Selling in the Vibes Era

Facts don't care about your feelings.

The most polarising aphorism of our times?

I remember fondly my first ever moments receiving formal Sales training.

The (superb) old pro at the helm brought in for the day (yes, a whole eight hours) unfurled a prepared flipchart sheet;

The Decision To Buy Is 100% ______

Fill in the blank.

I cite this as I do sense a bombardment in general discourse presently akin to;

you can’t quell vibes with stats.

A - or perhaps the - vibe can represent anything from energy, atmosphere or even culture.

Some places have their own label. The Afrikaans' gees [he-urs], German geist [guyst], Chinese qi [chi].

All potential customers will have one.

The 'silent e rule' makes neologisms tricky. No coming vibe-ocalypse or vibe-ology likely. Yet I note there is vibecession.

For some reason, the refusal to countenance "negative waves" of Donald Sutherland's subversive tank commander in 1968 WW2 heist film Kelly's Heroes springs to mind.

Buyer feelings seem closely associated with all this.

How true is it that an inclination can be readily reinforced by affirming facts, data, or stats? Yet disinclination less duly disaffirmed?

If so, then are we providing such succour?

Whereas more pertinently, is this the wrong-way-round?

Ought we get to grips first with their vibe?

Indeed, if we are to properly sell in a complex environment - by definition requiring agreement of more than one person to win the order - then might we wish to be in tune with their vibrations? Help them echo? Direct their ripple? Amplify their reach?

Such vibing riding needn't be solely with how they stand today. It could also be where they wish to head. How you can help them not only through aligning to their present-day settings, but also with the vaunted modified destination of any desired 'vibe shift'.

Genuinely getting ourselves on the same wavelength as the prospect in this way hugely increases our chances of making a connection that is strong, exclusive and lasts.

Did you guess the 'blank' above?

Emotional

Let's tap into that. So no matter how slang, 'yoof' or unbusiness-y it might sound, you might well just start to gain your vital edge by asking of your prospect something like;

'so what's the vibe of your team then?'