Issue #90

5 Psychological Power Moves of The Top Enterprise Sellers

These are five naturally occurring quirks of human nature that can be used (ethically) to your advantage in selling.

I show you when to use them and what to expect when you do - so it is all action oriented and usable on Monday...

1. Use the “Pratfall Effect” to Build Instant Trust

Principle: People trust you more when you admit small flaws.

How to apply:

When presenting your offer, voluntarily mention a small limitation (“This isn’t right for every use case, it’s designed for teams prioritising X.”).

This frames you as honest, positions your solution precisely, and builds immediate credibility.

Impact: Faster trust = shorter sales cycles and less price sensitivity.

2. Maximise the “Liking Bias” to Open More Opportunities

Principle: Buyers prefer people they like over people who are just competent.

How to apply:

Prioritise likability in first meetings.

• Mirror their communication style
• Show genuine curiosity about their goals
• Use humour and warmth where appropriate

Winning hearts early makes it far easier to win minds later.

Impact: More initial meetings convert into multi-threaded opportunities and internal champions.

3. Trigger the “Affect Heuristic” to Build Desire Early

Principle: People decide emotionally, then justify logically.

How to apply:

Start meetings by painting a vivid picture of a better future (“Imagine your team closing projects 30% faster with half the admin load…”).

Remember that corporate buyers are primarily motivated by safety, read about it here.

After building emotional excitement, then back it up with proof (case studies, ROI models).

Impact: Deals are pulled forward because buyers want the emotional outcome now, not after endless technical debates.

4. Eliminate the “Paradox of Choice” to Accelerate Decisions

Principle: Too many options create paralysis, not confidence.

How to apply:

Instead of throwing five different solutions at a buyer, recommend one tailored path based on their situation (“For where you are today, this is the right next step.”).

Guide them like an expert, not like a waiter listing a menu.

Impact: Fewer stalled deals, faster movement to paid pilots and formal evaluations.

5. Leverage the “Progress Principle” to Build Momentum

Principle: Small visible wins create sustained motivation.

Create a project plan asap. It’s too easy to get caught up in positive words and let magical thinking take over, read about it here.

How to apply:

Break your sales process into tiny wins for the buyer.

• Secure a discovery meeting
• Co-create a small success plan
• Set a quick internal review

Celebrate each next step as meaningful progress.

Impact: More pipeline advancement, more deals moving from casual interest to formal projects.

Summary

In enterprise sales, the best don’t “sell harder.” They work with human nature and let it do the heavy lifting.

Early trust, emotional connection, guided simplicity, and visible momentum inevitably lead to revenue growth.

You can see another take on this and get a fancy schmancy carousel here, and download it below.

​Five Behavioural Psychology Tricks C.pdf​

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I help founders and enterprise sellers in three ways:

1. You can get my Sales foundations course here
2. Drop me an email about coaching you or your team
3. My blog is on LinkedIn everyday, real stories, usable tools and strong opinions.

Forward "One Step Up" to your friends and pretend you knew it all already, you're just helping them get to your level - you get to look clever and they get a source of unique sales information, techniques and wisdom..

I want to reach my goal of helping another 1500 salespeople succeed, starting this year (I've already trained that many whilst getting paid an obscene amount by other companies).

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