This is a post from Paperdolls.Today, under the section “Sales Techniques.” The intent of this section is to help people, particularly the vulnerable such as sexual assault survivors, to understand if and when they might be manipulated by sales techniques. If you wish to unsubscribe or subscribe to any sections of Paperdolls.Today, please follow Substack’s instructions.
Remember, the most important sales principle: People buy emotionally and defend it with logic.
Last week, I covered how to control the converstion with question to get the prospect into this emotional state--and to control the direction of the Yes responses.
One of the easiest emotions to tap into is fear. We all have it. Our puny bodies don't have sharp teeth or claws, we can't fly or run fast, we don't camouflage into our environment easily. Evolutionary speaking, we cultivated and kept a fear of our surroundings and everything—as a protection. So we could survive.
When our species was in the "hunter and gatherer" stage, we had to be extremely leery of a branch snapping. It could be a tiger lurking and ready to attack. Or the noise could be a bird feeding on berries in the brush nearby. It wasn't an even choice. The tiger is much more of a threat. Hence, we survived by being vigilant to threats. The sustenance and beauty is definitely part of us, but our deep-seated focus on threats was predominate.1
Hence, it's much easier for a sales person to get you emotionally involved by tapping into fear.
This isn't something to be mad about or even afraid of. Simply notice. And, then take some time to evaluate if it is a real fear or not. This relates to children of sexual abuse especially. In our developmental years, we got an extra does of utter fear. Typically abuse happens from someone our families know and "trust."
It's important to state: Not all people are abusers! Most people are good and kind--I would guessestimate that 80% of our population is good and kind. I'm guessing there's about 10% of us that are complete heros: like we've recently read about int he fires in LA. Some heros run into burning building to save others, even complete strangers.
Sadly, there are abusers, and I'm guessing they are in the 10% range of the cowards so filled with toxic waste that they dominate vulnerable people, especially children and the elderly, and abuse them. It sucks, and even ONE is too many. But, please keep in mind, they are the minority.
Back to the implications of the sales techniques of "People buy emotionally and defend it with logic and the easiest emotion to tap into for a prospect is FEAR"
We know the biological roots for this propensity to fear, and it's simply a characteristic of humans we need to be aware of. When you sense someone is trying to lead you into a place of fear, so that you buy that warranty, insurance policy, or security protection. Definitely take pause. Really think about it. Ask yourself "Are saber tooth tigers really lurking behind that bush? Do I really need that special saber tooth tiger protection?"2
One of the easiest products to mention that uses the "fear of loss" to get you to buy their product is insurance. It's okay to notice the questions the insurance sales person uses to get you to the emotion place and realize you might loss an asset. But, it's still up to you to decide if you have enough funds to cover the potential loss of that asset, or if you want to transfer that risk to an insurance company.
I personally buy insurance. The basic idea behind insurance is that if you don't have the funds to cover a loss, such as a fire to your home: You transfer that risk to an insurance company or pool to assume that risk. When a whole bunch of people contribute to that funding, then if one or a few of you experience the loss--there's enough money in their "claims account"3 to cover the losses.4
It's okay to recognize fears. It's not okay for someone to manipulate you based on those fears. It's important to be able to distinguish legitimate fears or ones based on past trauma.
AND it is never okay for someone to manipulate you with fear. Perpetrators are notorious to invoke more fear, with words like, "If you tell....."" Domestic partners, parents, siblings who invoke emotional and physical violence use fear to manipulate also.
Don't just pause with our interactions with those people: ESCAPE! RUN!5
And, finally, there are times it is very important for you to face your fears and take action in that direction anyway. Since it's Martin Luther King Jr., day I'm going to end with this quote:
Our problem is not to be rid of fear but rather to harness and master it.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
More on this, read Rick Hanson’s “Hardwiring Happiness” (https://a.co/d/eGYM3Ui)
I tried to pick a NON threat to make my point.
There are many products out based on fear. Some are needed. I like warranty's on certain products. Others are just a way for the sales person or company to make extra money. The warranty is bogus because the product loses it's value during the time of the warranty purchased--many modern tech products fall into that warranty stance. There's so many advancements that the tech product is outdated before you need the warranty and by that time you want a new, faster phone, computer, etc by then anyway.
The laws are pretty strict for insurance companies to have funds available in a separate account allocated for claims--to cover those losses.
Call 9-1-1 or 800.799.SAFE (7233)