Can the Zeigarnik Effect Keep Your Prospects Engaged?

Volume 13, Issue 9
Can the Zeigarnik Effect Keep Your Prospects Engaged?
The Zeigarnik Effect is a phenomenon named for the Soviet psychologist and psychiatrist, Bluma
Zeigarnik, who identified and researched it in the early 1900’s. The origins of the “effect” can be
traced to observations she made in a Vienna restaurant about the waiters’ abilities to remember
the details of the order for each person at the table as they brought out each successive course.
But, before I describe the effect and explore ways to capitalize on it to keep your prospects
engaged between meetings and phone calls, I want to shift to something I call “real-time” selling.
Why?
Because, despite the fact that 96% of the time real-time
selling is the type of selling you’re involved in when you
engage a prospect in a conversation, it is the type of selling
you are least prepared to perform. To understand why, you
must understand the concept of cognitive dissonance.
What is cognitive dissonance?
The term “cognitive dissonance” is used to describe the
feeling of discomfort that results from holding two conflicting
beliefs. Cognitive dissonance can also occur when there is a
discrepancy between beliefs and behaviors.
And what can cause a belief-behavior discrepancy?
WHOA!
Zeigarnik Effect, real-time selling, cognitive dissonance, beliefbehavior discrepancy.
Are the metaphorical wheels in your head spinning?
Are you still waiting for me to explain the Zeigarnik Effect?
Were you uncomfortable when I abruptly abandoned the Zeigarnik Effect
and jumped to real-time selling?
How about when I jumped to cognitive dissonance? More discomfort?
If so, you’re experiencing an aspect of the Zeigarnik Effect.
People have a need for things to come to conclusion and to complete the tasks they start. They
tend to be uncomfortable when tasks are interrupted or left unfinished. Such circumstances
create an internal tension and preoccupation with the task, which manifests itself in improved
memory of the uncompleted task.
What does any of this have to do with selling?
Have you ever had comprehensive conversations with prospects, at the conclusion of which you
scheduled appointments, and then when you subsequently met with them, they remembered little
about the initial conversations?
Me, too!
Why does that happen?
The Zeigarnik Effect suggests that beginning a conversation leads to the development of a need
to conclude it. And, the resulting tension leads to improvement in memory of the part of the
conversation completed thus far. HOWEVER, once the conversation is concluded, the tension is
relieved and awareness of the details of the conversation is diminished.
So, unfinished tasks remain in the forefront of memory while completed tasks are stamped
“closed” and filed away in the recesses of memory. Thus, the prospects’ scant memories of the
conversations that led to the meetings.
How can you use that gem of information to keep your prospect or customer engaged from one
phone call or meeting to the next?
Create a cliffhanger of sorts.
Purposely leave the conversation “unfinished.” Choose a relevant topic or two that needs “further
exploration,” and suggest that it can be accomplished at the next meeting. Or, mention an idea or
a concept you wish to share…during the next conversation.
Then, take one more important step…give your prospect a sneak-peek at what’s to come.
Here’s an example:
Tom, I have two distinct ideas about how to solve your problem. Both will meet your
time-to-production requirements. But, one can potentially reduce your inventory carrying
costs at the same time. Perhaps, significantly. We’ll have to do some number-crunching
at the next meeting to verify that.
If your “coming attraction” is relevant, the conversation won’t be “closed” and filed away. Instead,
the prospect will remain engaged.
Are you still wondering about “real-time” selling, cognitive dissonance, and belief-behavior
discrepancy?
So am I.
Maybe I’ll tackle those subjects next time.
Maybe not.
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