If You Say This, They Do Not Care
By Art Sobczak on Nov 3, 2008 in Sales Recommendations (presentations)
A sales rep cold-called me the other day and was reading a pitch for website search engine optimization.
Wish I had recorded it.
Aside from numerous other mistakes he made (not knowing anything about me or my company, reading from a script, having a horrible opening, not asking questions…) he repeatedly said,
" … and I feel that …",
" … and I know that you will …"
What’s the most common, predictable listener response
to "I" language?
It’s this: "Who cares what YOU think? You don’t know me, or anything about me."
I can’t say this often enough: The not-so-secret, secret to sales success is determining and understanding what someone wants, and then showing them how they can get it, or giving it to them.
And that means gathering information before the call, and during the call. Then, when it’s time to make your recommendation, you know it’s on target. It has to be, because if you did your job, they told you what they’re interested in.
And when you’re presenting, use a "YOU" language, not "I."
Further, use plenty of personalized and customized examples.
Examples sell. Anyone can make a statement, and most salespeople do. But, when it’s backed up by proof…examples…then it carries credibility. Plus it adds visualization to the sales process by phone.
For example, determine which statement has more impact.
1. "Our service will cut down on processing time."
2. "Our service will cut down on the time you said it takes for you to enter orders, print shipping forms and labels, and get the order out the door faster to meet the requirements you mentioned. Customers in your industry tell me they have doubled the number of orders they’re able to handle in a day."
EXERCISE: take every statement you use to describe the benefits/results you deliver. Brainstorm for the sensory terms and descriptions that bring those results to life. Then find several concrete examples of how others have already experienced those results. Commit them to memory so they’re always a part of your presentations.
