Part I: Losing a Done Deal

Are you familiar with the sales situation where your buyer walks away in the last minute from what you considered to be a sealed deal? Usually the excuse sounds something like this: “Let me think about it.” 

An expert’s advice could be: “The prospect’s doubt is either due to the functions, the features, or the financial aspects of the product or service at hand. So, ask questions about these three.”

Whatever the reason, this reservation on part of the prospect indicates that you as a sales person have probably neglected one aspect of the sales. Checking “the features, functionality and the finances” may be a logical response to this sudden withdrawal. However, logic is only one of the aspects of sales.

According to neuroscience today, logic plays only a small part in the decision making of humans. In other words, when trying to persuade others, we often focus on satisfying the thinking brain of our audience, but ignore the emotional and the instinctual brains. However, not until the conscious, subconscious and unconscious brain parts are aligned, will our brain feel comfortable about a decision as important, as for example, buying our future home or a car or committing to a mortgage.

What is the significance of this reality for you as a realtor, mortgage broker, or car dealer? Well, by knowing what roles the three parts of the brain play in the decision making mechanism of the human brain, you will be able to better persuade anyone to take a bold step, such as buying a house, a car or accepting a mortgage offer.

Thanks to neuroscience, this knowledge is available today, and it is presented in models that are easy to apply. I will present to you a brain model, and give you three reasons why this model is so unique:

First of all, this model increases your awareness about unintentionally negative impressions you may leave with your prospects. This makes you more conscious and in control of your behaviors.

Secondly, in addition to logic, this model addresses emotions and stimulates instincts. Consequently, there will be less resistance on part of your buyer as the three brain parts will be aligned.

And thirdly, the buyer is less likely to feel remorse after the decision. This is because this model consolidates logical arguments by producing neurotransmitters—like dopamine—in your audience’s brain as a result of your behavior. This is not science fiction. Any question that makes your prospect curious or any statement that raises their hopes to find exactly what they came to you for, will increase their dopamine levels.

In a nutshell, this model has three benefits:

1.  A more behavior-conscious seller

2.  A less resistant buyer

3.  A stronger determination to buy

Now let’s go back to when the buyer says “Let me think about it” which indicates that we have failed to address the three parts of the brain appropriately. This means the prospect does not feel “comfortable” about the decision. In other words, the three brain parts are not aligned.

Let me explain to you how this works.

This is the human brain.

The upper part, in grey, is called the cortex. This is the rational brain, and is in charge of thinking, planning and reasoning. We use it consciously. It plays a part in decision making, but not as significantly as one would expect.

The lowest part, in green, is the brain stem or the reptilian brain. It is very instinctive and, believe it or not, plays a key part in decision making. We have no control over how it works. For now let’s just say it does everything on an unconscious level.

The middle part, in red, is the limbic system which is the emotional brain and among other things it tells us how to feel about the decisions we’ve made. We use it subconsciously.

When we make a decision, the Limbic system (the red part) instructs us to feel good, bad, or doubtful about the decision. This feeling depends on how aligned the three brain parts have been in the process. So, when you, as a sales person, come up with one of those answers your prospect can’t argue against, but which is also not truly convincing and comforting—and you know what I’m talking about—a negative feeling is generated right here in the limbic system. You should know that your answers have the power to inhibit or delay decisions. Your behavior and comments can lead to feelings of regret after the decision has been made. Once you trigger your prospect’s limbic system with negative emotions, it can negatively impact their decision, when you least expect it. And here is how? 

Their reptilian brain perceives your behavior as a threat simply because they don’t feel comfortable about your answer and because every single move you make is sensitively under scrutiny given your relationship with the prospect—seller-buyer relationship. This is the same kind of threat we perceive when our life is in danger. It is the cortex that knows the threat is not that serious. But the reptilian brain is faster, so it reacts instinctively before the data get to the cortex: Cortisol floods the brain, adrenaline production increases and the body prepares for a flight, fight or freeze response (limbic system is activated). Any decision made under these conditions will be emotional, instinctive, and less likely to be rational.

In a fight mode, your prospects become argumentative, in a flight mode, they give you “lame excuses” why they won’t buy, and in a freeze mode, they’ll say “let me think about it.” Or something like this. 

Usually, as the signing day looms, fears of remorse increase in the buyer. Now if you have triggered them with any unintentional negative emotions, they are more likely to fight, flight or freeze. As a result they withdraw and you tell your boss, “I have no clue why this loser pulled out in the last minute.”

If you are interested in reading how a brain-safe sales engagement looks like, read my next posting.