Duh!  Seems like a self-explanatory statement, doesn’t it?  Well, yes – but there’s more to it than you think.  We all like to think that our decisions are well thought out, calmly considered, completely rational and totally logical courses of action.  But, being honest with yourself, deep down inside aren’t most of your decisions based on what you want to have happen anyway?  The emotion is what triggers the decision, and all the calm rational logic is merely justification for that course of action. 

Ruled By Emotional Decisions?

Yes, we are.  Emotional triggers apply to almost every decision we make through the day, and we are making decisions constantly.  Why did you listen to that particular cd?  Or hit the snooze button again?  Or buy Cheerios instead of Wheaties?  The snap answer is actually the truest in this case:  Because you felt like it.  As long as you have previous experience with a situation, you have an emotional basis, or what we often call a “feeling”, “hunch”, or “intuition” that triggers your decision.

Now, don’t feel defensive or foolish.  Everyone has these triggers, it is the way the human mind is wired.  In fact, the best sales people and managers in the world actually rely on these feelings (whether they know it or not).  The trick is how to access these triggers in other people so they make the decisions you want them to! 

Typical Decision Triggers

Check out this article How to Trigger a Yes Decision from Anyone by Russell Granger.  He explains amazingly well how and why these triggers do in fact work.  I won’t go into all the detail he does, but you can use this information to help you map out your personal contacts to elicit the exact decisions you desire.  The seven primary triggers Mr. Granger identifies are:

• The Friendship Trigger -  Activates trust and agreement through bonding
• The Authority Trigger – Activates acceptance through expertise
• The Consistency Trigger – Motivates consistency with past actions
• The Reciprocity Trigger – When you give, you get
• The Contrast Trigger – Structures contrasts to make one approach better than another
• The Reason Why Trigger – Emotional reasons to make decisions and actions
• The Hope Trigger – Instills positive expectations that persuade agreement

Triggering the Right Decision

Think about the circumstances under which you make contact with your target market.  How do you first introduce yourself?  What specialized information can you present to aid the customer?  How do you position your marketing approaches? What calls to action do you have on your site?  What irresistible offers do you present?  Do these things, when you are in your target market’s shoes, trigger not just AN emotional response, but THE emotional response you want to drive your business?

Probably the most important trigger you will want to focus on is The Authority Trigger.  I have been preaching for years to establish a niche market and become a recognized expert in it, and here is yet another reason why.  As Mr. Granger points out, why do you accept and fill a prescription without question from your doctor?  Because your doctor is a medical expert and you are not – you automatically trust your doctor’s authority and make the decision to accept his advice.

However, all the other decision triggers can and should be used in your customer contact strategy.  Once you make sure you are properly positioned as the regional authority within your niche, turn your attention to the rest.  If you are not good with words, are unsure how to approach the task, or just plain don’t have time, find a good virtual copywriter or marketing specialist to help you out.  Once your potential customers start making the decisions you want them to, you will get what you want, and you will be glad you did!