A salesperson needs to pay close attention to every word they say when talking to a prospect. Action words that speak of change, fast processing and forward movement are efficient. On the contrary, expressions that slow down the communication, embarass the prospect and don't give him or her a chance to react set back the whole interaction. Here are three sentences that salespeople use surprisingly often which are useless and counter-productive. Drop them from your sales vocabulary.
I. Can I bother you for a second?
As a LinkedIn article states, this is a fatal question for numerous reasons. Firstly, you are giving the client an opportunity to simply cut off the conversation right away. Secondly, you seem like you would be bothering the prospect, i.e. the prospect would be doing you a favor by giving you some of their time. You should, on the contrary, seem like you are giving an offer that will change the life of the prospect for the better, and that it would be a mistake if they didn't listen to you.
II. When will we see each other next?
A meeting should end with a sale, a rejection from the prospect, or with a firmly set date and time of the following meeting. It is you who needs to suggest the time and date. If the term is not possible for the prospect, never say: "Whenever you want, you decide." You would seem like a loser with an empty planner. Never let the client leave only with a promise that you will talk about the next steps later.
III. Will you give me your boss's contact information?
This is a typical question after finding out that the person they are talking to is not a decision-maker. However, with this question, you are demeaning the person you are talking to, and you are putting them into opposition. Never underestimate the role of assistants, receptionists and junior representatives. They might have a much bigger say in the whole process than you might imagine. You should make the person a partner in your project instead: "What are your criteria for recommending the offer I am giving you to your boss as the solution you need?"
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