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How Neuroscience and Neuro-Linguistic Programming Can Increase Your Sales
- NLP, Sales Process
- Lifepuzzle
“The way neuroscience and neuro-linguistic programming helps your sales is by allowing you to better understand your prospects’ thinking and their motivation to buy your product. This means more satisfied purchasers for your product.”
~ Chandell Labbozzetta
What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is the study of how the human brain receives and processes information. If you study the speeches and tools used by influential leaders from the earliest stages of recorded history, you’ll find the essence of NLP techniques and principles inside.
NLP is frequently studies to elevate communication skills, improve negotiation, and generally help people to understand others better. Since successful relationships are at the heart of human happiness, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a very powerful tool for everyone. It is an especially popular field of study for salespeople who want to understand their customers better and deal with the challenge of discovering whether what they are selling would serve them or not.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming can be broken down into three parts:
Part 1: The Neuroscience of Sales:
To understand the neuroscience of sales, we first have to look at the brain. The brain is an intricate network of neurons, or nerve cells. The neurons communicate with each other by firing electrical impulses through “synapses.” They also connect with other neurons in an area called the “cortex.” These connections are like pathways. They can be reinforced through habitual behaviour and altered by creating new behaviours or patterns.
Part 2: The Neurons:
The brain processes information through triggers, which is why Neuro-Linguistic Programming incorporates several techniques that enable you to auto-trigger new behaviours to replace existing ones. It also explains why you can have a visceral response to a person without any overt reason – it could be based on remembered associations and experience (positive or negative).
Part 3: The Linguistics:
Language is a complex system. Even though it is responsible for only around 7% of the information we receive, understanding how language works and the ability to interpret what others are really saying, as well as to grasp how they are hearing our words not only improves your relationships at home and work but also helps salespeople understand what their prospects are thinking and when they have made up their mind to say, “No,” but are too polite to actually articulate that.
Neuroscience and Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Sales and Why I Love Neuroscience!
The reason I love neuroscience and neuro-linguistic programming in sales is because it is so fascinating to watch different areas of the brain light up in response to stimuli and to recognise that just as you can re-program your own thoughts and responses, you can also use that knowledge to better connect with your prospects by understanding their emotions, feelings, and motivations.
Once you’re aware of this, you don’t need sophisticated brain monitoring equipment to gauge how prospects are responding to your sales call, you just need to use your eyes, ears, and intuition. You’ll quickly recognise the difference between genuine objections, and the excuses of a person who has already made a decision, and you’ll understand the best way to respond to help them choose wisely.
Unlike what you may have seen on TV or in movies, there is nothing in NLP that removes your prospect’s freewill and self-determination. Your skill in using NLP will only help you understand your prospect’s true concerns.
NLP Sales Techniques to Increase Your Sales
Here are 5 NLP sales techniques that you can use to increase your sales.
- Understand Buying Strategies – everyone has a specific ‘strategy’ for buying (as well as almost every other area of life). NLP helps you discover exactly what each of your prospect’s unique buying strategies is and how to use the knowledge appropriately. This is especially important for selling high-ticket items.
- Improve Your Timing – based on your understanding of each prospect or client’s buying strategy you can build a flexible sales system that enables you to meet their needs for information, alternatives, and spacing of calls. This way, your prospect always feels as though they are in control of the buying decision.
- Build Rapport – by showing genuine interest and enthusiasm for the person you are talking to and by reflecting their preferred communication style in your choice of language. Focus on being interested, rather than being interesting.
- Empathise – with customers by understanding their feelings and motivations. When you understand these – and demonstrate that understanding – you can better help them make a decision.
- Promote your sales – by reminding yourself and your customers why you sell. This can include using reminders, journaling, and imaging to keep the value of the product or service front and centre.
Understanding NLP & Neuroscience Gives You More Control in Sales
Zig Ziglar famously said, “Timid salespeople have skinny kids.” This is often misunderstood. It’s interpreted to mean that effective salespeople need to be pushy and sell people ‘stuff’ they don’t need and can’t afford… But that is certainly not what Zig intended. As much as anything, Zig’s point was about developing your communications skills so that you help the other person recognise what they really want and see their objections either as genuine reasons why they don’t need what you are offering or as an excuse that is preventing them from getting the outcome they desire.
The real advantage that honing your NLP skills offers salespeople is the ability to gain insight from the language and non-verbal communications of prospects about their real attitude. That enables them to tailor their presentation to the preferences of the prospect and meet their needs.
What Will You Do With This Information?
The internet has completed the democratisation of knowledge.
What you know has much less power than your ability to use that knowledge effectively: that is, having the skills and discernment to use your knowledge for good. As a Master Trainer of NLP and one of Australia’s most effective sales trainers, I know that transformation and skill development is about practice and habit-building… And sometimes removing old habits that no longer serve you. This is especially important in a tight economy where your prospects are more cautious about their investments and expenditures. That’s why NOW is the time to develop and hone the communication skills, of your salespeople and all those in leadership positions.
If you know you need some help, why not explore our Ready Set Sell Program which teaches you to build the habits and skills you need over 30 days? We promise you won’t regret it!
Through expert sales training, NLP coaching, and business development consulting, we’ve helped professionals refine their communications, accelerate their sales and supercharge their personal satisfaction and confidence. Do you want to be one of our success stories?
