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18 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | April 2015 Consumer Insights { Leslie Hart } W hether your pros- pect is 30 or 50, each has an old brain. And that old brain is in charge of making all buying decisions, so it's essential to understand how it works. There are three distinct parts of the brain, as Patrick Renvoisé and Christophe Morin explain in their book Neuromarketing . The new brain is responsible for think- ing; the middle brain, for feeling. But it's the old brain that combines information from the new and middle brain, and says "yes" or "no." The old brain, the authors note, is the primitive "fght or fight" area of the brain and is concerned with just one thing: survival. "Researchers have demonstrated that hu- man beings make decisions in an emotional manner and then justify them rationally," Renvoisé and Morin write. "Furthermore, we now know that the fnal decision is made by the old brain." STIMULI FOR THE OLD BRAIN Fortunately neuroscientists have also discovered that the old brain responds to six very specifc stimuli. Keep them in mind as you interact with a prospective client. First, the old brain is totally self-centered, since its job is to ensure survival and wellbeing. That means the old brain won't listen to anything that doesn't apply directly to it. If your pros- pects have told you they are interested in a butcher block countertop, talk to them about types of wood tops. Don't talk about granite; they won't hear you. If they believe they want a kitchen table, don't show them pic- tures of islands; they won't register. This doesn't mean you can't make alternative suggestions, but frame them so they're in the customer's self-interest. "I know you like butcher block because of the wood grain, but before you decide you might want to also look at this tile with a wood grain like butcher block." Second, because the old brain is always on the look- out, it is sensitive to contrast. Which explains the power of before/after photos. Always take before shots, and use them in all of your marketing communications. "Contrast allows the old brain to make quick, risk-free decisions," the authors say. "Without contrast, the old brain is confused, which can mean a delayed decision or no deci- sion at all." Third, the old brain re- quires tangible input. That's because the old brain is look- ing for something familiar, friendly and concrete that can be recognized quickly. "The old brain cannot pro- cess concepts like a 'fexible solution' or an 'integrated ap- proach' without a lot of efort and skepticism," according to the authors. So rather than "creative design solutions," talk about concrete advan- tages such as "on time, on budget kitchen and bath re- modeling." Or "designs that make the best use of space." Fourth, the old brain re- members the beginning and the end, but not the middle. Place the most important content at the beginning of your presentation, Web site or brochure, and then repeat it at the end. Fifth, the old brain is visual. The optical nerve is physically connected to the old brain and is 25 times fast- er than the auditory nerve, so use plenty of pictures in all of your presentations and mar- keting materials. Investing in quality photography will pay of big time. Finally, the old brain is strongly triggered by emo- tion. "Neuroscience has clearly demonstrated that emotional reactions create chemical events in the brain that directly impact the way you process and memorize information," say Renvoisé and Morin. You have to understand the emotional needs behind a new kitchen or bath, which can often be triggered by lifestyle events. SELLING TO THE OLD BRAIN Given these stimuli, here's how the authors recommend selling to the old brain: » » Diagnose the prospect's pain; » » Diferentiate your claims; » » Demonstrate the gain your solution provides. The key to diagnosing your prospect's pain is to ask lots of open-ended ques- tions and really listen to the answers. For example, your prospects may want a big- ger kitchen. But why? What is the pain behind the small kitchen? Perhaps they just remarried and now have a blended family, and the small kitchen prohibits this new family from having room to bond. Because the old brain is self centered and concerned with its survival, it is highly interested in solutions that will alleviate pain. Be sure you formulate your solution to ease their pain. "We can open up your kitchen and have enough room so that all of the kids can sit at the counter at one time." Once you know their pain, you can differenti- ate your claims. Forget the hackneyed, "We're the lead- ing kitchen and bath dealer in our town." The old brain will ignore this. It wants contrast, as in, "We're the only dealer in town with three certifed kitchen designers." "We're the only showroom ofering the original XYZ faucets from Italy." "We're the only frm with our own installers so we can control the scheduling of our jobs." Because the old brain is especially resistant to new ideas or behaviors, you need to demonstrate, not describe, h ow your solution will ease the prospect's pain. The old brain needs solid proof as to how your solution will enable it to beneft. The most efective way to demonstrate gain is through stories. That's why testimoni- als are so important. Ideally they should be videos, and they should be very specifc. Solicit testimonials that ad- dress common points of pain. "I was really concerned about the mess of a remod- el. But Joe's guys put down plastic over the hall carpet, and cleaned up every night before they left." "I was re- ally worried about having enough room for all my bak- ing stuf since I was moving from a home into a condo. But Jane measured it all and planned great storage. Everything fts and is easy to reach." Here is where before/after pictures come in. "This kitch- en was dark and depressing just like yours, but look at it now with the new white cabi- nets and the bigger window, just like we're planning for you." Take before pictures that illustrate common points of pain among your pros- pects: dark cabinets, outdated appliances, small spaces, no countertop space, poor stor- age, etc. With strong stories, visual proof of your solutions that meet their specifc, individual points of pain and concrete reasons why you are difer- ent, the old brain is much more likely to respond with a "yes." Neuromarketing Ofers Tips to Impact Decision Making By understanding how the 'old brain' works and what it responds to, you can better craft successful kitchen and bath presentations. Read past columns and features and send us your comments about this article and others by logging onto our Web site: www.ForResidentialPros.com "With strong stories, visual proof of your solutions that address their 'points of pain' and concrete reasons why you are diferent, the old brain is more likely to respond with a 'yes.'"