When it comes to selling a product or service, psychology plays an important role, especially as it relates to empathizing with the potential customer and deeply understanding their need. Additionally, you may need to deal with strongly-founded fears, doubts, or bad past experiences with a product or service in order to help the customer open up to the idea of trying something new.
According to research done by the Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of purchase decisions take place in the subconscious mind (Zaltman, 2003). For this reason, salespeople must connect with buyers at an emotional level before a more logical approach has a chance. Building this bridge of trust at the beginning is worth the time, and it starts with empathizing with the customer.
In the article 8 Sales Psychology Principles, Brandrick and Walton discuss several different psychology principles that are relevant to sales.
- Liking Principle – People are more likely to be interested in making a purchase when they have a personal connection to the seller, rather than it being just a stranger. Research has shown that “demonstration parties” in the 50s and 60s were highly successful for this reason – they turned the selling process into a party with games and snacks to facilitate positive social interactions. Building these relationships starts with asking questions that demonstrate a genuine interest in the customer’s needs.
- Social Proof Principle – People often look to the behaviors and opinions of others to guide their own decisions, even in the buying process. An advertising report by the Nielsen’s Global Trust indicated that 89% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than from any other sales channel. For in-person selling, creating brand ambassadors from your existing customer base is hugely beneficial. On the other hand, for online sales, building reviews is an important tactic to help gain the trust of potential customers based on solid evidence.
Citation:
Sales Enablement Collective — 8 Principles of Sales Psychology
https://www.salesenablementcollective.com/8-principles-sales-psychology/
taylorjt23 
Bondre24 
wheelerne24
This post does a nice job introducing how psychology influences buying decisions, especially through emotion and subconscious behavior. The use of research and specific principles makes the ideas feel grounded and relevant to sales practice. Good Job!