Ask yourself, What do most customers want?

(hint, sometimes the answer is “what they don’t want or want to avoid)

If you have studied NLP, you have probably learned about the Moving Toward/Moving Away From Metaprogram. Generalized you can say people are either motivated towards things they want, or they are motivated to move away from something they don’t want (or want to avoid).

Knowing this won’t make you any money in your sales career. Applying this knowledge will.

First, let’s be clear on what customers want (for the most part) and what they generally fear:

Most customers want…

• Security, predictability and low risk
• Other people to think they made a good decision
• Simplicity
• To WIN (or not to lose)
• Te need to feel important, appreciated and in some cases superior in some way

What do most customers fear?

Most customers fear…

• Making a mistake
• Making a bad decision
• The costs
• Giving up their options

Think about these often over looked customer wants, needs and fears when you are positioning your company and sharing your product or service with your prospects.

When you start listening to your customers, they will tell you whether or not to focus on helping them gain something out of your product or service, or how you can help them avoid something. It all depends on “how” they state what they want or don’t want.

Confused yet? Don’t be. Instead, make an effort to listen to your customers.

If they start off talking about what they ‘don’t want’ or what they hope to avoid – show them how your product/service can help them avoid that. If they start off talking about what they hope to gain are hoping to achieve – show them how you can help them get that.  

By applying this simple concept, you will be able to understand your customers better, build stronger and quicker relationships and ultimatley make more sales. Aside from that, you’ll avoid struggling in a down economy where others are wallowing in the external factors they believe are affecting their sales.

You’ll also avoid buyers remorse.