By Paul Reilly
Buyers sacrifice more for what they truly desire. I witnessed this firsthand during a virtual sales training session.
For this exercise, participants were divided into two groups. The first group (the Dreamers) spent five minutes imagining their ideal retirement. Where would they live? Where would they travel? What would life look like?
The second group (the Debtors) spent five minutes mentally reviewing every bill due that month: mortgage, car payment, insurance, utilities, and everything else competing for their paycheck.
When everyone returned, I asked both groups the same question:
“What percentage of your monthly income would you be willing to save for retirement?”
The results were fascinating. On average, the Dreamers saved 28% more than the Debtors. Nothing about their financial situation had changed. Only their perspectives changed. When people imagine a better future, they’re willing to sacrifice more in the present to achieve it.
One of the biggest forces influencing buying decisions is present bias—our tendency to place greater value on immediate outcomes than future ones. That’s why customers often focus on today’s price instead of tomorrow’s value. However, there’s a cost tied to this bias.
We call it the Today Tax. It’s the hidden price people pay for making decisions based on immediate savings rather than long-term value.
Now consider how this temporal bias impacts your customers.
There are numerous factors fueling this temporal bias: customer emergencies, tight deadlines, resource constraints. Short-term challenges and issues keep buyers focused on the present rather than the future. Our goal is not simply to change their minds; it’s to shift their focus. The best salespeople do this by helping customers imagine a better future before discussing a solution.
It starts by taking positive control of the conversation.
Rather than immediately talking about products or pricing, ask questions that transport the customer into the future. For example:
“I noticed your company was recently awarded that new project. Would it be alright if I asked a few questions to better understand what success looks like?”
“Long-term, what’s important when choosing a partner for this next project?”
“A year from now, what measurable outcomes (increased revenue, lower costs, higher productivity, or reduced downtime) would make you say, ‘We made a great decision to partner with them’?”
These questions accomplish something powerful. They don’t simply uncover needs.
They help the customer imagine a future worth investing in. When buyers are emotionally committed to a better future, today’s sacrifice is easier to justify. And naturally, price becomes less important.
P.S. If this approach helps your customers pay 28% more…please send me a small royalty check. I have three daughters—and three weddings to pay for someday.