Psychology in Sales – Study #5

Study #5 – Using Urgency The Right Way

Creating a sense of urgency in your sales pitch is one of the oldest tricks in the book and still one of the smartest.

A study was conducted by handing out two different pamphlets, both sparing no detail on the horrid effects that the tetanus disease can have on the body.

• The first pamphlet described only the effects of tetanus.

• The second pamphlet described the effects of tetanus and also included information on where to get vaccinated.

The results were clear: Those who had the second pamphlet (with the sparse follow-up info) were much more likely to take-action; the rate that followed through with vaccination was superior to the first group by nearly 25%.

Our minds are susceptible to blocking out information that evokes a sense of urgency if there aren’t any instructions on what to do next.

Those who didn’t receive follow-up information were prone to convincing themselves that, “I don’t need to worry about this because it won’t happen to me anyway,” whereas those in the second group had little reason to feel this way because they had a plan to take action.

Bottom Line: Urgency can be blocked by your customers’ minds if you don’t give them specific instructions on how to solve the problem. Rather than giving vague instructions, tell people exactly what to do when the time comes and don’t be afraid to drive them toward specific actions.

Happy Tuesday & Happy Selling!

Kevin