Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
Most sales teams still pitch with logic, slides, and feature lists - but research shows that up to 90% of buying decisions are emotional.
In this sales psychology talk, Ben Wise (Co-Founder, Captivate) breaks down the behavioral science behind why customers buy and how you can use emotional selling and storytelling to close more B2B sales and SaaS deals.
You will learn how to apply psychology in sales using proven concepts from behavioral economics and academic research—translated into practical tactics you can use before your next sales meeting.
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💡 What you will learn
• Why 90% of buying decisions are emotional, not rational
• The “elephant and rider” model for understanding buyer decision-making
• How dirty $700 sneakers, Golden Goose, TikTok made me buy it, and Netflix autoplay reveal real customer psychology
• How to avoid “death by PowerPoint” and build presentations that move people
The 3 basic human truths that drive every sale:
1. People are lazy and hate change
2. Perceptions can change in an instant
3. People connect with people (even in B2B sales)
How to use these insights in discovery calls, demos, pitches, and closing conversations
Ben also shares a free sales psychology newsletter and a pre-meeting checklist that turn academic research into simple, repeatable sales frameworks you can implement in minutes.
🎥 Filmed live at BrainStation by TechTO in 2025.
🔗 Follow TechTO - Canada’s Most Connected Tech Community
🌐 Website: www.techto.org
🔗 LinkedIn: TechTO
📸 Instagram: @techtoorg Watch more talks: youtube.com/c/TechTorontoOrg
Upcoming events: techto.org/events
Events calendar: luma.com/TechTO-Events
Newsletter — The read on Canadian tech: blog.techto.org
Membership: techto.org/memberships
Most sales teams still pitch with logic, slides, and feature lists - but research shows that up to 90% of buying decisions are emotional.
In this sales psychology talk, Ben Wise (Co-Founder, Captivate) breaks down the behavioral science behind why customers buy and how you can use emotional selling and storytelling to close more B2B sales and SaaS deals.
You will learn how to apply psychology in sales using proven concepts from behavioral economics and academic research—translated into practical tactics you can use before your next sales meeting.
⸻
💡 What you will learn
• Why 90% of buying decisions are emotional, not rational
• The “elephant and rider” model for understanding buyer decision-making
• How dirty $700 sneakers, Golden Goose, TikTok made me buy it, and Netflix autoplay reveal real customer psychology
• How to avoid “death by PowerPoint” and build presentations that move people
The 3 basic human truths that drive every sale:
1. People are lazy and hate change
2. Perceptions can change in an instant
3. People connect with people (even in B2B sales)
How to use these insights in discovery calls, demos, pitches, and closing conversations
Ben also shares a free sales psychology newsletter and a pre-meeting checklist that turn academic research into simple, repeatable sales frameworks you can implement in minutes.
🎥 Filmed live at BrainStation by TechTO in 2025.
🔗 Follow TechTO - Canada’s Most Connected Tech Community
🌐 Website: www.techto.org
🔗 LinkedIn: TechTO
📸 Instagram: @techtoorg Watch more talks: youtube.com/c/TechTorontoOrg
Upcoming events: techto.org/events
Events calendar: luma.com/TechTO-Events
Newsletter — The read on Canadian tech: blog.techto.org
Membership: techto.org/memberships
