The buying motion consists of four menial steps-attention. interest, evaluation and decision-through which the buyer's mind moves in order to arrive at a favorable decision. The mind works much the same as the muscles of the body. When information is fed to it in small, easy4o-handle steps, the mind can follow and understand with little effort. The sales representative's skill in the use of motivation ideas determines whether these steps will be easy or difficult for the buyer.

Now, think about the last time you walked up the steps of a large municipal building. One thing you are sure to recall is the difficulty you had with those long treads and the short risers. Trying to climb them can be compared to walking on railroad ties. It's difficult, unnatural, and requires considerable effort. This is because the steps were designed for beauty, not ease of climbing.

Architects and engineers studied the problem and found that the stairs which were easiest to climb were those with steps that had a ten-inch tread and a seven-inch riser. As a result, most modern-day steps are built this way.

How is the sales representative's job similar to that of the architect? Your job is to lead the prospect's mind Over the mental steps to acceptance or purchase. Therefore, it is important for you to study and appreciate the prospect's viewpoint and to present your ideas in easy-to-handle steps so that they can be understood.

Why is it difficult at times to make a logical presentation? Simply because we tend to think our prospects have the same knowledge, experience and understanding that we have. It seems only natural that they will have thought out their future financial requirements and that they will have a clear conception of their needs. It seems natural! too! that they will recognize the importance of our o.b.'s and understand the g.q.'s that provide them. We assume! As a result, ideas which seem simple, logical, and persuasive to us may be contradictory, confusing, and, therefore, meaningless to prospects.

It's one thing to know and understand reason motivation ideas. But if they are not employed at the right time and in the right way, the sales representative may very well use a step which the prospect's mind cannot understand. Using the right motivation ideas at the right time and in the correct way makes the sales presentation logical.

Let's reconsider each of the motivation ideas discussed and this time concentrate on how they are used.

Once the prospect's interest has been stimulated, you must now offer other reason motivation ideas for the evaluation process. These ideas must show that the benefit described is possible and believable, and that in acquiring it, the prospect has more to gain than has to be given up. But it is essential that the prospect's interest be maintained throughout the presentation. Owner benefits then, are used in the evaluation and decision phases of the buying motion as well as in the interest phase. From this it can be seen that in the last two phases owner benefits are used in combination with other motivation ideas.

When o.b. is used with g.q., it forms a powerful combination.

As simple as this may seem! using them improperly can create an illogical step for the prospect's mind.

For example, let's suppose that you were talking with a prospect who was considering additional insurance. You might say, "Your retirement years will he worry-free (o.b.) because of the settlement option provisions (g.q.) of this plan."

You understand sound selling principles. You're going about the presentation the right way Apparently you've gotten attention and identified the prospects need you're leading with an o.b and supporting it with a g.q. But does the g.q. clearly and directly support the o.b.? It doesn't

In trying to support retirement years will be worry-free (o.b.) with the settlement option provisions of this plan, (g.q.) you have put the prospect in the position of having to relate the oh. and g.q. and the odds are he won't.

But suppose you had said, "You will receive a cheek for $1,500 per month, (o.b.) making your retirement years worry-free (o.b.), Mr. Jones. The settlement option provisions (g.q) of this plan provide for regular distribution of principal and interest (o.b.) once each month beginning at age 65."

Isn't this statement more logical than the first attempt'? It is, because the ideas have been presented in easier, more logical steps to help insure a positive evaluation.

So, whenever you present an owner benefit that is not an immediately apparent result of good quality, connect the two ideas with another oh. Or o.b.'s needed to make the statement logical-believable. In other words, sell the result of the result.

As you have now seen, owner benefit is the only idea a sales representative has to secure the prospect's interest. Having learned this, many sales representatives are inclined to deluge the prospect with o.h.'s. Many times this occurs after a hasty and incomplete effort to uncover the prospect's needs. Using too many o.b.'s or unrelated o.b.'s can result in confusion, suspicion and loss of interest. Remember, in using o.b.'s, your job 5 to lead the prospect's mind through the buying motion. Misuse of o.b.'s can cause the opposite effect, resulting in loss of sales progress.

Building greater impact into sales presentations

Owner benefits and good qualities are important facts about your products, services and plans that must be understood by prospects before they can buy anything. Other facts, however, are equally necessary for prospects to know before they can logically consider purchase.

The offering motivation idea

In addition to ob. and g.q., prospects must know four basic facts.

These four facts comprise the offering motivation idea- You might say that the who and what are so basic that there is really no reason to discuss them. Yet in a number of surveys, prospects agree that leaving this information out was a common mistake made by sales representatives.

What's behind this complaint? Simply this. Prospects! like everyone else, may have short memories and this could be a source of embarrassment td them in interpersonal relationships. Suppose you've set up an appointment by phone. Between the time of your initial phone call and visit, your prospect may just have forgotten what Company you represent. Or he or she may have forgotten either your giving name or your surname. In either case, your prospect may be too embarrassed to ask. This may be equally true if you've had one or two previous meetings. In either case, it's not unlikely that your prospect will focus more heavily on trying to recall your Company or your name than on what you have to say.

If there is any question as to familiarity, therefore! you should always mention your name and Company affiliation during the attention step of your call or call back. You may also mention the first two parts of the offering motivation idea (who and what)

as you summarize your sales talk in the evaluation on step.

Now, let's look at the third and fourth parts (premium and terms) of the offering motivation idea. As you know, any sale is an agreement between two parties, just as a contract is an agreement between two parties. Such agreement cannot be reached unless there is complete understanding by both parties of all elements of the offering. The professional sales representative makes sure the prospeot understands all of these elements. "Order takers" give out minimal information and hope to secure the business. They avoid going into detail about premiums and terms since these may raise objections.

However, if these are not discussed and accepted as worthwhile obligations by prospects₁ they may have second thoughts about the premium or terms at a later date. It's not unusual to find, therefore, that it is the 'order takers" who have the highest lapse rate in the district. There is no need for this. The sales representative who has done a thorough job of identifyin₉ needs and expressing o.b.'s will be able to discuss premiums and terms without fear that they' scare prospects off.

Since premiums and terms can be discussed safely only after prospects understand the o.b.'s they will get, it should be evident that these two parts of the offering motivation idea are brought up only in the evaluation step of the buying motion.

Now let's look at terms a little more closely. These include method of payment, contingencies, assurances, and such details. Each of the details included in terms may be considered a good quality of the plan being offered. As such, each will provide many additional owner benefits for use in emphasizing the full importance of the service or plan.

Summary-Gaining and using complete knowledge of your services or plans

Summary-Building greater impact into sales presentations