The late great sales trainer, Zig Ziglar, used to say, “People buy on emotion and justify on logic.”
This is true whether you’re fundraising for a capital campaign or completing a Series-A-funding-round for a start-up venture.
People buy on emotion and justify on logic.
Adding to this insight, in recent years, advances in neuroscience have helped us to understand that the brain processes meaning before detail.
- Start with the WHY (in everything). Why is your organization important? Why does the funder care? What’s important (meaningful to them)?
- We (as salespeople) need logic and details BUT those details are maximally effective only when they flow from an emotional connection.
Note: This is even true when selling to CFO’s! - Connect. ENGAGE! Around meaning.
Then, through the power of engagement (e.g. asking questions and listening to the answers) you can provide the right logic and detail, tailored to each prospect.
