What is Behavioral Selling? Definition and Examples

When you sell, do you present your product in a way that your customer or prospect can relate to? Do you focus on understanding and leveraging the behaviors and psychological triggers of your customers to close deals more effectively. If so, you practice Behavioral Selling – you are a Behavioral Seller.

As a behavioral seller, you recognize the importance of different customer types, what motivates them, and their decision-making processes to tailor you sales approach accordingly.

Since the 1980s

The principles underlying behavioral selling have been around since the early 20th century. However, its formal recognition and widespread adoption in sales practices did not become prominent until the 1980s.

Since then, there has been a shift in the world of sales and marketing towards more customer-centric strategies that leverage behavioral insights to boost sales.

Price-associates.com has the following definition of behavioral selling:

“What is Behavioral Selling? It is a process during which the salesperson recognizes traits within a potential customer, essentially clues that tell him or her how to adapt the sales pitch—and his or her presentation style—to that person’s preferred behaviors.”

Two images of salespeople meeting their clients and a definition of BEHAVIORAL SELLING.
Image created by Market Business News.

Understanding Customer Behavior

The core of behavioral selling lies in understanding your customers’ or *prospects’ behaviors. This involves identifying patterns in how they interact with products or services, their purchasing habits, and the psychological factors that influence their decisions.

* A ‘prospect’ is someone you believe could become a paying customer. In this article, the term ‘prospect’ will include ‘customer’ and vice versa. The same applies to ‘product’ and ‘service.’

By analyzing your customers’ behaviors, you can predict future actions and tailor your sales strategies to meet their needs more effectively.

Key Components of Behavioral Selling

There are three key components in behavioral selling: Customer Segmentation, Psychological Triggers, and Personalization. Let’s have a closer look at each one:

  • Customer Segmentation

Break down your customer base into distinct segments based on behavioral patterns.

This allows you to create targeted marketing and sales strategies for each group.

For instance, some customers might respond better to emotional appeals, while others may prioritize logic and data.

  • Psychological Triggers

You must recognize and use psychological triggers that influence a customer’s buying decisions.

These triggers include scarcity – limited-time offers, social proof – customer testimonials, and reciprocity – free trials or samples.

By incorporating these triggers into your sales process, you can create a sense of urgency and trust that encourages customers to make a purchase.

  • Personalization

Customize your sales approach to match the individual preferences and behaviors of each customer.

This might involve personalized emails, product recommendations, or tailored sales pitches.

Personalization makes your customer feel valued and understood, increasing the likelihood of a sale.

Benefits of Behavioral Selling

There are many benefits to this type of customer-centric sales approach. Here are three common ones:

  • Increased Sales

By understanding and addressing the specific needs and behaviors of your customers, you can create more effective sales strategies that lead to higher *conversion rates.

* Your ‘conversion rate’ is the percentage of visits that result in a sale, also known as the prospect-to-customer ratio. If you made 200 visits last month and achieved 20 sales, your conversion rate is one-in-ten, or 10%.

  • Improved Customer Relationships

Behavioral Selling helps build stronger relationships with your customers by showing that you understand and care about their unique needs. This fosters loyalty and encourages repeat business.

Tailoring your sales approach to individual customers creates a more personalized and engaging experience.

This not only increases your chances of a sale but results in greater customer satisfaction.

Implementing Behavioral Selling

  • Data Collection and Analysis

You can gather data on customer behaviors through surveys, website analytics, and purchase history.

Analyze this data to identify patterns and trends that can refine your sales strategies.

  • Training

Educate your sales team on the principles of behavioral selling and the importance of understanding customer behaviors.

Provide them with tools and techniques to recognize different customer types and help them tailor their approach accordingly.

  • Continuous Improvement

Regularly review and adjust your sales strategies based on feedback and changing customer behaviors.

This ensures that your approach remains effective and relevant over time.

Other Sales Methods

In addition to Behavioral Selling, numerous other sales methodologies are widely utilized by professional salespeople, each with its own distinctive strategies and techniques. Below is a list of some of the most notable ones:

This method focuses on understanding and utilizing unique insights about a customer’s business to deliver tailored solutions that provide substantial value.

Ideal for managing complex sales situations, this approach involves a group of experts working together to ensure a thorough understanding of the client’s needs.

This technique revolves around asking strategic questions (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff) to identify the customer’s needs and present the product or service as the optimal solution.

Engaging customers through digital tools and channels, this method emphasizes online interactions, social media, and digital marketing strategies.

A flexible method that adjusts the sales strategy based on the customer’s behavior and feedback, making the approach more responsive and personalized.

Also known as Customer-Centric Selling, this strategy focuses on prioritizing the client’s needs and interests to build trust and foster long-term relationships.

This technique involves encouraging customers to choose a more premium version of the product they are considering, thereby increasing the transaction value.

In this approach, additional products or services that complement the customer’s initial purchase are recommended, enhancing the overall value offered.

Also referred to as Inbound Marketing, this strategy aims to attract potential customers through valuable content and establish connections before making a sales pitch.

This method guides the sales conversation by offering insightful and provocative information, challenging the customer’s current thinking and strategies.

A systematic approach tailored for complex sales, it involves coordinating with multiple stakeholders and aligning with the customer’s broader strategic objectives.

Focusing on the significance of long-term customer relationships, this method emphasizes understanding client needs and delivering personalized services to maintain satisfaction and loyalty.

Engaging directly with consumers through personal interactions and demonstrations, this approach bypasses traditional retail channels.

Tailoring solutions to address the customer’s specific challenges, this strategy ensures that the offerings are directly aligned with their requirements.

Targeting large corporations and significant organizations, this approach involves managing complex sales processes and interacting with multiple decision-makers.

Emphasizing the unique benefits and value proposition of a product or service, this method focuses on demonstrating tangible advantages to the customer.

Aiming to simplify the sales process, this method seeks to quickly understand and meet the customer’s urgent needs, providing efficient and aligned solutions.

Prioritizing quick sales, this method focuses on highlighting product features and benefits to facilitate swift transactions, often at the expense of long-term relationship building.

Positioning the product or service as the best solution for the customer’s specific issues, this approach emphasizes problem-solving.

This method involves presenting bold and challenging ideas to the customer, provoking them to rethink their current strategies and solutions. By disrupting their status quo, you position your product or service as a game-changer that can address their unrecognized needs and drive significant improvements.

Last Thoughts

Behavioral selling is a powerful strategy that leverages the understanding of customer behaviors to create more personalized and effective sales approaches.

By segmenting your customers, recognizing psychological triggers, and personalizing interactions, you can increase sales, build stronger relationships, and enhance the overall customer experience.

To implement behavioral selling effectively, you need to commit to data analysis and continuous improvement. It will be worth the effort, especially when you see improved customer satisfaction and greater business growth.

What is Behavioral Selling?

This video comes from our sister YouTube channel – Marketing Business Network. It explains what “Behavioral Selling” is using easy-to-understand language and examples.