The Science of Selling: Proven Strategies to Make Your Pitch, Influence Decisions, and Close the Deal

by David Hoffeld

The Revolutionary Sales Approach Scientifically Proven to Dramatically Improve Your Sales and Business SuccessBlending cutting-edge research in social psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics, The Science of Selling shows you how to align the way you sell with how our brains naturally form buying decisions, dramatically increasing your ability to earn more sales. Unlike other sales books, which primarily rely on anecdotal evidence and unproven advice, Hoffeld’s evidence-based approach connects the dots between science and situations salespeople and business leaders face every day to help you consistently succeed, including proven ways - Engage buyers’ emotions to increase their receptiveness to you and your ideas - Ask questions that line up with how the brain discloses information - Lock in the incremental commitments that lead to a sale - Create positive influence and reduce the sway of competitors - Discover the underlying causes of objections and neutralize them - Guide buyers through the necessary mental steps to make purchasing decisions Packed with advice and anecdotes, The Science of Selling is an essential resource for anyone looking to succeed in today's cutthroat selling environment, advance their business goals, or boost their ability to influence others.**Named one of The 20 Most Highly-Rated Sales Books of All Time by HubSpot

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Psychology, Audiobook, Self Help, Economics, Buisness

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2016

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. There is two routes of influence, one is outside the actual message, the second is within the actual message.

2. Outside of the message are different heuristics; mental shortcuts that people use as a rule of thumb without thinking, here they are:

A. Single-option aversion
When people are presented only with one option they feel it more risky, so they calculate the risk more. Research shows people are buying more when they have options.

B. Asymmetric dominance effect
One of the options should be a decoy; similar but a little worse, which makes it simpler for people to be attracted to the better option and choose it.

C. Likability
Find something that you appreciate in the customer and communicate genuinely your liking to it, and they'll naturally like you in return.

D. Social proof
People being influenced by the knowing/seeing that other people are buying/doing it (think standing ovation)
Use words like: so many people or most people in your situation.


3. It comes down to certain commitments the client is making during the sales process according the 6 Why's, with certain emotions. Commitment to the 6 Why's + positive emotional state = positive buying decision.

4. Every objection is rooted in a one of the 6 Why's, so if you have the answers to all of those Why's your assured to make the sale. Here they are:


1. Why change

2. Why now

3. Why your industry solution

4. Why you and your company

5. Why your product or service

6. Why spend the money


Remember, whenever you are asking a person to spend with you money, he's taking away this money from somewhere else, so you gotta make sure he's motivated to give it to you instead. And that is by identifying the dominant buying motive, which is one of the above.


5. The collective experience of emotions; emotional state, impacts a persons thoughts and decisions. The first thing to identify their emotional state is by identifying nonverbal communication; gestures, tone of voice, rate of speech, body movements, facial expressions, touch and eye contact.

6. It all comes down to questions, and that needs to be according to how the brain processes things. It works in layers, here they are, ask:

A. About thoughts, facts, behaviors, situations.
B. Explanations and assessments
C. Fear of loss or desire for gain

7. There are different ways of handling objections:

A. Identify it quickly.

B. Monitor the emotional state.

C. Follow the objection handling process;
- Soften it
- Isolate it, zoom in if there's any others
- Identify the root; one of the 6 whys
- Answer it; evidence + story
- Gain commitment

8. Sales presentation strategies;
A Show less, only show the needed info.
B. Anchoring.
C. Mirroring (posture, gesture, speech rate, words).
D. Speak and show pictures.
E. Stories (no unnecessary details, characters similar to buyers, compelling intro, let characters speak, clear conclusion, singular point).

[Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and long overdue book! The integration of psychological research and real-world examples is compelling. I am a social psychologist so I knew most of the research described in the book already, but Hoffeld takes the academic and makes it actionable. I especially liked the sections about the value of training and the use of questions. Readable, entertaining, and practical - an excellent resource (and not just for sales people!).

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apply insights from science and psychology to improve sales. It's not trial & error.

*compare new and old information, a $30 bottle of wine vs. $150

A compelling story (narrative framework)
Character
Conflict
Resolution with product or service

tailor pitches to fit the way brains work.

Be motivated by continuous skill improvement (top performers)

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click here for a great summary of the book, if that's what you're looking for. For instance, if you want to consult your personal notes, and jog your memory about the topics in the book - this review is worth reading. Kudos, and thanks to David for writing it. I'm certain to refer back to it from time to time.

I recently switched jobs. ...Sorry, that's not accurate. I recently switched careers. I moved from the world of education into the world of business. (Wish me luck, friends. ...Like I learned in Schmigadoon, it's a Doggy Dog world. ...Also, Snoop.)

One thing that was common across interviews was that the person interviewing me had a book suggestion (or multiple suggestions) for getting into this world. I wrote most of them down, and I'm now in the process of going through them.

I was surprised by how much the business world and world of education overlapped. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was.

The focus of this book is influence: that influence (and the science/social sciences studying how people influence others) is the key to sales. "It quickly became clear from my research that influence is the foundation of selling."

And what are teachers, but influences? Saleswomen and salesmen? They have to convince them kids to sign on and sign up for whatever good they be peddling: be it the oxford comma and tying pronouns back to antecedents, Qin Shihuangdi, Asherbanapel, and Hapshetsut, or rise over run and the quadratic formula. The role of the teacher isn't so much to teach as it is to convince their students why it's important and worthwhile to learn.

The book focused on the "science of selling," and that - science and data -has been a big push in education circles for the last couple decades as well. SLOs, and data teams. NCLB and Race to the Top. They're all (at least supposedly) "data-driven." Find me a teacher who hasn't read (at least in part) Classroom Instruction That Works. "A guide for educators of students in K-12, readers will find a wealth of research evidence, statistical data, and case studies." Or (here's my review) Teach Like a Champion.

So, maybe I shouldn't have been surprised to see this - the business world and education world seemed so vastly, vastly different - but wow: what overlap.

The book focused on case study after case study after case study and applied that research to the sales world. Education did the same thing. This wasn't the first time I'd heard about the basketball passing study (or here if you've seen it before - for real: check it out.)

A few of the studies dealt with "the primacy effect" and "anchoring." Essentially that first impressions matter. For instance, he referenced a study by behavioral scientist Simon Asch.

"[Asch] asked participants to read a description about a man named John and then give their impression. Some were shown one description, while others were presented with another. Read the descriptions and evaluate how each shapes your impression of John,

Description 1: 'John is intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, and envious.

Description 2: 'John is envious, stubborn, critical, impulsive, industrious, and intelligent.'"

I'm guessing you can see what's happening here. Our impressions of John are very different based on the order of the descriptors.

Which is to say, I didn't want to dog the book right off the bat. There was some good, good stuff in here.

But I took issue with it, in some regards. In a... spiritual sense. I felt a little cheap reading it. (As I did reading Teach Like a Champion.) I feel like everybody's selling something. That this is a book of ploys. That it's teaching us how to appear genuine. That if you follow these Six Whys® you'll gain a competitive edge and annihilate the competition. (Who hopefully don't know about the Six Whys® themselves.)

And maybe we are all selling something. I mean, really: it's not a maybe. We are, right? I've seen social media. And if you're not on social media, you're selling the idea that social media is off-brand for you. But still, part of me felt a bit fake. False. Spiritually bankrupt reading this. I think it's probably on-brand for teachers to view themselves as martyrs and as people who aren't money-chasers.

So, I did my best (as a former teacher) to stay on-brand and not ...lede... with that.

And it was everywhere and annoying for me. I mean - - - HE - - - David Hoffeld - - - is selling something: his book, his ideas, himself as a consultant... For instance, on page 112 where he calls follow up questions, "second level questions." ...That's a marketing degree coming through for you - like he came up with asking a follow up question. Or all the times the Registered Trademark® symbol appeared. Or the invention of dialogue to sell a point... I get it, and I learned a lot, but it was difficult for me. And this was my biggest problem with education books as well: they were often repackaged, rebranded ideas marketed by someone with an MBA as the latest innovation in education-theory. (I'm looking at you, Doug Lemov.)

Overlap: A problem with business and education is that of economics - buy a widget that increases productivity 3-fold and you look like a genius. But you could have bought a different widget that increased productivity 10-fold. And you'll never know. Neither will your boss or principal. They'll be happy for the 3-fold increase. -With the knowledge that you could have also invested in a widget that gained nothing - or worse yet hurt sales.

I'll keep reading these books. I want to learn, and I've been given a list of books from people who have found great success in the field I'm entering. But so sue me, my favorite things that I picked up from this book were the psychological studies themselves. This book was like a meta-analysis. So maybe I didn't learn a ton about sales. (And maybe I did... really. Who knows what sticks?*) But here are some things I loved that I hope I take with me:

p. 119: The Gorilla Experiment (this one is applied everywhere.)
p. 133: Repeating an order increases tips 68%
p. 157/8: Candle experiment (thinking outside the box) (candle, tacks, book of matches on a table)
p. 1335: Nazi faces (primacy effect)
p: 159: billboard in front yard (anchoring) (little billboard, second ask = big billboard)
p. 173: Golf putter hole diameter. (When told the putter belonged to golfer great, people could putt with it.) (I call it the SpaceJam Effect - drinking Michael's Secret Stuff.)
p. 96: Smiling (smiling, even forcing yourself to smile, is good.)
p. 32: Single-option aversion (10% purchased when only one DVD player was shown; 66% when two were shown.)
...Of course compare this to
p. 182/3: Less is really more. "When too many options are presented to the brain it has trouble making a buying decision, which drives down sales." (Experiment = tasting booth with jams. 24 jams = 3% purchased any. 6 jams sales increased 900%.)

...Does this not just sound like the law of diminishing returns?

#JustSaying

p. 200: Mentioned earlier: a man named John
p. 93: The Hawthorne Effect: it wasn't the snacks or no snacks - it was that they were being watched
p. 39: social proof (this one was a really good one - and, I know you'll forget personal trauma and whatever of 2021... but DANG if this doesn't apply...) - This was Asch's line experiment: three lines of different sizes, which one is most similar in size to the one in a separate box. The answer is obvious, but people keep giving fake answers, making the person question... you know, everything. (I just read a poem that said, "The cruelest thing one can do is make them question their reality.")

And this is why I felt cheap reading this. Here's the line after that social experiment was given, (Heading, How to Use Social Proof): "When you utilize social proof successfully, you convey to potential customers that buying your product or service is the safe thing to do. Doing this is central to the success of the sale, because like the participants in Asch's and Bern's studies, people are risk averse..." Etc... etc...

But who knows? I don't feel cheap when I pump fake in a pickup basketball game.

There were so, so, so many more studies and analogies that I found fascinating. A review - like a sale - should have a closing. ABC: Always Be Closing: am I right?

But I'm new to this game, so I can't close out this review. So, I'll leave you with one last study/illustration that will maybe stick with me:

"In a now legendary illustration, management consultant Mary Parker Follett tells of two sisters quarreling over an orange they both want. After an intense argument, they decide to compromise by cutting the orange in half, so each would have an equal portion. One sister took her half, squeezed it, and drank the juice. The other sister peeled her half and used the peel in a cake she was baking. Yet had the sisters known what the other wanted, they could have both reaped the benefit of the whole orange."

I like that. And it gives me hope that we can come up with solutions where we all win. That's the modus operandi of the world I'm coming from, and that's the modus operandi of the company I signed on with: so maybe it's not a pipe dream. It's certainly something we can aspire to, no matter where we are.

[Carl Thoemmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to give to junior members of a sales team and a good book to give as a refresher to more experienced members who are stuck in the status quo. The Science of Selling does a good job of aggregating the most applicable concepts from behavioral economics (Khaneman & Thaler), psychology mindset (Dweck), and good old sales blocking and tackling concepts. While I was slightly disappointed that I did not find much unique insight, the core concepts presented in the book can and do drive significant improvement within any sales organization when applied with purpose.

[Zhivko Kabaivanov · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Science of Selling (2016) is a detailed handbook on the science of making a sale. Combining insights from neuroscience and social psychology, this guide presents an evidence-based approach to making a convincing pitch.

[Ahmad El-Saeed · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHAPTER 1 Why Salespeople Underperform

85 to 90 percent of all sales training has no positive impact after the training.
There is no causal relationship between extraversion and heightened levels of sales performance.
Before you ask anyone for a donation, you first ask them how they’re feeling. After they tell you they’re feeling good… they’ll be more likely to contribute

CHAPTER 2 The Two Methods of Sales Influence

If you and the competitor are presenting back-to-back, you should go first, because your presentation will shape buyers’ perceptions and create biases that will put your competitor at a disadvantage. However, if the time between the presentations is considerable — more than a week — you should go last.
The following are four potent yet practical heuristics that you can use to improve your ability to help potential customers perceive you and your message in favorable ways:
HEURISTIC# 1: SINGLE-OPTION AVERSION: When presenting your products or services, always give buyers a few options.
HEURISTIC# 2: ASYMMETRIC DOMINANCE EFFECT: Offering a decoy will make it easier for the brain to arrive at a decision
HEURISTIC# 3: LIKABILITY BIAS: One study by behavioral scientists Jonathan Frenzen and Harry Davis identified that likability shapes buying behaviors almost as much as the product or service. A straightforward way to show buyers that you genuinely like them is to identify something about them that you sincerely appreciate.
HEURISTIC# 4: SOCIAL PROOF: Tell buyers about your customer success stories.
The goal of every sales process should be to guide buyers to commit to the salesperson’s message (the central route) while using heuristics (the peripheral route) to effectively convey that message.

CHAPTER 3 How to Sell the Way People Buy

When a positive buying decision is made, it is comprised of a series of small commitments I call the Six Whys®.
The sales equation states that a buying decision is a function of the Six Whys® and the buyer’s emotional state (ES).
If you can preemptively inspire your buyers to commit to each of the Six Whys®, you will neutralize all possible objections.
Instead of allowing buyers to choose the product options they wanted, set up standard product packages and allow buyers to customize (remove) the options they do not want.
WHY# 1: WHY CHANGE?
If you don’t give potential customers a compelling reason to change, they won’t.
The best way to answer and gain commitment to Why Change? is to help buyers fully understand the problems that make change a necessity.
Step 1 – Find Problems: To identify buyers’ problems, challenge the status quo with insights that compel your buyers to think about how they can improve themselves or their business.
Step 2 – Understand Problems: After a problem has been found, you must now assist your buyer in acquiring an accurate awareness of its cause (why is it happening) and scope (who and what is being affected).
Step 3 – Make Problems Hurt: Ask deeper questions that help buyers feel the painful outcomes of allowing those problems to continue.
WHY# 2: WHY NOW?
Countless sales have been lost when salespeople try to create urgency, but instead trigger reactance.
WHY# 3: WHY YOUR INDUSTRY SOLUTION? [i.e. the category you are part of]
Typically, your main competitor is not another provider: it is buyers simply bypassing your entire industry and designing a solution themselves.
Demonstrate how you provide superior results in comparison to those outside of your industry.
Convey the problems that may occur if buyers choose a solution outside of your industry.
WHY# 4: WHY YOU AND YOUR COMPANY?
Although there are many ways you can generate trust in buyers, here are two science-based strategies: (1) Demonstrate Expertise. This can take the form of a new idea, strategy, or research report that delivers value to buyers. (2) Communicate Confidence
WHY# 5: WHY YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
There are two primary types of competitive advantages: (1) Cost Leadership (2) Differentiation.
WHY# 6: WHY SPEND THE MONEY?
Any time you ask buyers to purchase your product or service you are also asking them not to do something else.
Dominant buying motives
Desire for Gain
Fear of Loss

CHAPTER 4 Selling to Your Buyers’ Emotions

Positive emotional states can even raise your average sale price.
Four strategies that you can use to directly engage and change buyers’ emotional states for the better:
STRATEGY# 1: UTILIZE EMOTIONAL COGNITION.
People tend to ‘catch others’ emotions.
Use Productive Voice Inflections
Use upbeat, enthusiastic voice inflection (as opposed to monotone)
Use a warm, caring tone
Verbally Convey Strong Beliefs
Adding the word “because” increases compliance.
STRATEGY# 2: LEVERAGE THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT — that is, the change in behavior that occurs when a person realizes that he or she is being observed. When attempting to alter buyers’ emotional states, you can leverage the Hawthorne effect by calling attention to their emotions.
STRATEGY# 3: DISCUSS TOPICS THAT NATURALLY TRIGGER POSITIVE EMOTIONS
Family, hobbies, or a vacation
When negotiations and sales calls begin with casual chitchat, a favorable outcome is more likely to be achieved.
How can you identify these emotionally charged topics? Conduct precall planning on the buyer’s hobbies, family, vacations, group memberships, associations, awards, and so on.
STRATEGY# 4: CHANGE NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR – especially smiling.

PART TWO THE SALESPERSON’S TOOLKIT
CHAPTER 5 The Science of Asking Powerful Questions

Just asking people about their future decisions significantly influences those decisions, a phenomenon known as the mere measurement effect.
Buyers will only entrust you to solve their problems once they believe you understand them.
When you ask insightful questions, it produces something central to the success of the sale: trust. The following are some of the most common ones cited by sales trainers: (If distinguishing the types of questions seems confusing, that’s because it is.)
Open-ended questions
Closed questions
Situation questions
About questions
Barrier questions
Framing questions
Investigative questions
Data questions
Reflective questions
Problem questions
Implication questions
Objective questions
Amplification questions
Internal Summary questions
Solution questions
Need-Payoff questions
Outcome questions
Probing questions
The human brain is hardwired to disclose information in layers. As each new level is accessed, more in-depth information is revealed. There are three distinct “layers“ or “levels“ of questions you can ask.
First-level questions are preliminary questions that open up a topic by revealing thoughts, facts, behaviors, and situations. Example: “What are the requirements you have established for this project?”
Second-level questions guide buyers in assessing and explaining first-level responses. They are elaboration questions. Just ask customers to either assess or explain a first-level response. Example: “That sounds like it is very important to you. May I ask why?”
Third-level questions excavate the final layer of information by guiding potential customers in thinking through and verbally disclosing their dominant buying motives. They provide you with an understanding of how potential customers will benefit from investing in your product or service. Creating third-level questions involves asking potential clients to reveal something they fear losing or desire to gain. Example: “If your end users were thoroughly trained and were using this platform effectively, how could that increase company productivity?”

CHAPTER 6 Why People Buy

Buyers expect value not only after purchasing your product or service, but through every stage of the sale.
The key to effective listening is not to listen more, but to know what you should be listening for.
Primary buying motivators are the essential conditions that must be fulfilled in order for buyers to desire and be able to purchase your product or service. Every buyer has three primary buying motivators.
PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 1: BUYER’S PROBLEMS. If they are aware of their issues, you can ask first-level questions such as, “Is there anything about your distribution process that you would like to change? ”
PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 2: DOMINANT BUYING MOTIVES are the emotional reasons why they would purchase your product or service. Dominant buying motives are made up of two behavior triggers: the desire for gain and the fear of loss. How do you find dominant buying motives? You ask third-level questions (emotional questions about how they will benefit from buying).
PRIMARY BUYING MOTIVATOR# 3: BUYING REQUIREMENTS. This buying motivator unveils who is involved in the buying decision, how that decision will be made, and the specific criteria that will be used to judge your company, product, or service.
To determine decision criteria:
DETERMINE PRODUCT OR SERVICE PARAMETERS: “When evaluating [state the specific product or service], how will you know if any option is right for you?”
IDENTIFY A TIME FRAME
FACE FINANCES: Addressing finances early in the sale is crucial, as your buyers’ financial situations will heavily influence their ability to agree to the sale.

CHAPTER 7 Creating Value, Neutralizing Competitors, and Overcoming Objections

You devise and execute a Primary Buying Motivator Statement® by following three straightforward steps:
Identify how your company, product, or service meets your buyers’ primary buying motivators.
Remind your buyers of their primary buying motivators.
Link the value that your company, product, or service delivers with buyers’ primary buying motivators.
Two labels you can utilize to boost compliance rates and more capably navigate the buying process:
1. Expectation Label: “A lot of people in your situation have a hard time deciding between these two products, but what always works is when they can compare them side by side. Once they see a list of the features of both products right next to each other they always know which is the best option for them.”
2. Positive Label: The behavior you publicly praise will increase. For instance, encourage rapid replies by putting a positive label anytime a prospect responds quickly.
Inoculation theory: Assert, “One thing that is unique about our company is that we are the only provider who offers [distinct value]. From what you have expressed, it sounds like a solution that did not include [distinct value] would not meet your needs, is that correct?
Three rules of effective objection handling:
RULE# 1: IDENTIFY THE OBJECTION (S) QUICKLY
RULE# 2: MONITOR YOUR BUYERS’ EMOTIONAL STATES
RULE# 3: FOLLOW THE OBJECTION-HANDLING PROCESS
THE PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING AND OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS
Step# 1: Use a Softening Statement. Example: “I can see how that could be a concern.”
Step# 2: Isolate the Objection. Isolating is when you ask a question that guides potential customers to reveal whether they have any other objections. Example: “Other than [objection], is there any other reason why you would not invest in this product?”
Step# 3: Identify the Root of the Objection. Mentally identify which of the Six Whys® the objection is linked to.
Step# 4: Answer the Objection. When creating the responses for each of the Six Whys®, you should focus on two particular areas: (1) Evidence: For example, if the objection is the cost of your product or service, reframe cost with the monetary gain buyers will experience after purchasing. (2) Third-party Stories:
Step# 5: Gain Commitment

CHAPTER 8 Closing Redefined: Obtaining Strategic Commitments

The key to effective closing is small commitments throughout the sale. Small commitments naturally lead to bigger ones.
For the brain to construct the decision to purchase a product or service it must make certain foundational commitments to the Six Whys®.
“If for any reason something does change and either you or your CIO or VP of sales will not be able to be present at the appointment, will you send me an e-mail or give me a call so we can reschedule?”
Help their prospective customers make small, strategic commitments to quality over cost.
There are two classifications of trial closes: involvement and commitment.
INVOLVEMENT TRIAL CLOSES.
Involvement trial closes guide potential customers in envisioning owning your product or service and acquiring buy-in to your statements of value.
I recommend using involvement trial closes that imply ownership whenever it fits naturally into the conversation.
Involvement trial closes that are focused on confirming value: “Does this program meet all the requirements that your team laid out?”
Examples: “Would you want the installation to occur during normal business hours or would you need the software installed after business hours?” or “Of these three service options, which one would best meet your organization’s needs?” or “If you did have this product, how would you utilize it?”
COMMITMENT TRIAL CLOSES
Commitment trial closes do just what their title suggests — they guide buyers in making commitments.
Example: “Knowing what you now know, would you ever attempt to create a solution internally?

CHAPTER 9 Five Science-Based Sales Presentation Strategies

STRATEGY# 1: LESS REALLY IS MORE. Many salespeople frequently hinder the effectiveness of their sales presentations by engulfing buyers in a plethora of options.
STRATEGY# 2: ANCHORING. Failing to show the highest priced item first will trigger anchoring to work against you, which will reduce your sales.
STRATEGY# 3: MIRRORING. Four Behaviors to Mirror
Behavior# 1 — Mirror your buyer’s posture:
Behavior# 2 — Mirror your buyer’s gestures:
Behavior# 3 — Mirror your buyer’s rate of speech:
Behavior# 4 — Mirror your buyer’s word usage:
STRATEGY# 4: THE PICTURE SUPERIORITY EFFECT. Make sure that your presentations are dominated by pictures.
STRATEGY# 5: USE STORIES. Use Stories with Characters Who Are Similar to Your Buyers. Quote the characters.

PART THREE MERGING SCIENCE AND SELLING
CHAPTER 10 The Future of Selling

Three major shifts that I predict will occur in the near future.
SHIFT# 1: SALES TRUTH WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE
SHIFT# 2: SALES RESEARCH WILL BLOSSOM
SHIFT# 3: SALES HIRING PRACTICES WILL IMPROVE
The majority of bad hiring decisions are a consequence of the fact that many sales leaders do not know what they should be looking for in a salesperson.
Five essential qualities scientifically linked with high levels of sales performance:
Top Performers Are Intrinsically Motivated. How can you identify whether someone is intrinsically motivated? Begin by asking them questions like these: Why are you in sales?
Top Performers Focus on the Perspectives of Others. How do you know if a salesperson is attuned to her buyers? Ask: “How do you acquire an understanding of what would motivate buyers to purchase from you?” When you listen to the answers to these questions, look for demonstrable evidence that the interviewees are actively thinking about the perspectives of others.
Top Performers Possess Integrity
Top Performers Embrace a Growth Mindset. Ask: “Outside of the training your previous employer provided, what have you done to improve your sales ability?” Look for the belief that selling is not a skill you are born with
Top Performers Are Skilled in Interpersonal Communication

[Alyssa Theile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving 5 stars for the great information but the audio narrator was AWFUL. So nasally.

“3 STEPS FOR APPLYING DISTINCT VALUE Step 1: Understand what matters to your buyers. Step 2: Identify something about your company, product, or service that competitors cannot match. Step 3: Convey steps 1 and 2 to buyers and ask for their buy-in to the value you have presented.”

“CREDIBILITY STATEMENT EXERCISE Take a moment to think of one credibility statement you can incorporate into your sales approach. Make sure it clearly and convincingly communicates how you or your company is an expert in an area that will provide meaningful value to your potential customers. Once you create it, begin to use it when selling and you’ll see how the statement will increase buyer receptiveness.”

“In the past, salespeople were taught to be problem solvers. In our modern business climate, if you only solve concerns you will struggle to sell. To stand out from your competition you must now be skilled at problem finding and at problem solving.”

“3 STEPS FOR ANSWERING “WHY CHANGE?” Step 1: Find problems by conveying challenging insights and asking leading questions. Step 2: Identify the cause and scope of the problems. Step 3: Ask deeper questions that help buyers feel the painful outcomes of allowing those problems to continue.”

“They don’t want to feel pressured to act one way instead of another. Yet they often need a nudge in the right direction. So how can you do this? You can frame the nudge with statements that minimize reactance, such as “Of course, it’s up to you,” or “This is a great offer that you can participate in if you choose to do so,” at the conclusion of your requests. This will reduce reactance and make them feel that they’re still in control of their choices.”

“For our brains to make a positive buying decision, we must commit to acting now. If we don’t, our brains will naturally procrastinate.”

“When presenting your products or services, always give buyers a few options. Doing so will make it easier for their brains to arrive at a decision.”

“A direct and scientifically validated way to boost your likability is to show your buyers that you like them.”

“To activate social proof, you can reference your past customers by using phrases such as “so many people . . . ,” “most businesses in your situation,” or by offering customers’ names or organizations.”

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning dragged on for me and felt like the slightly modified sales version of Cialdini’s book, Influence. But I’m glad I stuck it out - the second half was super useful and gave me a lot of ideas for how to improve the sales process for my business.

A lot of the ideas were familiar to me, after going through Groupon’s sales training - but what we didn’t really explore in that role was the “why” behind why some tactics work. This book closed the gap for me and reinforced what I learned at this past sales job.

[Cristobal · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter what your walk in life is, at some point you will have to sell. Whether convincing your boss about promoting you, getting your family to go on your dream vacation, having someone marry you, they all involve the dynamics of selling. Yet it is almost impossible to find an undergraduate or graduate degree that takes selling seriously and makes courses available. I would have loved to trade in a couple of my MBA courses for learning more about selling.

This book avoids all the typical selling cliches: get people to like you, start with a smile, etc. and gets down to explaining how the buyer's brain works and how to use that to facilitate selling. It is the first book on selling which I've found incorporates the findings of behavioral science to improve selling results. If you care about selling, and you should, you shouldn't miss it.

[Ahmad hosseini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book includes sales techniques based on science. Book also explains the reason of these techniques based on science.
Book examines some different objections in selling process and recommend some techniques to overcome them.
Book includes a lot of information but there isn’t any specific flow or diagram that show this information in summary so somehow it is hard to understand and remember.

[Nora Kärkkäinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great & easy-to-read sales basics in one book. Plus: "the 6 whys" => very powerful concept!

[Claire (Sunbee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4.25/5 Stars

“As a result, sales people are entering into the buyer’s decision process later than ever before. The data indicates that around 60 percent of the buying cycle is completed before a salesperson is able to engage a potential client.”

One of the few business books I’ve read (so far!) that can help you learn how to sell even if you haven’t sold before.

Even if I’m not in sales, this book helped me understand how to think from a buyer’s perspective through concrete, actionable steps and strategies.
I think you should read this if:
You’re not in sales but you are in the business of selling a product or a service. You can be in marketing or development or operations and still apply something in this book relevant to your expertise.

You are a creator. You talk to people and create content to engage your audience. This can be something as complex as a business or something as niche as your hobby, like streaming!

You’re in sales. You can treat this as a litmus test to see how many of the strategies here are something that you’re already doing and how many you can incorporate to improve the way you sell.

What I liked about this book is that there’s not a lot of filler text. Hoffeld places his strategies and adds case studies to supplement the learning as well as ways you can execute this yourself. I enjoy business books that don’t take a while to get to the point by providing anecdotes without any clear substance or takeaway.

Some of the things that stood out to me were:
6 Whys | These are the mental steps that people take when they’re making a buying decision. Addressing these key questions can help lead the buyer to a more positive decision.

Levels of Questions | These are questions that are important but should be utilized depending on the stage of your conversation with the buyer. You should know when and how to use these to maximize their effectiveness.

Creating Value | Understanding what your buyers value can help you anticipate their main objections and concerns as you make your sale.

Those are just some of my main takeaways and I’ll definitely be referring back to this book in the future since the information cannot be internalized in one read.

I didn’t give this book a full 5 stars because I read Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Cialdini prior and the case studies and research that Hoffeld cites in this book were already present in Cialdini’s work. I felt like the way that Cialdini wrote and presented those ideas was more cohesive and convincing compared to how the Science of Selling used them. It doesn’t mean that this book isn’t good; I think it’s just a me problem. If you haven’t read Cialdini and you’re more interested in the practical applications of influence, this book is ideal for you!

[David King · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all have to show sales skills at one point in our life. Sales skills doesn't have to be direct selling.

"Millions of other people who do indirect selling every day and don’t even realize it—like presenting a new idea to a boss or encouraging a friend to adopt a healthier habit."

"If you are going on job interviews, you’ll attempt to sell yourself and your skills to a prospective employer. If you are starting a business, your ability to pitch your idea and gain clients"

Have you liked a sales people? I usually don't and this is reflected in the real world.

"63 percent of salespeople regularly behave in ways that drive down performance and obstruct buying decisions."

The book exposes the myth that extroverts are good sales people.

"Extraverts often make poor salespeople because they are so gregarious they have trouble listening to buyers, which hinders them from understanding their buyers’ perspectives."

The book advocates scientific principles to help a buyer makes purchase.

"There are six specific questions that represent the mental steps the brain takes when formulating a buying decision."

The book emphasizes on small wins.

"Although a positive buying decision may be revealed only at the close of the sale, it must be cultivated throughout the sales process. This ensures that the close is a stress-free event for both parties,"

Finally the books gives some psychological tricks, which we are familiar with some of them.


Don't give only one option.

"When buyers are presented with only a single product or service, they rarely feel confident enough to make a positive buying decision and will want to look at alternatives. The reason is because of single-option aversion. This heuristic causes the brain to assign more risk to a decision when there is only one option in a choice set. Without something similar to compare a product or service to, the brain struggles to identify value and the decision-making process will often stall."

Use social proof.

"When salespeople described their products as “the most popular” or “selling faster than we can bring them in,” potential customers’ desire for the products and their assessments of their value surged."

Show you care

"After introducing themselves, he had them ask the potential customer, “How are you feeling this evening?” When the representatives asked this question, the vast majority responded with a favorable reply. This caused the acceptance rate to nearly double:"

[Vanessa Princessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book thanks to Blinkist.

Final summary

The key message in these blinks:

Sales shouldn’t just be a game of trial and error. Decades of research into psychological and social science have revealed effective strategies for making pitches more reliable and effective. A smart salesperson should focus on creating positive feelings, demonstrating the value of their products or services, and asking powerful questions to truly understand their clients’ needs and desires. By applying these insights to your practice, you can improve your abilities and get better results.


Actionable advice:

Hire intrinsically motivated salespeople.

Good salespeople are motivated to close a deal. Great salespeople are also motivated by their personal desire to hone their abilities and do their best. So, when hiring sales staff, look for workers who have a desire to continuously improve their skills. These internally motivated individuals are destined to be top performers in the long run.


What to read next:

The Psychology of Selling, by Brian Tracy

You’ve just learned how findings from scientific research can improve your sales pitch. Next, continue exploring the intersection of science and sales with The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy. The blinks to this book delve into peer-reviewed psychological studies to find the most effective approaches for closing a deal. Filled with interesting insights and compelling case studies, this guide will give you additional strategies for making the sale.

[Keeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In high school, my computer science teacher (of all people) assigned us to read How to Win Friends and Influence People. At the time I wasn't sure why. As an adult I can see that there are definitely practical reasons to study influence, especially in sales, and this book by David Hoffeld is the right book on the topic for today. I was impressed by how thoroughly he backs up his claims with citations from quality publications, ranging from Harvard Business Review to a number of academic journals in organizational and behavioral psychology. Not a salesperson myself, I feel like I get more from reading some of the less "applied" source texts, like Thinking, Fast and Slow. But if you are in the field (or adjacent fields that require persuasion, such as politics) it is well worth a read.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why change? Why now? Why your industry solution? Why you and your company? Why your product or service? Why spend the money on your product or service? All buying comes down to fear of losing what you have or desire to gain something else. People buy on emotions and justify with action. Questions increase buying behavior and help guide the sale. Every interaction needs to create value. Free gifts have diminished value, so always state their true value when giving. Align with their buying criteria, gain consensus your offering meets that need. Identify objections early, monitor their emotional state, and overcome the objection’s true root cause with a response that focuses on evidence and gains commitment. Commitments determine future choices, so a series of small commitments can lead to a big one. Change statements (please call if your plans change) to commitments (will you call us if your plans change?).

[Jason L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this on Blinkist, pretty good to read this book within 15 minutes.

Here is a summary:

- Present not too many options e.g. 2 options: 1 good, 1 great. The good make the great look more amazing.

- 6 whys, where if all answered, the sale should be easy.
1. why changed
2. why now
3. why your industry e.g. why cloud is amazing, before pitching why AWS
4 and 5. why your company and product (Specifics, quality, expertise, etc that make your product spend out)
6. why spend the money, e.g. financial benefits

- Make your customers comfortable. e.g. food, drinks, mood etc

- Project upbeat attitude and tone. Can engage in chit chat and banter to put customer in cheery and happy mood.

- Listen and see the world from the customer's perspective.

- Tell a story of maybe a previous client, their problem and how the product help to solve their pain points.

[Jackson Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading for work about work is always fun.

Really is interesting to see how detailed Hoffeld went into psychological dynamics and relations to complicated decision making processes that are aligned to start, continue and finish a buying and procurement process.

The unique aspect for me was that these principles that are outlined are things that I was intuitively doing and successful in my large contract closures but what was missing was the consistency to which my execution was lacking.

Now having a plan that aligns these step by step “requirements” gives me a checklist and additional guidance points to better execute a complicated process that is comprehensively backed by scientific proof.

+who knew that changing your stance alleviates negative emotional states

[Wulan Suci Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad to finish this book in the midst of balancing current free life schedule. Many interesting learning for future reference here:
1. The sales equation states that a buying decision (BD) is a function (f) of the Six Whys (SW) and the buyer’s emotional state (ES)
BD = f(SW, ES)

2. 6 Whys - why change, why now, why your industry solution, why you and your company, why your product/service, why spend the money

3. Selling to buyer’s emotion - people buy because of emotion and justify it logically.

4. How to change buyer’s emotional states -
- Utilize emotional cognition by using productive voice inflections and verbally conveying strong beliefs
- Leverage the haw-Thorne effect
- discuss topic that naturally trigger positive emotions
- change nonverbal behavior

5. Sales Presentation strategies
- Less is really more
- anchoring
- mirroring (mirror buyer’s posture, gestures, rate of speech, word usage)
- the picture of superiority effect
- use stories

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Really interesting concepts talked about in this book. I haven’t been formally trained in sales but much of this book was easy to digest. I was able to think through my sales process. And adapt the principles taught. We’ll have to wait and see if it yeads the same result as stated in the book.

It was a pretty fast read. The major take away was that when approaching sales you need to do so with the buyers decision making process in mind. Rather than, waking them through a pre conceived formula. This can be don by truly listening and responding accordingly...

There was a lot of references to scientific and psychological studies. Well referenced.

Enjoy.

[Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

My local library had a copy of The Science of Selling and I decided that I would give it a try. I'm mostly glad that I did.

The book has several positive points. The strongest aspect is that author David Hoffield bases all of his suggestions on scholarly research. This isn't one of those books that is based on the author's opinions.

On the other hand, Hoffield just isn't a writer. He doesn't know how to make the material compelling. Also, he writes clunky sentences that tax the reader's concentration.

In short, I'm glad that I read this one but it's not great. The book is long on substance but weak on style.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good exploration how insights from social science can be used to make selling better. It covers things like anchoring, mirroring, and the primacy effect can change what you say and when you say it.

He makes the claim that no one else uses science to build their sales program. That's not true. Turns out I've read a bunch of sales books and while some of them don't use this approach, several other do. And his conclusions are pretty much the same as the other good books I've ready and trainers I've worked with.

So, it's a good book with good info, but not the only one. And he takes too long to make his points, lots of restating. So I docked a star for that.

[Hannah Gordon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was required to read this book in college and write an essay on it. Five years later, I decided to read it again because I couldn’t remember a single thing about it. About 15% of the way through, I remembered exactly why. This book is horrible.

The author seems completely all over the place, with no clear direction for where the book is headed. He spends a lot of time explaining things but never actually gets to the point, which makes the entire reading experience frustrating and exhausting.

Looking back at my old essay, I’m fairly certain I didn’t actually read the book back then. I most likely skimmed through it and threw together an essay just to get it done.

[Quinns Pheh · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to research in psychological and social science, a smart salesperson should focus on creating positive feelings, demonstrating the value of their products or services, and asking powerful questions to truly understand their clients’ needs and desires. The author has presented a number of practices and strategies so that you could improve in abilities and getting better results. Furthermore, a good salespeople are motivated to close a deal. So, when hiring sales staff, look for those who have a desire to continuously work on their skills.

[Venkat Ivatury · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who wanted a very detailed approach to selling, this book was a breath of fresh air compared to others in the market. Chapters dealt with each phase of the sales funnel systematically and backed by research into the human psyche. I would recommend the book for anyone in sales however good you are to atleast glance through to understand the science behind what you do. Totally impressed.

PS - reduced the one star as sometimes I felt the situations in the book given as examples are too ideal for it to be a real life conversation.

[Ahmed Bahaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is the ceo and chief slaes trainer of hoffeld group, still working on his phd, in this book he shared his sales approach and i found the book to be split into two parts, 1st part is the author’s sales ‘science’ methodology and the 2nd part has to do with ‘psychology of influence’. Aside from the gimmicky words and the extra pages, the book was v helpful and almost essential in this category.

[Nica · Rating 5 out of 5]

a 5-star book that is worth reading. a book for people in the sales industry. it tells you a different and effective view on selling. there is the art of selling and there’s also a scientific side to it as well that has been proven through conducted studies. I was amazed by how this book ended and my jaw dropped reading the last page. just because I wanted to read more and that was the end of it. great read!

[Katerina Ioannides · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily one of the best sales books I’ve read, and I’d recommend it to anyone in sales, business development, or fundraising.

It’s concise, clearly written, and immediately applicable. The social science nerd in me loved how evidence-based and well-researched it was. No bull shit. Just practical strategies rooted in social psychology and neuroscience. The citations go hard.

I read it on Libby, but I’m buying a physical copy to keep on hand.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book with many tactical tips and extremely helpful. I think that there was so much material in here that I'd have to read it multiple times, and there's so much to practice in here. I also sincerely appreciated that every single thing was supported by evidence—it wasn't just his experience or some willy-nilly research. Everything had been substantiated. I'd certainly like to re-read this again and enjoyed it quite a bit.