Have you ever wondered why you buy the things you buy?
Chances are that you haven’t, and why would you anyway?
But, if you were to explain it, most likely there would be some kind of logical reason.
“It was on sale, or I needed it, or it’s an investment”
Maybe you even feel you buy things you like and define you.
But, do they really?
Because I’m sure you are very aware of marketing and its goal of getting you to buy things.
You know there are sellers everywhere trying to get you to buy their stuff.
And yet, when you think about why you bought something, you go back to the rational decisions mentioned above.
Why is that?
Well, for starters, we don’t like to say we were manipulated into doing or buying something.
And for sure we don’t like the idea of not having control over our actions.
So we fall back on logical explanations that keep us in control but, the reality is different.
Let’s say you only buy the things you absolutely need.
Then, why did you chose the brand you did? Because in today’s world of choice, there were for sure other options to chose from.
Quality? Price? Comfort? A recommendation? Ingredients?
That’s what I thought…
How Persuasion Works
Our fascination for persuading others goes back centuries.
Already in Ancient Greece, Aristotle developed his famous Modes of Persuasion.
Also known as the Rhetorical Triangle, the Modes of Persuasion explain that you must have Pathos, Ethos, and Logos to persuade somebody.
- Pathos: appealing to the emotions of the listener.
- Ethos: showcasing your knowledge and authority about the topic you are talking about.
- Logos: making sure your message makes sense.
Boom! That’s it. Combine them and you’ll have your recipe to persuade others.
Well, not so fast. Although these 3 elements still stand true to this day, things have changed along the way.
Easy access to information has given consumers the power of knowledge, changing the way decisions are made.
Which is why today, to persuade somebody you’ll need to add these 5 elements:
- Interest: you need to connect with them, capture their attention. Get them interested in what you are going to tell them.
- Perspective: you need to provide your customers with a different point of view. A different angle on a topic, a new approach, a new perspective, possibility or opportunity.
- Benefits: you need to show them how their lives will be better because of it. Connect with that ultimate aspiration, how life looks once the problem is gone. And also the fears of what happens if the problem is not solved.
- Evidence: you need to support your claim. Show there are real facts that support what you are saying. Results, social proof, testimonials.
- Topics: you need to mention the features of the product, details of the work process, facts.
Why Is Storytelling The Weapon Of Choice?
Storytelling is sharing ideas through stories.
And an idea by default must provide a different perspective.
That means that ideas are new to the person that hears them and our brain loves discovering new things. This makes them interesting.
Also, an idea must make sense, be logical and congruent to be embraced. That means ideas are flexible and relevant to the time and place.
And finally, an idea needs to improve the status quo in one way or another, it needs to solve a problem.
Put all this together and you can see what makes storytelling so persuasive.
Because instead of making a list of facts to communicate your idea, storytelling takes your customer on a journey.
An exciting journey with characters and challenges that results in an improved situation.
Storytelling allows you deliver an idea in an engaging way that checks all the boxes, ensuring your message is persuasive.
No wonder businesses across the world are using storytelling to market their products and position their brand.
That is why business storytelling is all about attaching a personal story to your business to make it persuasive.
Sales And Self-Awareness
Understanding why you buy the things you buy gives you a clear advantage.
Discovering how you are persuaded to buy things, will improve the way you persuade others to buy the things you sell.
So push yourself to reverse engineer the strategies, techniques, and messages other use on you.
Because they will not only be a great inspiration.
But more importantly, you will learn proven tools that get results.
After all, they worked on you.
Make It Happen!
Is there something you once bought and you have no idea why?
Please share in the comment section below what did you buy and why did you feel that you should get it? How did they get you to buy?
Embrace it, share it, own it!
If you know somebody who is working hard to grow their business, feel free to send them this post.
All the best,
Juan