Neuroscience & B2B Selling

Buyers Do NOT Need B2B Sales People Anymore!

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Before you think I have totally lost my mind, take a moment to read what I have to say about this topic – because I believe it has more Truth than I thought I would see in my lifetime.

Sure I read the book from Neil Rackham – one of the most acclaimed sales researchers in modern times – as he stated buyers do not want to be bothered by aggressive and pushy sales people anymore. That much I truly believe is correct based upon my interaction with so many buyers and decision makers.

Yesterday, I listened to a Marketing Expert talk about how much times have changed relative to actually how much a buyer needs a sales person. He stated prior to the widespread use of the internet, buyers actually needed us for product information and ideas for solving their problems.

Today, that has changed, the buyer can get as educated as they want from their laptop or tablet by searching the internet for product information, success stories, how to use our products, applications of solutions and even do some price comparisons – all without a sales person to talk with for one minute.

Does that ring any bells for you?

Okay, so what do you need to do to counter this change in need focus on the part of the buyer?

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Six Methods for Engaging the Buyers Brain

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This neuroscience research is amazing regarding how the brain actually works. And, when you apply this research specifically to how the brain makes decisions to buy things, well, your world of opportunity just grew exponentially.

Now, I figure most of you know about the left and right hemispheres of the brain and they influence things – especially behavior. In fact, behavioral style is one of the hardwired traits discussed the management book – First Break All the Rules by Buckingham. (If you are in Sales Management this is an important book to read.)

However, let’s get back to the primary subject – engaging the buyers brain.

Also, the research has shown there are three unique regions within the brain and the real decision maker is the “old brain” or reptilian brain which is located in the brain stem. This answered a lot of questions for me – first, questions about how I made instinctively driven decisions and choices. Then, there were the decisions and choices my clients made about all types of subjects – several which displayed NO logic at all. (First, clue is little logic is used.)

So the real question becomes “how do you engage the reptilian brain?”

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Neuroscience and the b2b sales process

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When I began to learn about how the brain works due to the research being used in the neuroscience studies, I began to see the light. Which light is that? The light at the other end of the tunnel indicating a train is coming and I need to pay attention.

Now must b2b sales people are still following the same old sales “tracks” laid down in the last century. They continue to hang in there using these old methods since they did work for the b2b sales people in years past. And, in some industries the old tracks still work with some old school or commodity based buyers.

Yet, the more progressive companies – both sellers and buyers of progressive companies – no longer tolerate the practices of the old b2b sales tracks. They want something new and better for the real world of today.

Okay, what is different you are thinking? A good thought or question.

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Do You Really Know How People Decide to Buy?

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How about a provocative question to start the week? Yet, it is a great question to ask of sales people.

Do You Really Know How People Decide to Buy?

I know you will answer with many of the same answers I have used during the years of b2b selling. Here are many of the typical responses to this question…

  • It was the logical thing to do
  • It was based upon the hot button
  • It solved their problem
  • It had real value add
  • It was the low cost solution
  • It was the safe choice

Okay, once again, focus upon the real question – How Decisions are Made – rather than what you sold them.

Now if you are like most people (and I was included in this group until a few years ago), assumptions were made based upon our experience in selling, what sales trainers had told us and other externally driven answers. However, precious little thought time was devoted to learning how the decisions are made.

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