Question

11= What is meant by "The sales spell"? Explain. Is there a Right spell? What is "No" Reflex that consumers has? Explain.

Answer 1

The sales spell

Next time you get buttonholed by a Big Issue vendor or a shop assistant, think about how you react. My guess would be that you find saying “No thanks” or “Just looking, thanks” slightly uncomfortable. Since it doesn’t take much to reach that mysterious tipping point, you’re quick to take evasive action. You don’t want to fall under the sales spell. And I bet also — especially in a retail environment — that quite often after fending off a shop assistant, paradoxically you do feel a tinge of annoyance with yourself. Because you probably do need help, and you probably are quite interested in buying something.

Of course, the sales spell doesn’t really exist. At least, there’s no magic — it’s inside your head... the customer’s head. A good salesperson knows this and lets their customer’s mind trip along to its own tipping point. The most effective close I was ever taught was the silent close.

The “no” reflex

(Here come the birds again.) Most mornings as I write I watch a robin in my garden defend “his” bird table from all-comers. There’s usually more food there than he could eat in a week, but he fights beak and claw to stop the holidaying blackcaps grabbing even a tiny morsel. I’m sure it’s instinctive behavior: Conservation of one’s resources is a vital and universal trait for survival. Indeed, my theory is that we share with the robin a kind of “no” reflex. Under sudden and unexpected pressure to yield resources, we invariably respond with a no. (Certainly, if I had a “yes” reflex, within a month I could sign away all my money to charity mailings alone.) Just like Bruce said, the buyer can’t help it, even though he’s paid to be an interested customer.