Practical Sales Training™ > How To Connect > The Behind The Scenes Effect
The Behind The Scenes Effect
Most buyers only ever see the finished product. The polished photo, the perfect packaging, the clean final result.
But there’s a process behind all of that. So letting buyers glimpse it changes how they feel about what you do.
It makes the work feel real, rather than just packaged and presented.
What Is The Behind The Scenes Effect?
The Behind The Scenes Effect is all about sharing the “behind the scenes” of how your offering works with potential buyers, to create a more meaningful relationship with them. So instead of just showing the result, you show the work that goes into it.
That shift, from polished to honest, often does more to build trust than another perfect product shot ever could.
Why Does The Behind The Scenes Effect Work?
It works because it provides an interesting insight into your offering that strengthens your bond with potential buyers. If we feel like we have access to an exclusive view of what you do, it feels special.
Even minor flaws and imperfections can be endearing and appreciated. They make a brand feel human, rather than manufactured.
How Can You Use The Behind The Scenes Effect In Sales?
Choose what’s safe to share
Consider what you could share about your offering, being careful not to reveal anything sensitive or detrimental to your brand. So pick details that feel honest without exposing anything genuinely risky.
Use a range of formats
From meet the team pieces to pictures of things normally hidden, to interesting did you know facts and figures, or the story of how your business began, there’s plenty to choose from.
Make it visual where possible
A short video or set of photos often lands better than text alone, because it lets buyers actually see the process rather than just read a description of it.
When The Behind The Scenes Effect Works Best
It works best when your process genuinely involves craft, skill, or care, since that’s what makes the reveal feel worth watching in the first place.
It also works well in industries where buyers assume things are mass produced or impersonal, because a behind the scenes look can directly challenge that assumption.
When The Behind The Scenes Effect Becomes Dangerous
It becomes dangerous if you accidentally reveal something commercially sensitive or unflattering that you can’t take back once it’s public.
It can also backfire if the reveal feels staged rather than genuine, since buyers can usually tell the difference between an authentic glimpse and a polished performance dressed up as one.
Common Behind The Scenes Effect Mistakes
Sharing something too sensitive
Not everything behind the scenes is safe to show. So always think through what a detail could reveal before you share it.
Over-polishing the reveal
A behind the scenes piece that looks too perfect defeats the purpose. So let it feel a little raw and real, rather than perfectly staged.
Doing it once and stopping
A single behind the scenes post rarely builds lasting connection. So make it a regular part of how you communicate, not a one-off stunt.
The Behind The Scenes Effect – An Example
A bakery’s sourdough kitchen tour
A bakery could share a short video tour of the kitchen showing how their famous sourdough is made each morning, from mixing the dough at 5am to the first batch coming out of the oven.
This behind the scenes look gives customers a sense of craftsmanship, care, and authenticity. So they become more likely to buy, simply because they’ve seen what goes into the product before it ever reaches the shelf.
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