The difference between good salespeople and great salespeople is the language they use and when they use it. But before we dive into the phrases successful sale people utilise, it’s important to know why they use them at all.
The simple answer is that the sales profession ultimately comes down to building strong relationships predicated on trust.
Today’s salespeople cannot sell like the old door to door ones of yesteryear: coming to your home and forcing a product upon you with no consequences for its benefits.
In today’s world, the ramifications for poor business activity is broadcast far wider.
So when we’re talking to a prospect in the modern age we need to ensure we are building trust and thus long-lasting relationships.
And the way we do this is by a set of very specific phrases said at a precise time. This blog will outline three of the many:
1. “I’m not sure if it’s for you…BUT”
If you want someone to consider an idea of yours, try this phrase, because the voice inside the other person’s head asks two things:
- “I’ll be the judge of whether it’s for me or not.”
- “What is this offering?”
It’s a great way to stand up to the rejection that can come from a question.
The word after this phrase, “but” is also very powerful. Generally, the word “but” has the effect of devaluing what was said prior.
Normally, this isn’t what we want to hear. For example: “Hey, I loved your sales presentation, but…”
Yet, in the context of: “I’m not sure if it’s for you, but”, you’re erasing any uncertainty around the phrase “I’m not sure if it’s for you”. The slight shift in wording can drastically change the thought process of your prospect.
Let’s say you’re a logo designer. You might be in a situation where you think a particular logo design may be far better than the one the client thinks is best (for example, you think a red and black logo looks far better than their proposed red and pink version). You would simply say: “I’m not sure if it’s for you, but, have you considered how the red and black might look?”
You’re not only building trust with this phrase, but you’re also creating the ability to ask them something, without any fear of rejection.
The prospect cannot jump down your throat and criticise you, because you’ve predicated the offer with “I’m not sure if it’s for you…”
You would use this phrase whenever you needed to propose a certain offering that might seem a little jarring to the prospect at first.
2. “What’s Going To Be Easier?”
Sometimes prospects get stuck in indecision and we need to help them. So, we can then use this phrase: “What’s going to be easier?” as a way to do so.
The logo designer might say to the prospect, presently unhappy with their current logo provider: “What’s going to be easier? Staying with this vendor you’re frustrated with, or giving me a chance, saving money in the process, and getting a logo you might be happier with?”
You’re presenting this as a 50/50 question. With the preface of the words: “What’s going to be easier?”, the prospect is instead forced to answer the direct question being asked.
And of course, the second of those options is clearly easier, and thus the question is asked in a way that offers a favorable outcome towards you.
You would use this phrase towards the end of your conversation with a prospect if they were undecided on a decision, and you thought they needed some help in deciding.
3. “Choosing Us Means That you Benefit From…”
Too many people get caught up in explaining what they do as a startup, such as: “We offer the best SEO in the market…”
You must make your potential customer the center of the conversation. So instead, consider using the phrase: “Choosing us means that you benefit from…”.
When you make your prospect the center of the conversation, it builds a lot more trust inside them that you have their best outcome in mind.
By shifting the language pattern to focus on their concerns and needs, you make them more eager to work with you.
The logo designer might say: “Choosing us means you benefit from the choice of three designs, and two revisions, to ensure you don’t feel forced into taking any option we put forward.”
You would use this phrase whenever you were explaining why you think you’re a good provider.
These phrases were shared with me by Phil M. Jones, a sales expert who has trained over 2 million salespeople to build better business relationships with the power of language (you can listen to that podcast interview here).
“The biggest difference that I’ve seen between those that do great (in sales) and those that just get by, are the ones that do great know exactly what to say and when to say it, and how to make it count”, Phil said.
Try using these three phrases in your dialogue with prospects and let me know how they respond.