You've worked hard to get a meeting with a B2B client or a B2C customer and you are preparing your pitch and/or presentation. The key to getting the potential buyer to move forward is to make sure you explain the features, benefits and advantages of your product or service. As you go through your presentation you feel that the buyer is not really 'feeling' what you're saying, showing or doing. At the end of the presentation the buyer decides not to move forward and you're left confused since you feel you did everything right.

Sound familiar?

The Missing Element: Emotional Resonance

So, what happened? You didn't strike a 'responsive chord'! In 1973, Tony Schwartz wrote a book titled "The Responsive Chord." The premise of this concept is that you shouldn't craft an information pitch (i.e., give them more info), but rather, you should craft a presentation that 'evokes' an emotional response by touching on their fears and/or beliefs.

Most salespeople make the critical mistake of leading with logic when buyers make decisions with emotion and justify with logic afterward. It's NOT about 'What should I say?' but rather, 'How do I want them to feel?'.

The Musical Framework for Sales Success

When I first heard this concept, I asked myself, "How can I apply this to the sales presentation process?" My first thought was of music—a chord is usually 3 notes. Then, I thought, well maybe we can find 3 things (notes) that will evoke a response from our buyer.

Wow!  That music class finally came in handy!

Let's take a C Major chord which is C, E and G. Hitting these three keys creates a resonant sound. Now, what if I could create a 'resonant presentation' based on:

C = Pain or Gain (e.g., 'What's frustrating you the most right now?') E = Belief (e.g., 'What are your fears about change?') G = Constraint (e.g., 'What's holding you back?')

The Framework in Action

Here's a real-world example. Let's say I've asked enough discovery questions where I know the following about the buyer:

• C = Pain: Not closing enough deals
• E = Belief: Salespeople CAN close more and at better prices (margins)
• G = Constraint: I have to justify to my manager to give me a budget

If I'm selling sales training, my presentation would resonate as follows:

C: "Let me show you how I help sales teams increase their close rates by 35% within 90 days." 

E: "You're absolutely right—your team can close more at higher prices if they had the proper training on what to say and how to present." 

G: "I can build a cost-benefit model to show your manager there's a healthy Return On Investment (ROI) with my training program."

By addressing all 3 notes, I'm resonating with the buyer's deep-seated, emotional needs rather than just rattling off features and benefits.

Why This Works: The Science Behind Emotional Selling

Research shows that people make decisions emotionally first, then use logic to justify those decisions. When you strike the responsive chord:

1. You demonstrate deep understanding of their situation
2. You validate their beliefs and concerns
3. You address the real barriers to moving forward
4. You create an emotional connection that transcends product features

Putting It Into Practice

Before your next sales presentation:

1. Conduct thorough discovery to uncover their pain points, beliefs, and constraints
2. Map your solution to each of the three "notes"
3. Structure your presentation to address C-E-G in sequence
4. Practice emotional language that connects with feelings, not just facts

Remember: Your prospects don't care about your product's GAZILLION features. They care about solving their problems (C), validating their beliefs (E), and overcoming their constraints (G).

The Bottom Line

Stop presenting to the logical mind and start resonating with the emotional heart. When you strike the right chord, you won't just deliver a presentation—you'll create a moment of genuine connection that moves prospects to action.

What's your experience with emotional selling? Have you found certain approaches that resonate better with your prospects? Share your thoughts in the comments below.