How to Sell I.T. Projects Using Emotions
To many business people information technology is neither “sexy” nor very interesting. To persuade this type of audience you need to appeal to both mind and heart. In working with time-starved pharmaceutical and medical device marketers, we’ve met with great success using a one-two approach:
- Appeal to logic
- Support the appeal with emotion
Example: Electronic Medical Records
Electronic Medical Records or EMRs are designed to speed charting information between providers and simplify the capture of routine information. They’re also expensive: at least $100,000 per physician office with the price climbing higher for specialty practices. How would you try to sell software as a service to this customer?
OLD Pitch: Our EMR system is based upon technologies proven to scale and handle load. Because we’re based on the SaaS model, most customers report a 20% ROI after installation has been completed.
NEW Pitch: Your physicians endured more than a decade’s worth of training to practice medicine, not sharpen #2 pencils. Our EMR system delivers a 20% ROI which not only puts money back in your pocket, but physicians back in front of patients which is the heart of medicine.
Making the Leap
While the above example is a bit simplistic, it does illustrate the adage that logic brings you to the edge of a decision but emotion makes you leap. Here are some suggestions for your next presentation:
- Start with the numbers, but leverage the emotions they inspire.
- Metaphors move mountains. Compare your situation to something familiar and you overcome information overload.
- Demonstrate the transformation. Don’t be afraid to compare what it was like “Before” and “After” your solution.
- Don’t over-sell. Smart people need at least 24 hours to process a proposal that delivers both value and emotional resolution.
Why This Is Important Now
The economy has elevated emotional thinking to the boardroom, with anxiety being the principal manifestation. By presenting your rigorous thinking in both logical and emotional terms you appeal to your decision-makers at all levels, making it easier for them to say “yes.”
mike jolkovski
People make nearly all decisions based on emotion, even if we’re often not conscious of it or don’t like to admit it. Reasoning often serves only as window-dressing.
The exception to this rule is for people who pride themselves on being hyper-rational and guided by sweet reason alone. In this case, it applies double. The emotion in these cases might be feelings of superiority, control, invulnerability or other feelings that psychoanalysts refer to as “anal-phase derivatives”. (It’s all about holding on and letting go or being clean v. dirty)(“Honeywell: helping you control your world”)
Think of the last three sales decisions you made. Chances are you have clearly discernible feelings about them. Even strictly practical things can bring satisfying feelings: feeling secure, feeling clever or prudent person, relief from worry, etc.
This is putting yourself in the shoes of a customer — speaking to their hopes and fears. With IT purchase decisions, the fear of looking stupid and being to blame for bugs and problems is very high on the list. If your prospects picture themselves feeling smart and proud for making problems disappear at a good price and sleeping soundly trusting the tech, you will go home with the contract in your pocket.
Then it’s on you to deliver, of course.
Mark Hollander
Well said Mike. And for purchasers of these I.T. services the consequences of poor decisions includes not only “looking stupid and being to blame for bugs and problems” but the anticipatory anxiety of losing a job. Perhaps this post should be appended to include the importance of managing customers’ anxieties?