Posts in Sales skills

Learn how mirrors will change your consumers buying behavior

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Customer experience Sales skills

When you look at yourself, what do you see?

Remember earlier when I was brainstorming with my friend who is testing a new stylish laptop bag for corporate women?

If not, it’s ok. I get it, you are busy, but in case you are interested here is the blog post: I am not sure this is for you, but…

A little background context.

I was brainstorming ideas with my friend who is doing customer testing for a new stylish laptop bag for corporate women.

In addition to the “I am not sure this is for you, but…” tip, I also suggested to get a mirror, where customers can see themselves wearing the bag. I didn’t write about it in that blog post though, because, well, my friend was too lazy to get the mirror due to logistic reasons… and I have no results to share with you.

To be honest, that suggestion was purely based on intuition — and that is another reason I didn’t write about it back then.

Now, however, I learned a new trick from Roger Dooley in his book Brainfluence about mirrors that can just make me confidently share my tip. Can I just say that Brainfluence is one of my favorite books?

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Chocolate might make you want to buy more

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Customer experience Sales skills 1 Comment

Indulgence.

What comes to mind when you hear that word? Indulgence?

For me, I think luxury, I think the Spa or perhaps a relaxing massage. I think of candles. I think fine dining. I think coffee coupled with my favorite piece of chocolate. I think a nice dessert. I think of memorable perfume.

Here is the thing about indulgence. When you start indulging, you kind of what to keep doing that — indulging.

That’s pretty much stating the obvious, but not until I read about the impact of injecting indulgence in the experiences of consumers that I realized the power of it.

Roger Dooley in his book Brainfluence, described how being offered candy actually makes us want to buy.

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The reason free trials make you happily spend your money

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Customer experience Sales skills

I have heard it numerous times by people thinking of starting their own business, reluctant to share ideas or information for free, asking: 

“Should I offer it for free?” 

Not only start-ups or small businesses but also large corporations hesitate and think… 

“But if we gave all this knowledge away for free, they wouldn’t need us. They will just go ahead and do it on their own.” 

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5 Consumer behavior tricks you can use with your boss

Consumer Behavior Sales skills Self development 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I was asked what advice would I give someone just starting off their career. 

I didn’t have to think, it was emotional intelligence. 

I have seen so many people advance in careers even when they are technically inadequate because they know what to say and when to say it. That might seem unfair to some people, but as Bill Gates said: 

“Life is not fair - get used to it.” - Bill Gates

While learning about consumer behavior, I couldn’t help but notice those tricks that were originally meant to seal a sales deal, but isn’t your relationship with your boss yet just another deal? Perhaps you could also use them with your date. 

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So, what are these tricks anyway?

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The reason I bought ice-cream, chocolate, and honey I didn’t want

Cognitive Bias Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Sales skills Spending money

Just to be clear, I love ice-cream, chocolate and honey. 

– Ice-cream makes a good day beautiful
– Chocolate is practically an addiction to me
– … And I use honey either for my avocado smoothie or my morning oatmeal

That doesn’t negate the fact that I have bought those items when I didn’t need them at the time.
Sometimes it’s just about maintaining a healthy diet and staying slim. 

In an earlier blog post when I started the #savingmode journey, I spoke about how I bought ice-cream even though I didn’t want to. Well, I wanted the red-velvet ice-cream, but it wasn’t there. I just bought ice-cream because I was given so many samples to try. It wasn’t a calorie justified decision. 

I didn’t know why though I bought the ice-cream anyway.

But now I do.

I also didn’t know why I bought the peanut milk chocolate at the supermarket, even though I promised myself to only get dark chocolate to stay, well, “healthy”. 

I didn’t know why did I buy two jars of honey while I was on a tour in Georgia. I mean I am not having any home-made breakfast while I am on vacation.

Why did I make those purchases even though at the time I didn’t really want to? 

I just found out.

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Which one of us doesn’t like free stuff?

Consumer Behavior Consumer Marketing Sales skills Spending money

I broke one of my necklaces, so I had to go to the mall to fix it. 

I was somewhat dreading that trip - as simple as it was. I dropped it off and left. 

On my pursuit of spending less, I try as much as I can to avoid the mall visit… I ignore the sale text messages and pretend I have never received them. 

Ring, ring. I get a phone call. My necklace is ready for collection. I once again went to the mall. This time though I didn’t leave right away. I thought, well, let me have a look. That’s what we do right? Some of us at least. 

Wandering around and checking all those sale signs, trying to not get influenced, by the buy 2 get the 3rd for free promotions, I stumbled upon ladies representing one of the make-up brands, Gosh. They try to talk to me and I think they are trying to sell me something. Perhaps even let me try something for free… of course, so I can buy it once I like it. I tell them I am not looking for something. 

They look at me and give me a bag… and tell me “This is yours.” I say, “What?” They tell me, “This is yours.” I am confused…

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