Practical Sales Training™ > How People Work > The Four Drivers
The Four Drivers
What Is It?
Human motivation is a genuinely messy subject. Plenty of theories disagree on the details. But for sales messaging, four drivers cover most of it. Those drivers are money, relationships, self-improvement, and security.
Why Does It Work?
Every one of us responds to these four pulls at different points. Even if we’d rather not admit it, that’s true. A message built around one of them taps into something already there. It doesn’t need to create interest from nothing. That’s why it works faster than a generic pitch ever could.
How Can You Use It?
Look at your message, wherever it appears. Ask which of the four drivers it’s actually appealing to. If the answer isn’t obvious, that’s usually the problem. Knowing your audience matters too, since drivers land differently with different people.
When It Works Best
This works best when you know your audience well enough to pick the right driver for them specifically. It also helps when the message stays focused on just one driver. Trying to appeal to all four at once rarely works.
When It Becomes Dangerous
This becomes risky if the driver you choose feels manipulative rather than genuinely relevant. A message that clumsily targets fear or insecurity can repel a buyer entirely.
Common Mistakes
Trying To Appeal To All Four
Don’t try to appeal to every driver in a single message. Diluting your pitch across all four usually means it lands weakly with all of them.
Assuming Your Motivations Match Theirs
Never assume your own motivations match your buyer’s. The driver that moves you personally might mean nothing to your actual buyer.
The Four Drivers – An Example
Imagine these as email subject lines. Notice how each one leans on a different driver.
- How to make another £1,000 this month in your spare time.
- Learn how to meet your perfect partner.
- 12 ways you can improve your life, health and career.
- Protect your email account now with the ultimate password creation tool.
Each title focuses on a single driver, money, relationships, self-improvement, or security. Even this very page appeals to one of the four. By reading this far, you’ve been satisfying your own need to learn.
See also
