Apparently, and don’t take my word for it, the English language has approximately 1,000,000 words. Shakespeare used 31,534 words in his works, and the average speaker knows between 10,000 and 20,000. With so many words to choose from, how can your sales teams choose the right ones and maximise their potential?
Forget yourself, and focus on YOU!
Unfortunately, people love to speak about themselves. How boring is that stranger at the party who won’t stop telling you all about his car, his job, his aunt Rita and his wife Jenny? He is having the greatest time ever, but your mind starts to wander.
In sales, the biggest mistake that you can make is talking too much about your company and what you do. Forget the words “I”, “our solution”, “our business”. When you use these words, your prospect immediately thinks that you are more focused on your own need to make a sale, rather than their need for your solution. Instead focus on “you”, “your problem”, “your business”.
A crude example;
“Hi, this is Bob from Computer World. I was hoping to speak with you about your organisation and find out what kind of challenges you are facing in terms of I.T.” conveys a much warmer message than “Hi this is Bob from Computer World, I wanted to tell you about our new line of laptops and state of the art printers”. Even though the end goal is the same, how you get there is different.
In real terms, think about Coca Cola’s marketing ploy of putting popular names on their bottles. What a great way for such a massive global brand to make the experience of buying their product a little more personal. And perhaps even more ingenious- the amount of photos of Coke bottles appearing on Instagram and Facebook accounts posted by users with the same first name. Love them or hate them for it, Coca Cola know how to market effectively.
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it”
Anyone who is a fan of Ted talks should recognise this truth as presented by Simon Sinek in Start with Why. I am not going to do Mr. Sinek the great injustice of paraphrasing his idea. Instead, if you haven’t seen it, watch this short edit from his renowned and inspirational speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYeCltXpxw. Mr. Sinek’s speech alone is a testament to the power of words. From the outset he grabs your attention and keeps it throughout. His message drives home the importance of communicating from the inside out, changing your approach and the words you use to convey your driving force, and speaking to your customer’s gut.
Speak their language
Mirroring someone’s body language is a way to show somebody that you are on the same wave length and provide reassurance. How can you do that over the phone? The best way is by using the same wording as your prospect. Whether you are using similar terminology from an answer that they have given you, or whether you use the same technical phrases that they use, speaking in their language lets them know that you understand them and that you are both on the same page.
A picture paints a thousand words;
But what if you don’t have any paints or brushes? This saying can still be relevant, even in telemarketing. If you really want your prospect’s attention, then draw them in by using an illustration. Paint a situation for them, place them in it, and present them with a solution to the problem or challenge they have discussed with you. Speak to their gut, help them project themselves into a world without this problem using a solution- your offering!
In conclusion, the words you use can affect a prospect’s perception of you. Would you choose a ‘roast beef dinner with potatoes and vegetables’, or a ‘succulent cut of prime beef, with crispy golden roasted potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables’?
At Maven TM, we understand the power of words. Our telesales agents might not have the extended vocabulary of Shakespeare, but we know the best ways to attract a prospects interest. If you are experiencing problems having the right kinds of conversations, then give us a call and tell us all about it. Maven TM is a specialist B2B Telemarketing and Sales Lead Generation company.
Written by Sarah Maher