BEHIND WHAT THE OTHER PARTY VALUES
A few years ago, I stumbled upon the book How to Become
a Rainmaker,^3 and I like to review it occasionally to refresh
my sense of the emotional drivers that fuel decisions. The
book does a great job to explain the sales job not as a
rational argument, but as an emotional framing job.
If you can get the other party to reveal their problems,
pain, and unmet objectives—if you can get at what people
are really buying—then you can sell them a vision of their
problem that leaves your proposal as the perfect solution.
Look at this from the most basic level. What does a good
babysitter sell, really? It’s not child care exactly, but a
relaxed evening. A furnace salesperson? Cozy rooms for
family time. A locksmith? A feeling of security.
Know the emotional drivers and you can frame the
benefits of any deal in language that will resonate.
BEND THEIR REALITY
Take the same person, change one or two variables, and
$100 can be a glorious victory or a vicious insult.
Recognizing this phenomenon lets you bend reality from
insult to victory.
Let me give you an example. I have this coffee mug, red
and white with the Swiss flag. No chips, but used. What
would you pay for it, deep down in your heart of hearts?
You’re probably going to say something like $3.50.
Let’s say it’s your mug now. You’re going to sell it to