1. The document discusses a new science-based approach to selling called self-persuasion, which is more effective than traditional "tell-and-sell" direct persuasion techniques. 2. Direct persuasion tries to overcome skepticism by strengthening proposals or objections, while self-persuasion aims to reduce or eliminate resistance by allowing customers to convince themselves. 3. Decades of research shows that self-persuasion, where customers freely choose rather than being told what to do, leads to quicker yes decisions, more sales, and longer commitments compared to direct persuasion approaches.

1. 1
RESISTANCE
The astonishing science
that reveals how to sell more
by eliminating skepticism and mistrust

2. 1. Google-driven technologies have made the way we sell
for over 100 years unprofitable and unsustainable
2

3. For over 100 years salespeople have been taught a form of
direct persuasion called Tell-and-Sell. It no longer works
Tell AND Sell
(information) (persuasion)
Direct Persuasion
3Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014

4. To counter falling productivity, CEOs are investing more than
ever in their salesforces but results aren’t improving
of sales meetings
result in a sale9.1%
ONLY
1 out
Of 250
JUST
salespeople exceed their
targets
Source: Lynette Ryals, Iain Davies, HBR, Dec 2010
Sales Productivity: 800 UK Sales Professionals
of profit per sale is needed just to
cover the cost of failed sales meetings
4

5. 5.27
2010 2011
1O.4
No. of sources customers access
prior to purchasing
Consumers now access more than ten Google-driven sources
of information prior to purchasing
Source: Jim Lecinski, Winning the Zero Moment of Truth – ZMOT, Google, 2012
5

6. Source: CEB Survey of 1,400 B2B customers, 2011
Less and less B2B customers are consulting salespeople
before they define their needs.
6
Pre Google
Decision making process
Best sales reps got in early and helped customers
shape their decision criteria.
Post Google
Decision making process
Complete
57%
Companies now define solutions for themselves Customer’s First Contact
with Salesperson

7. Information from
marketers
Branding
Advertising
Product/service
information
Information from
other sources
Influential friends and
colleagues
Reviews from end
users, consumers
Third party reports
Expert advisers
Brand marketers are becoming less and less influential
7Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
The Influence Continuum

8. When customers don’t need help with the tell, they don’t
want to hear the sell
Don’t Need
the Tell
Don’t Want
the Sell
SO
8Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014

9. 2. Science tells us there is a much more effective way to
influence than direct persuasion. It’s called self-persuasion
9
9

10. Understanding the role of resistance is the key to
successful influence 10

11. When you use direct persuasion (tell-and-sell) you try to
overcome resistance by strengthening your proposal or
overcoming objections
Proposal Resistance
Proposal
Resistance
11Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
DIRECT PERSUASIONSTALEMATE

12. When you use self-persuasion you reduce or eliminate resistance
Proposal
Resistance
SELF-PERSUASION
12Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
Proposal Resistance
STALEMATE

13. Elliot Aronson is listed among the
100 most eminent psychologists of the
20th century.
40 years of scientific research tells us ...
“Self-persuasion is almost always a more powerful
form of persuasion than being directly persuaded
by another person”
Elliot Aronson
13Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014

14. The research also tells us ...
“Self-persuasion is more powerful no matter how
clever, convincing, expert or trustworthy that other
person might be…”
Elliot Aronson
14Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014

15. Michael Pantalon is a psychologist at the
Yale University School of Medicine.
Michael developed a self-persuasion tool kit to help
busy emergency room doctors who wanted to
convince drunks who came to emergency room to
seek help.
The doctors only had 7 minutes to convince the
inebriated patients.
His success rate: a 50% drop in drinking.
Pantalon’s instant influence program is now standard
practice in emergency rooms across the U.S.A
Self-Persuasion works where Tell-and-Sell fails miserably
15Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014

16. When sellers use self-persuasion buyers say yes quicker, buy
more and commit for longer
Direct Persuasion
Convince clients why they need to buy
Self-Persuasion
Help clients convince themselves
Choice You’re telling me what to do The choice is mine - I'm free to choose
Trust I’m sceptical about other peoples
motives
I trust my own reasons for changing
Motivation I actively resist or defer decisions
I am motivated to say yes quicker
and commit for longer
Yes
16Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
Tell-and-Sell Aha! Adviser

17. 17Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
The Aha! Advantage training gives sellers all the tools and
processes they need to master the art of self-persuasion

18. 1818Copyright © The Aha! Advantage 2014
To read more about the power of self-persuasion download the
first chapter of Harry’s new book The Aha! Advantage: The
Revolutionary New Science of Sales Success
www.ahaadvantage.com

19. 19
Contact
Harry Mills
CEO, The Aha! Advantage
Phone: +64 4 499 6770
Mobile: +64 21 452 256
Email: harry.mills@ahaadvantage.com
www.ahaadvantage.com