💬 Leave a comment at the end: what's your experience with selling to logical thinkers?
We all know that person.
- They need to know every detail about a product,
- They need to read every review,
- They need to compare it to all the products on the market, and
- On and on it goes.
For me, it’s my father-in-law.
We all joke that by the time he’s finally decided to buy 2017 car model, next year’s model is released, and the process starts all over again.
Some people are just that way – they need a lot of convincing. And if they don’t completely understand a product, they won’t buy it.
So, how do you make a sale to a logical thinker – the type of buyer that just doesn’t seem to budge?
But first, how do you know if you’re dealing with a logical thinker?
How Do I Know When I’m Dealing With a Logical Thinker?
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to quickly find out if your prospect is a logical thinker is to start some small talk.
Ask what they do for a living.
If their career involves analyzing information, strategy, data, etc, you’re dealing with a logical thinker.
For example:
- Engineers
- Programmers
- Lawyers
- Accountants/Bankers
- Data Analysts
- Researchers
- Scientists
- Doctors
These are people who make fact-based decisions. They do problem-solving really well, and they generally take a systematic approach to whatever they do.
And they take this same approach to purchases – especially big purchases.
Functional Aspects of the Product
When we look at products as a whole, these are the functional reasons people buy them.
- It saves time
- It simplifies something
- It makes money
- It reduces risk
- It organizes
- It integrates
- It connects
- It reduces effort
- It avoids hassles
- It reduces cost
- It adds quality
- It adds variety
- It has sensory appeal
- It informs
So, as you look at this list, consider which aspects might apply to whatever insurance product you have in mind.
This will be really important to go over when you pitch that product to a logical thinker.
In their mind, they’re trying to justify the price by considering the functionality of the product.
And on a conscious level, that’s usually all they think about.
But this is where things can get tricky – if you only focus on the functionality of the product, you’re actually leaving half of the appeal out of the equation.
And logical thinkers might not consider this consciously, but on a subscious level, they’re actually very swayed by emotional aspects.
When I think of my father-in-law, the ultimate logical thinker, his buying decisions are made almost exclusively on QVC.
And it makes sense, doesn’t it?
The television channel takes time with each product, goes through each functional element, and then the salesperson throws in some emotional elements as well. They often use words like “imagine” – “Imagine wearing this during your Thanksgiving holiday.”
Watch some of this clip from QVC to get a feel for what I’m talking about:
Did you have any idea that a sweater could have so many features and benefits? And the woman also talks about emotion – “It’s one of those sweaters that just makes you feel like a rockstar.”
And I’m not sure if you caught it, but she appealed to some more emotions here: “It’s the gift of luxury. It’s the gift of elegance.”
And that’s why I’m skipping all the special persuasion tactics and am going straight to the marketing technique we’ve used for all of time.
Marry the functional AND emotional aspects of the product you’re selling. That’s the best way to get through to a logical thinker.
Emotional Aspects of the Product
Emotion is what really inspires someone to purchase a product. When you can tap into your emotions, your concept of a product changes. I gave the example of the sweater from QVC, but here’s another silly example.
In the mid 1900s, jingles were really important for television marketing. We still hear them today, but back then, it was elevated to an entirely different level.
The world practically shook when Coca-Cola came out with the 1971 jingle “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.”
Listen to the lyrics:
“I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love,
Grow apple trees and honey bees, and snow white turtle doves.
I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony,
I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.
It’s the real thing, Coke is what the world wants today.”
The whole idea behind the jingle that Coke was more than just a drink – it was about keeping each other company and being a community.
That really appeals to our emotions, which is why it’s so powerful and has been deemed the world’s most famous ad.
These are the major emotional impacts that products have on us:
- Reduces anxiety
- Rewards me
- Creates nostalgia
- Inspires design/aesthetics
- Creates wellness
- Has therapeutic value
- Is fun/provides entertainment
- Is attractive
- Provides access
There are also 37 “power emotions” that are used often in marketing to get the attention of potential buyers.
- Curiosity
- Optimism
- Laziness
- Anger
- Patriotism
- Annoyance
- Disgust
- Guilt
- Confusion
- Altruism
- Benevolence
- Boredom
- Sadness
- Pride
- Whimsy
- Surprise
- Shyness
- Indifference
- Wit
- Exhaustion
- Happiness
- Pessimism
- Desperation
- Love
- Envy
- Lust
- Fear
- Stupidity
- Insecurity
- Complacence
- Revenge
- Passion
- Loneliness
- Sympathy
- Embarrassment
- Vanity
- Confidence
One emotion that stands out when you consider insurance products is actually fear. People respond to fear more than they will to the product’s functionality.
For example, if you had a heart attack without a Medicare Supplement, you would lose over $150,000. How would you pay for that?
Another example: Without long-term care insurance, you would have to lose everything you own, including your home, and then you would go on public aid. Do you want that to be your Plan A?
That’s a powerful concept, and it will inspire fear in your prospect. It might just be enough to push the sale over the top.
As you can see, just going over a product’s functionality is really leaving half of the sale on the table.
If you find that you have a hard time making a sale to a group of people, try connecting the product function as well as the emotional aspects together.
Logical thinkers aren’t impossible to sell to – they just require the right pitch and a little bit of time.
