Do you cringe at the thought of selling your interior design services?

David Priemer, the author of Sell the Way You Buy, is the founder and Chief Sales Scientist at Cerebral Selling, where he teaches business owners the art and science of selling. His work hinges on the idea that you have to sell the way you buy.

Your clients aren’t just paying for the service that you offer. They’re buying emotions. They’re buying the experience. So how do you sell the way you buy? David shares great takeaways from his book in this episode of Wingnut Social!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:21] Wingnut Academy and webinar announcements!
[2:18] Mini News Sesh: Instagram launches pinning
[5:19] Learn all about David Priemer
[7:13] Why salespeople are viewed negatively
[9:05] People aren’t buying solutions—they’re buying emotions
[11:48] Bring awareness of problems to the surface with this tip
[16:??] How to handle experience asymmetry
[20:59] Remember that the experience is the product
[24:26] The importance of client retention
[30:33] The What Up Wingnut! Round

Connect with David Priemer

Resources & People Mentioned

Sell the Way You Buy by David Priemer
To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

People aren’t buying solutions—they’re buying emotions

Covid prompted David and his wife to consider having their home redesigned. To him, the worst thing about a renovation is having to choose every detail. That’s why he’s willing to pay someone who will come in and remove all of the decision-making from his plate. He emphasizes that as an interior designer, you exist in the realm of emotional selling.

As you’re talking to your clients, think about the emotion behind why they’re buying. People don’t buy solutions to problems. People buy feelings—especially in creative spaces. So what is your superpower? How do you fill the void your buyer is looking for? It starts by knowing your audience and the feelings they’re buying when they buy you. It’s powerful.

Use this tip to sell the way you buy

If you wanted to sell someone a bandaid, you could look for someone who has a cut (i.e. a problem you can solve). But that requires they’re aware that they have a problem that needs to be solved. You could also look for clients that are afraid of getting cut, like someone who wants to update their house in preparation for selling it down the road. You’re selling the future.

The third way to sell is to “cut” people. What does David mean by that? Many people aren’t aware of the problem(s) that they have. When you look at a client's home, you might point out any issues or code violations that you see. You’re bringing problems to your customers. You help them realize there is a problem they need to be solved. You have to create a little bit of pain to address it.

How do you handle this when you struggle with being comfortable in the sales process? David shares a unique strategy any designer can use—keep listening.

Remember that the experience is the product

In chapter 4 of David's book, he talks about Disney World. Disney focuses on customer experience because the experience is the product. If David hires an interior designer, the experience he goes through to arrive at the final destination ends up influencing whether or not he’s happy with the end product. You have to create that experience.

You likely became an interior designer because you’re talented and passionate about your work. You love what you do. Why should you be ashamed of selling? You’re simply conveying the enthusiasm you have for what you do to your customer.

The experience the customer has with you transcends the final product. At the end of the day, people are buying feelings. People are buying emotions. You could be the best interior designer in the world, but if no one likes you, no one will hire you.

But if you create a great experience for your clients, they’ll tell other people about you. Selling with the way you buy in mind is a game-changer.

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