Thinking mistakes in sales & quotations

You worked everything out nicely. Answered the customer question. Your offer fits perfectly. And still: rejection. Meanwhile, another wins with an offer that, frankly, seems less substantive.

Frustrating? Definitely. Unjustified? Perhaps. But something else often comes into play: the reviewer’s brain. And – fair is fair – yours too, as a writer.

In this blog, I will take you through the thinking mistakes we unconsciously make when writing and assessing offers. No tricks, just insights that will help you write stronger, clearer and more convincingly.

We choose rationally

We think we choose rationally, but we rarely do. ****In theory, according to psychologist Daniel Kahneman, we use two systems in our decision-making:

• System 1 is fast, intuitive, automatic.
• System 2 is slow, analytical, deliberate.

We like to think we choose with system 2 – weigh, weigh, weigh logically, rationally – but in reality we rarely do. According to Kahneman, more than 94% of our decisions are made unconsciously. In other words, system 1 is usually in charge.

And that has implications for how you can help a customer choose.

Because what does system 1 do when it is not sure what the best choice is? Especially when under time pressure, fatigue or when something ‘just feels right’, system 1 either makes the decision or does nothing. Better no decision, than a wrong one.

This is exactly what happens when evaluating offers: someone scans, makes a quick assessment, and then looks for arguments to back up that feeling.

And you as a writer? You are also full of thinking errors.

Because you already know the offer inside out. Because you think more text convinces more. Of course you want to explain well what you offer. But remember: system 1 doesn’t read long pieces of text and doesn’t make calculations. That’s work for system 2 – and it often doesn’t make sense.

We are going to do things completely differently

People naturally prefer to leave things as they are. To rely on the old familiar. We call this ‘status quo bias’. We prefer to choose what we already know. Anything different feels like risk and creates resistance.

So if you are writing a quotation for a new customer, who you would think is looking for change, it is not smart to include too many ‘new’ things in your quotation. Especially if there is no clear context or recognition in it. People will give up on that anyway. Even if your solution is better.

Customers dare to take risks

Nobody wants to make a wrong choice. So many evaluators choose the option that seems to have the least risk – even if it delivers less value. This has everything to do with the fear of losing something, which often outweighs the chance of winning something.

In practice, this means, for example, that buyers are more likely to choose a trusted party or a standard solution, even if your offer is better in terms of content. Uncertainty can be paralysing.

Overestimating the value of previous choices

We often overestimate the value of choices we have already made, purely because we have already made them – not necessarily because they are the best. This is called commitment bias. Because we have put time, effort or attention into something, we subconsciously feel obliged to continue with it. That feels safer than stopping or choosing again.

In sales, you can see this in offers: someone who has already had several conversations with another provider is more likely to continue with that. Not because it is the best choice, but because it is mentally easier than starting again.

Sometimes reciprocity also plays a role. Someone has already done something for you – given a demo, shared a piece of advice – and then you feel that social pressure to ‘give something back’. This influences our choices, without us always realising it. Think, for instance, of that grandmother who always gives you a gift that is far too big, or neighbours who come to your BBQ ten times but never organise anything themselves.

Your customer’s brain is not a rational calculating tool, but an intuitive, quick decision-maker that seeks support in recognition and trust. If you capitalise on this with your offer, you increase the chances that you will not only be seen, but also chosen. It’s not about convincing with more, but about connecting with less: clear language, smart structure and a touch of surprising news. By doing so, you write offers that really understand your customer’s brain – and that makes all the difference.

So.

• ..start with the most important thing. People scan first, read later. Put the gist up front, not hidden in paragraph 4.
• ..work with structure. The brain likes predictability: blank lines, headings and lists help process info.
• ..write for the fast brain. No long sentences or jargon, but clarity and structure. Short sentences, active phrasing and clear words are not a silly trick – they are a gift to the brain.
• ..Use concrete language. Our brain likes images, not abstract concepts. “A red apple on a wooden table” sticks better than “a healthy snack option”.
• ..Make choices easy to defend. The decision-maker should not only understand your offer, but also be able to explain why they choose you.
• ..strike a balance between familiar and innovative. That sounds contradictory, but it works. Make sure you are recognisable and distinctive, without wanting too much at once.
• ..predict and surprise. New information sticks better if it has something to hang on to. Build on what people already know or think they know. Create recognition (90% the same), but add something unexpected (that 10% different). That activates attention and curiosity.
• ..trigger systems 1 AND 2. System 1 wants to decide quickly and intuitively. System 2 is slower, but critical. Use recognition, emotions or stories to trigger system 1 and underpin with figures or logic for system 2.

Good luck!