Engaging & Selling to Customers: It's Not What You Say But How You Say It

The axiom "It’s not what you say but how you say it," is as relevant for B2B sales as it is for fostering strong personal relationships. New research published in the Harvard Business Review by USC professor Steve Martin suggests salespeople should go beyond the one-dimensional brochure or e-mail for their pitches. Sales representatives who employ a variety of sensory impressions — visual, auditory and kinetic — will close more deals and generate higher revenues per sale. These learnings come from the emerging field of sales linguistics.

Sales linguistics is the study of how salespeople and customers interact within a pitching opportunity. Studying the dynamics of a sales pitch is important for a variety of reasons. The cost of sales has increased significantly, putting a premium on getting the biggest bang for your sales buck. Moreover, the selling process has become much more difficult. These days, it is difficult to get face time with prospects, have them return your e-mails, or stimulate their genuine interest in your offering. Businesses that correctly heed teachings from sales linguistics will significantly improve their closing rates and financial performance.

In a typical client pitch, sales representatives use a single sensory cue, or a combination of three — visual, auditory and kinetic (i.e. touching, sampling) — to make their case. Which approach works best at maximizing the chances of a sale at a higher price?

The research looked at responses from three groups of participants on a wide range of items — from everyday consumer products to unique sports memorabilia. The groups were asked to estimate the price of each item and rank the comfort with the answers they gave. Group one was shown only a picture of an item accompanied by a brief description (visual cue only). The second group was shown the same item and visual information as the first group, but the description was read to them with dramatic emphasis and accentuation, creating an auditory connection. Group three was shown the same item and exposed to the same stimuli as the first two groups. However, they were also given a kinetic connection — the opportunity to hold and inspect the item — before providing their pricing estimate.

Below are the findings and implications for B2B sales and marketing efforts:

The more, the almost merrier

On average, group two (which received visual and auditory information) was willing to pay the highest average price for all goods, especially those with the most esoteric value. Interestingly, group three submitted the lowest average price suggesting that hands-on experience could be reducing the perceived value of some goods or that visual or auditory stimuli were negating the kinetic experience. Although price estimates varied, the level of confidence in customer decisions tended to increase as more sensory cues were added.

Expect some messaging disconnect

Saying something (even clearly) does not mean the prospect has received the message correctly. Getting this right is critical when a product is unique. In the study, some participants misinterpreted the features of one of the memorabilia items thereby valuing it less.

Be mindful of verbal signals

The tone, demeanor and tempo of what’s said can have more impact than the actual message. The average price given by group two was nearly seven times that of group one and close to 20 times the average price given by group three. With the last group, the kinetic connection may be negating the power of the spoken word and the message behind it. Heeding verbal signaling is an important point for salespeople who sell primarily over the phone or rely on e-mail as their primary communication tool. Though efficient in some ways, e-mail forfeits the power of using verbal signals.

Be careful with product evaluations?

The research suggests hands-on familiarity with an item actually lowers the perception of its value not to mention slowing down the sales cycle. This is especially risky if aggressive product claims set unrealistic expectations that cannot be met; if a product does not "demonstrate" well; or, if a complex product raises the chances of confusion. Since adding kinetic stimuli increases decision confidence, managers should consider the best time to demo a product in the sales cycle.

Get the "performance" right

Too little consideration is often paid to the seller’s "performance" which accompanies presentations and samples. This performance includes the script that supplements the pitch and the desired verbal and non-verbal (e.g., power posturing) signals. These elements will play a critical role in shaping the prospect’s perception of value.

When it comes to pitching, the more information is not always the merrier. Sales and marketing leaders — especially those that leverage inside sales or prospect across large territories — should focus on optimizing the interaction by using multi-sensory communication tools at the right time, tailored for the audience needs and the product’s attributes and pricing.

Mitchell Osak is managing director of Quanta Consulting Inc. Quanta has delivered a variety of strategy and organizational transformation consulting and educational solutions to global Fortune 1,000 organizations. Mitchell can be reached at mosak@quantaconsulting.com