By Maurice Benatar
Can Your Office Furniture Improve Your Sales Numbers?
Every company wants to improve its corporate sales numbers, but not every company considers how the psychology of the buyer can be motivated through the strategic use of modern office furniture selections. And while innovative tables, chairs and other furnishings might not necessarily make or break a sale, they can certainly contribute to an organization’s overall sales success rates.
Why? It’s simple: The right office furniture “plays” on the psychological aspects of the sales cycle from the perspective of the purchaser. The individual who is being “sold to” – and who is being expected to make the “right” decision – can be psychologically motivated by office furniture to feel a certain way. This can be accomplished through careful attention to color, design and technology.
Step #1: The Psychology of Color
It has long been known that colors can be used to generate moods in humans. Renowned artist Pablo Picasso even quipped: “Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” Thus, the shade of the office furniture that is used in a conference room may in fact encourage physiological and emotional reactions such as increased/decreased blood pressure or increased/lowered metabolism rates.
Knowing this is the case, a Canadian business may want to choose to have a sales meeting in a room that has been designed with the psychology of color in mind.
For instance, if a company wants its buyers to feel a sense of trust mixed with enthusiasm, the colors orange (typically associated with positive energy) and blue (the color most associated with trustworthiness) may be utilized.
Step #2: The Psychology of Design
It’s not enough to simply purchase randomly-matched pieces of modern office furniture in certain tints to increase sales numbers, of course. What also must be factored into the equation is how the office furniture is arranged.
This is where an interior design consultant can come into the picture. By strategically placing chairs, tables, workstations and other furniture and equipment around a room or area, the sales prospect is subtly driven toward feeling a level of comfort. This, in turn, can ease negotiations and foster the path toward new relationships… and, hopefully, of contractual sales agreements.
Step #3: The Psychology of Texture
As with color, texture can be a strong influencer when it comes to the art and science of selling.
Consequently, flooring, seating choices and tables should be gauged for their desired psychological and physiological responses. A man or woman who finds textures too harsh or outdated may be subconsciously turned away from working with a company. On the flip side, that same person may be more likely to consider buying from a company whose furnishings are modern, clean and appealing.
Though playing upon the emotions of a potential customer may require a bit of psychological profiling of the “average” or “ideal” sales prospect, it can absolutely pay off in the long run. And if having a great – versus a good – sales year boils down to choosing the best, most well-designed modern office furniture… what company wouldn’t want to spend a little time on the process?
Maurice Benatar is Vice President, Business Development and Marketing at Mayhew, a Thornhill, Ontario company specializing in workplace design and solutions.