examine and understand lower levels of need (the macro need and the micro need) for every prospect, you cannot forget that, overarching all of those needs, is the overarching need to feel good. Many salespeople ignore this, and then they wonder why the customer bought from their competitor instead of them. The super-macro need of feeling good always comes into play in a buying decision. Sometimes it's veiled as logic or analysis or whatever, but feeling good is always up there, like an umbrella hanging over the entire sales interaction.

-Relieving pain feels good.
-Following company policy so you don't get in trouble feels good.
-Having the president of your division say "good decision" feels good.
-Investing a little extra to get the right product feels good.
-Buying from the rep you like feels good.
-Buying from the rep you don't like feels good if there's another way you can feel good about the purchase.
-and on and on

4. "Feeling good" applies to a single decision maker or a more complex scenario that involves multiple decision-makers or many levels of sign-off.

Skip Anderson

Skip, I have sold into B2B since the age of 19 and I am now 57. In other words, I have 38 years of experience selling into this arena exclusively. I am NOT wrong when I express opinions and then substantiate these statements with true experiences.

I have NOT said that emotions don't play a role in ALL decisions in B2B and, since you're using the quotation route, allow me the following quotes of me from your thread:
1. "It goes beyond simplistic, it simply does not apply broadly in B2B." Skip, emphasis on the words "simply does not apply broadly" ... you're using my quote but you're being ultra selective in which bits of the sentence support your argument!
2. "Decisions in business frequently go against the grain for some people." Skip, notice the word "frequently" NOT "always" as you're implying!
3. "It is also fair to say, that, frequently in business decisions are made ... So, equating the decision to something emotional for that individual simply doesn't make sense." Skip, once again, you've ignored the word "frequently"!
4. "To meet the criteria to go-ahead, in business, there is seldom an element of the decision-making process ..." Skip, you're ignored the key word "seldom" (ie. not "always")!

Here's a quote from Dale, "Pat, you make a very valid argument and you're absolutely correct. The "feel good" emotion does not apply broadly in B2B. There are often underlying, complicated and various emotional factors involved in the decision making and buying process. I stand corrected." Skip, please take note of the key word, "broadly"!

To your comments in point #2 of your thread ("Feeling good is a universal emotion that all people seek, whether shy or extroverted or corporate or consumer or old or young or analytical or flaky or whatever"): Upon how many years of personal experience in B2B sales are you basing this statement, Skip?

FACT: In the forum, I have NEVER made any statements about sales outside my area of experience. I have avoided this faux pas because such comments are without basis and would tend to niggle away at my professional/personal credibility.

FACT: Any rookie in a B2B patch that sets out to find emotional topics with the decision-maker is wasting valuable selling time.

It is entirely misleading, Skip, for you to second-guess what were the motivators to buy in sales in which I was personally involved. If you want to peel-back the layers of an onion in this fashion, I would guess that one day you'd find Jimmy Hoffa! But this sharp-shooter approach to dissecting my comments is, quite frankly, offensive to the max!

You're trying to boil the ocean here and there simply is NO upside for the rookies following the thread.

Please accept my 38 years of experience in B2B when I say:
1. sales are frequently complex with numerous dynamics which preclude any single person "feeling good" being the motivator to buy;
2. any decision-maker who follows company policy does NOT, upon reflection, say to themselves, "... now that avoided pain (therefore I feel good) ...", rather, he follows instinct;
3. the astute SR ensures that he absorbs all of the potential "politics" which might influecne the decision-making process;

I would have preferred that you accept the suggestion to step-back as you're beginning to make this somehow sound personal.

By way of apology to the others in this thread who are also finding Skip's refusal tiresome: I should be able to provide a valid rebuttal (especially one which I am able to substantiate with true experiences) without fear of someone taking aim at every syllable utilized in their response. To put this into perspective, on Friday when the atmosphere began to sound "defensive", I sent Skip a PM suggesting that the points were made. I expressed a concern that to continue was beating a dead horse. The email pointed out that we risk sending the rookies down the wrong path. I am not sure why my response to Dale initiated Skip's posture.

I think I've made my points.

Good luck & Good selling!
Pat

"If you're going to be successful in sales in the long term, you need to broaden your scope to more realistically represent what's going on out there!" -- Pat

Selling our products fits a common template - people want it or not and are willing to buy it. That's how I sell - there is an inquiry of looking for common ground in meeting mutual expectations, etc. BUT this isn't a thread on that - I gave my "Why Do People Buy" sentence at the beginning of this thread.

BUT as to your quote, Pat - although I work the same in "selling" our business opportunity as I do in selling our products, brodening my scope to more realistically represent what's going on out there AND understanding the dynamics of looking at our business from individual and historical perspectives - and more - has become extremely beneficial and useful.

Whereas some would "sell" a business opportunity like mine by "selling the dream - selling the hope - selling the freedom - selling the idea of wealth" I am inclined to sell it in a dispassionate and meeting-the-needs of the other person PROVIDED that person also meets my criteria, way.

I can only generalize that this is an effective and good way to sell and that people will buy for whatever reasons they will buy - as discussed here - more readily if they need, want, and are willing to pay for something when treated with respect, attention, and to their specific requirements.

I'm not a B2B guy so again, I can only generalize these principles from my experience - Pat makes a lot of sense to me.

MitchM

Pat, it's interesting that you call our dialogue a "tiresome diatribe," yet continue on to post a lengthy post supporting your point of view. You can't have it both ways: either it's tiresome, or it's worth discussing.

Which is it?

I've merely been supporting my first post in this thread, a post to which you disagreed. That's your right, of course, and we've been tossing it back and forth since then. In my opinion, our discussions are not personal as you accuse, but I'm sorry you feel that way.

Why do people buy?

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