Logical levels? What is that, you might ask? It is a model created by Robert Dilts, a pioneer in the field of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) after studying Gregory Bateson (1904-1980). Some believe that Bateson will before long (presumably in the 21st century) come to be recognised posthumously as "another Einstein of the 20th century" or even as beyond him. Bateson part Anthropologist, Social Scientist, Cyberneticist, was one of the most important social scientists of this century. With this background in mind, Dilt�s created a learning model called �Neorological Levels.� My persupposition in this article is that, in the consultive sale you uncover the need. This is the first level in the nuerological levels. If the person you are selling to doesn�t live in the �envorionment� where your product of service is needed, you will not get any further. Once you have uncovered the �need� for your service. Your customer will start to evaluate your behavior. This is where the skills of rapport come in. Your prospect will evaluate how consistant are you with your method of delivery. This can be real or synthetic as NLP teaches. You can match body posture, tone and tempo and even breathe like they do. But this will only work for small ticket items. When selling as a consultant, your true nature will be revealed. This is where the skilled salesperson is head and shoulders above the rookie. You can�t fake it while your making it. In fake, it is better to lay your cards on the table and let them know you are a rookie. You will then be using this logical level of behavior to your advantage. People by their very nature want to help. They will help you close the sale. Once you have worked through the first two levels of environment and behavior, you will start interacting with their beliefs and values. If you are positioning your product in alignment with their values, it will fit into their beliefs. The natural salesperson does this by nature. The prospect is using words like challenge, freedom or flexibilty. Each of these words are hot buttons for that person and they also relate to their beliefs and values. You would do well to listen for these words I term Impact words in my book, �Awaken the Genius.� As you iteract on these first three levels in sales, you are getting to know one another -- figuring out if you can do business together. As you understand this level of learning, you will ask questions to educate and lead the prospect. Hence, to do this, you should be using the ABC of sales. Always be closing. This allows you to know if they have the capacity to make the decision to buy or not. Which is the next level. If they are not the decision maker you should work to empower them to get that person or group involved. Once you have everyone who will be making the decision involved, it is time to ask the need-payoff questions. This is a series of questions that once the prospect answers them they are identifying with your product or service. Identifying is the next step in the logical level process. If they don�t have the need they will not identify. If they don�t think they or their company can demonstrate the behaviors necessary they will not identify. If your product or service is not in alignment with their values and beliefs they will not identify. That means, it is your task in the sales setting to get these four specific areas to align and it will move your prospect beyond identifying and they will become part of your sales force -- helping to refer family members, business associates and staff members and it all started with the idea of educating, enlightening and motivating them to buy your product or service.
