The pursuit of superiority is often misunderstood and misused by those that don’t fully understand its definition. The truest form of pursuing superiority is superiority over oneself.
Especially, one’s idea of oneself. It’s about bettering oneself and becoming a better version of oneself.
This desire to improve our sense of worth, identity, and superiority is what drives almost all sales. Deep down we make the decision to buy and purchase something because it either supports our idea of who we are (our identity) or our idea of who we want to be (our superiority).
People buy future transformation
While many many people might buy a nice car, house, holidays etc. to impress others, either because they consciously want to impress them or be seen to be better than them, it’s all tied much deeper to our desire to be a better version of ourselves.
Ultimately people are buying a better future version of themselves.
They’re buying transformation and superiority.
It’s a totally illogical and emotional decision. We can fool ourselves into thinking we’re rational buyers or “none of that advertising stuff works on me”, but any and all purchases are emotional decisions.
We do a really good job of justifying that purchase to ourselves with “logic” (even though true logic doesn’t enter into the equation ever), asking about cost and features after we have made the decision to buy. And even then, those “logical” questions are internal justifications that we feel other people will ask us.
People who we want to impress or we admire or want the approval of.
For example, let’s take Sam buying a new marketing project from a consultant like you. You make the pitch, say all the right words and Sam has internally made the decision to buy.
He agrees with you that it makes sense for you both to work together. But why is he buying? What reason deep down is his motivation for buying marketing services from you?
Here are some of the top-level reasons that seem sensible (logical) to buy from you.
- Increase the number of leads that the business will generate
- Increase the number of sales we’ll make
- Increase the number of customers we’ll attract
- Increase the amount that each customer spends
- Increase our visibility in the marketplace
Of course, these reasons could be different depending on your niche or the specifics of your skillset but these are pretty sensible top level reasons why someone would buy from you. Almost every single business in the world wants those above 5 bullet points.
Why did SAM buy from YOU? Why does Sam want any of those things for her business?
If she generates more leads and sales, her business might grow. Then, she might feel like she’s succeeding.
Sam begins to feel that she’s running a real business, a grownup business. Something she can be proud of. Something she built and contributed to.
Deep down her reasons for buying have nothing to do with sales and leads, those are just the means to an end. Sam’s real reason for buying is because she wants to BE a success and, in her eyes, that status of success comes with certain characteristics.
When people ask her why she bought a marketing consultation from you, she’ll tell them it’s because you helped her with leads and sales, etc. But the real reason is that she wants to continue her journey towards being a success.
She wants to become and transform into a success. We sell futures, not features.
Sales is a transference of enthusiasm
I just want to end this chapter with another definition of the sales process.
“Sales is a transference of enthusiasm.”
– Zig Ziglar
If all else fails, be enthusiastic. Be excited about the product, be eager to learn, and listen to the customer.
All things being equal, people would rather buy from the person who is energetic, excited, empathetic, and eager to help. If two products are exactly the same, same price and same features, the salesperson who smiles and thinks it’s a great idea to buy, will make the sale.
If you encourage customers to follow their dreams and goals and agree that their past mistakes weren’t their fault and they can change, they’ll buy from you. What people are looking for is support and knowing that they’re making a good, smart decision.
Facts don’t sell, enthusiasm sells.
Facts can’t make someone think that they’re making a smart, rational decision. It sounds counter-intuitive, but everyone who votes believes they’re making a smart decision.
But absolutely zero of those votes come from a place of logic or rationality. It’s an emotional decision won by the enthusiasm of the leader or in the case of voting, the people around you.
“But Mike, you can’t just sell on enthusiasm, that’s how people get conned – it’s immoral”
I hear all the time, that people don’t want to sell with enthusiasm because they see hype marketing and bullshit claims with the same energy all over the place. Therefore, people become confused about the role of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm in the sales process.
They think that if they act with enthusiasm that they’re conning someone or building up the product too much. Or, they’re worried that people will think they’re a scam.
Being excited about your product has absolutely zero bearing on your ability to deliver a great product. Unfortunately, having a great product that does amazing things and delivers amazing results also absolutely zero impact on your ability to be enthusiastic about your product either.
Just because you have a good or bad product, does not affect HOW you should market it. If you really really believe that there are bad products out there that are taking people’s money because they market and sell with energy, excitement, and enthusiasm then don’t you have a moral obligation to also take those customer’s money and deliver a great product?
If you really do think that your product is better, then you should do everything you can to take their money and prevent them from spending it on lesser quality or inferior products.
This is why it’s so important to ask that first question, do you really want more sales? Do you really truly believe so much in your product that you’re willing to risk looking like a crazy person or overly enthusiastic just to get more sales?
If you have a true deep conviction that your solution is the best on the market, you’ll become fanatical that people should buy from you. If you’re afraid to be proud of the product, it’s because you don’t believe in it and you don’t really want more customers.
People also WON’T think that you’re scamming them if you’re excited. Think about it, if they did think you were scamming them they wouldn’t tell you.
So, those people that are “scammed” by hype marketing don’t think they’re being scammed, they think they’re making a smart decision. Unfortunately, you could deliver the most morally solid, ethical product IN THE WORLD and deliver it with the grace and serenity of Audrey Hepburn, but someone somewhere will think it’s a scam.
Nothing you can do about that. It’s because to those people, it’s important that others know how smart and individualistic they are. They love to cry “scam!” at the first instance and tell others so they feel smart.
It’s got nothing to do with you. So you have two choices.
- Continue to sell without enthusiasms and let others scam your customers (and some people will still think you’re a scam too)
- Sell WITH enthusiasm and take money away from scammers (and some people will still think you’re a scam too)
