Three Critical Elements to Selling

1) Ethos refers to the establishment of your personal credibility, professionalism, product knowledge and helpfulness—in sum, your ability to cause buyers to believe you can satisfy their needs.

Ethos should be established early and naturally in the client-salesperson relationship. It can happen when the salesperson chooses the right words or begins to ask questions regarding the buyer’s needs. It’s casual. It’s smooth. It is also inextricably intertwined with the salesperson’s attire, grooming, disposition and body language. Based on these attributes, buyers will often decide early on whether they like, trust and believe in the salesperson.

2) Pathos refers to the salesperson capturing the emotions of the buyer, thus moving the buyer toward the objectives the salesperson has set for the sales call. Pathos is usually established when the buyer begins to envision the benefits of the future business relationship. It is at this point that buyers begin to believe the salesperson will contribute to their success.

3) Logos depends on the salesperson’s ability to appeal to the buyer’s sense of reason or logic. The salesperson has convinced the buyer that hard value has been and will be established. The buyer won’t be left to defend his buying decision within his own company. Logos is a rationale for buyers to trust the salesperson with their printing jobs.

I think I said that better than Socrates. I wish he was here to hear it. I know he would agree. Whoops! There I go again. I slipped and bragged again.

I need a nap, so while I doze at 3:56 p.m., you stay out there and sell something!