Book Review: Triggers: Author: Joseph Sugarman

This is the review of the book 'Triggers - 30 Sales Tools You Can Use to Control the Mind of Your Prospect to Motivate, Influence and Persuade' written by Joseph Sugarman. This book contains 32 Chapters, Introduction, one chapter for each of the 30 tools and ends with an Epilogue. The book is small-ish, about 180 pages, meaning 5 pages per book. 

The preface to this book is written by 'Joe Girard', considered to be the 'best salesperson in the world' by Guinness Book of World Records. Interestingly I had come across Mr.Girard in the book Influence by Robert Cialdini (read my review here) where his example was used as to illustrate one of the tools of Influence - Liking. Apparently Mr.Girard sent thank you notes every month to each of his customers with the words 'I like you'.  Amazing how the world is small after all.

May not be. Almost all the examples in this book are different variations of how sales persons use the six tools of influence as discussed in the Cialdini book. Maybe there is a connection there that I don't know.

Or maybe that all the salesmen use these tools of influence from time immemorial. Cialdini just documented.

Not relevant...

The book starts off with a good quote. "You have two choices" You can dissolve into the mainstream, or  you can be distinct. To be distinct, you must be different. To be different, you must strive to be what no one else but you can be.". The quote is attributed to Alan Ashley-Pitt

The first thing that hits you as you open this book are the funny names of the chapters. Chapter 1 is named 'The Ice Cream Ordering Sequence', Chapter 2 'When your neighbor kicks the bucket',  and others like 'Love and the Campus Hooker' (3), 'Our President Drives a Rabbit' (10), Brain Surgeries for Dummies (14), and 'The Snowmobile that Bit Me' (20)

This book is counter-intuitive but crafted well. As is my wont, the first thing I saw while skimming the Table of Contents was a reference to 'Section 2' without a corresponding reference to Section 1. Judgemental that I am, I immediately decided that the book was poorly edited. Section 2 without Section 1, I mean....

Right? 

No. Everything is done to a plan and an idea in this book. Only my small mind cannot understand the logic of some of the things in this book. For example, the chapter names come at the end of the chapter after the core message has been delivered. 

Why? I don't know. All I know is that it is very confusing. 

The book is a goldmine for sales and marketing professionals. In chapter one he takes the example of Ice Cream purchase to illustrate a key point. He found that if he ordered Chocolate Ice Cream with whipped cream on top, the waitress always charged 35 cents. However if he ordered only Chocolate Ice Cream and as the waitress was walking away shouted to her to 'top it up with whipped cream'. she charged only for the ice cream which was 25 cents. There are two lessons here. One is about Commitment. The waitress had already taken your order and when you added the additional requirement later, she just added it. It is very important to get the customer to commit to you, ideally by a small order. Once the customer has committed to you, it is easy to get more orders since they want to behave consistently with their commit. 

It should be noted that this is the second technique described in the book influence.

The book takes off from there. 

You need to know the nature of the product that you are selling. He gives the example of burglar alarm. There are two aspects a sales person must consider while selling the burglar alarm. Number one, it should work right. The only time a customer may use the product may be the only time he may have to use it. Second thing customer is worried is about the installation. Once you know this, in your sales pitch you focus on the strenuous quality test that the product goes through and the ease of installation.

How do you find the nature of the product? There are two ways. First one is to become an expert on the product. Learn everything about it, how it is made, how it is used, its emotional appeal etc. Second way is to tap into your broad store of knowledge. You know more than you think you do. Take example of a Toy? What is its nature? It is used for fun, so focus on the fun aspects. Nature of a blood pressure monitor is serious.

Yet another trigger is to understand the nature of the customer. He cites the example of bringing hookers to the Fraternity meetups because he understood the nature of the students who aspire to become Fraternity members. They wanted to mingle with beautiful girls and they wanted the feeling of love and attraction. Identify the emotional needs of the prospect that the product will meet and use that trigger to make your sales pitch.  

The other triggers considered in this book are:

1. Present the negatives of the product upfront and then close with the positives.
2. Present the negatives of the product upfront and then resolve them. Turn the problem into an opportunity. Ensure that it is really an objection that the client may raise. He gives example of how a hinge of the glasses broke and how he turned it into an opportunity
   
3. Make the prospect feel the product. For example, if you are pushing a book. let the prospect feel the sense of tapping to the next page and reading the content. Given the feel of holding the book in their hands and reading it. Getting involvement leads to feeling the ownership. Use the 'involvement device'
   
4. Integrity: If you commit to do something, do it.
5. Tell a story: Ensure to tell it early in the presentation. In selling process, a story should capture attention, relate to the product and get the customer to bond with the salesperson.
6. Establish authority and credibility: This is one of the tools of influence as mentioned in the book by Cialdini. Even the name of your company can establish authority. It is very important that you become the authority on whatever you are selling. Knowledge is a strong way to express authority.
7. Value for money: Always focus on value. Simply pointing out the value of your product is a equivalent to a reduction in price. One way to show value is the Contrast Principle. Use an expensive product to compare your product with. 
8. Use of emotion in advertising: There are three aspects to consider. One, every word has an emotion attached with it and tells a story, two, every sales presentation is an emotional outpouring of words, feelings and impressions, three, you sell an emotion, you justify the price with a logic. Remember, every product has an emotional nature. You just have to understand it.
   
9.  While emotion is important, customers justify the purchase with logic. Ensure to provide logical reason and justification for the purchase.
10. Greed
11. Credibility: As reflected in proper dressing, the magazines you advertise etc. You can also use technical information to improve your credibility.
12. Satisfaction Conviction: This is like a guarantee that customer can't refuse. For example, you could say, 'Return the book to me any time in any condition. I will refund you the money no questions asked.'
13. Linking: Link the product to something that the customer already knows. Linking to the fads is the easiest approach. Even without a fad, take what is important to the customer and link it to the product that you are selling thus creating a mental bridge.
14. Desire to belong: Desire to belong to a group of people who use the product is a powerful selling force. 
15. Desire to Collect: Many customers collect watches, for example.
16. Sense of urgency: Always have it at the end of the presentation.
17. Exclusivity: Limited edition cars for example.
18. Simplicity: Make the choices simple for the customer. 
19. Guilt and reciprocity: Do something for the customer so that they have to reciprocate in kind.
20. Specificity: 
21. Familiarity:
22. Patterning: Dress like the customer, discuss points that you both agree on, if you offer him coffee, make sure you drink too..Gradually get the customer to align with your interests. It sounds unethical, that is because of the way I am writing it (remember, words have emotions attached to them). 
23. Hope: When selling hope, ensure not to make any specific promises. Imply the benefits.
24. Curiosity: This is a powerful trigger. This works well when selling intellectual property like books. The funny chapter headlines were written to elicit curiosity in the minds of the customer about this book. 
25. Harmony: Sometimes you may have to deliver what the market wants before selling on your own terms. You have to harmonize with the needs of the customer
26. Mental engagement: If you get the prospect to engage in thinking before coming to the conclusion you want, it will create a stimulating experience for the customer. Let them find it out on their own. 
27. Honesty

These are the thirty triggers (above 27 plus Commitment &Consistency, Understanding the nature of your product and Understanding the nature of the prospect).

I feel silly now. I reread the entire book to write this summary and review. And what do I find? The summary of all the chapters are given in the appendix along with action steps for you to sell your product if you have any. 

There is a reading list at the end of the book, and what do I see there? The Cialdini Book...