Do you ever end a sales call and think, ‘Why did I say that?’
I’ve had many sales calls go like that, but the more that I’ve sold over the years, the more I’ve perfected my pitch.
In business, you’re always selling something. If you’re an employee, you’re selling your skills or expertise to a company. If you’re a freelancer, you’re selling professional services to clients. If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re selling yourself to investors, joint venture partners or potential clients. If you can sell in business, then you can win. If you can’t sell, don’t worry — it’s a skill you can learn!
There are small things you can do on a sales call to sound more confident and get more sales. Confidence is key — no one wants to buy from someone who is unsure of their product or service. You never want to sound desperate, like you need to get the sale to survive. You must have the mindset that you have something this client needs, and you’re the solution to their biggest problem. Showing certainty in yourself and in the product or service you’re selling is absolutely essential. In all my years of sales, I’ve found that confidence matters more than competence because confident people always get the sale.
Tony Robbins puts it this way: Success — in life and in business — is 80% mindset and 20% skill. So, let’s get your mindset right!
I’ve made hundreds of sales calls throughout my career, so I came up with the top six things NOT to say on a sales call.
- Don’t start selling until you’ve asked questions and made sure the prospect actually needs what you’re selling. I’ve seen people spend 30 minutes selling something that the person doesn’t even need, which is a waste of time. Ask questions, listen and pivot your pitch to solve the biggest problem that they’re facing. Then, they’ll buy!
- Don’t say, “I think this would be great for you.” If you aren’t sure, your potential client won’t be sure, either! You have to say “I know this will help you.” If you’re certain about it, your client will pick up on your confidence and believe you!
- Avoid saying “Thank you for your time.” This statement makes it sound like they’re doing you a favor by getting on the call. If you’re selling correctly, you’re spending time digging into their objectives and biggest problems and providing relevant, helpful suggestions. You’re consulting without giving away too much information. The prospect should be benefitting from the call. Instead of thanking them for their time in your follow-up, recap the conversation and send them the bullet points of how you can help them. Definitely end with a thank-you, but make your main focus how your product or service can benefit them.
- Don’t say, “Does that make sense?” This statement can make you sound like you’re unsure of yourself or what you’re selling. A better way to say that is, “What are you thoughts on _______?” If they don’t understand, they’ll be able to tell you so you can explain further. I’ve found that the best way to explain what you’re selling is to use storytelling. Share a story about how your product or service helped you or someone else you’ve worked with. This approach is much more relatable and easy to understand, and it makes for a much more memorable sales pitch.
- Don’t ask, “Can you share with me a little more about what you do?” If you can Google it ahead of time and get the answer, don’t ask. You should always do your homework before getting on a sales call — it makes you come across as more professional and likeable if you’ve done some research ahead of time. Remember that your prospect is busy, and they don’t have time to tell you everything they do and why they’re a good candidate for your product or service. Try to learn as much about them ahead of time so your sales call can be focused on actually making the sale.
- Don’t talk too much after you say your price. Be confident in your pricing when you say it. Also, don’t be quick to discount. Charge what you’re worth!
Sales calls take practice, but once you get it down, you’ll be amazed at how easily your sales will close. Start with taking these words and phrases out of your mouth to set yourself up for sales success!
