language

3 Little Words That Will Rock Your World

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It’s not “I love you” cuz’ I don’t.  Not really. 

But no worries ( and sorry if I just rocked your world :)), those aren’t the 3 little word types I’m talking about anyway.

Actually, I’ve got 3 sets of 3 little words that are a heck of a lot better than what we usually say.

These words are perfect for pros in Sales, Marketing, Training, Leadership or just plain ol’ Life in general and should be used all day long.

So good are these 3 little words that they will Rock Your World.  They will do better than that and make Glorious your entire 2012 if you chose to use them liberally. 

So the question is, do you want to improve your performance, have people really love you more, crush quota or get promoted this year?

Oh Hell Yes!  (Um…These are any of the 3 little words I am talking about- but I like them).

Here they are.  Print these and tape this across you’re the face of your smartphone- that way I know you won’t forget them. 

  •  “What I Can”: Oh to have a dollar for every traditional phrase I hear of “there is no way” or “I can’t” or “It is not possible to hit that date” and I’d be super rich.   “What I can” followed by the word “do” or “say” or “give” is so much better.  Simple psychology here- focus on the positives or what is within the realm of possibility.  The opposite i.e.  “can’t” is an automatic tension raiser.  Use “what I can” this in sales, coaching and collaboration and people, no matter what you do, will see you as someone who always says “yes!” 

 

  • “What We Believe”:  This is especially for you sales and marketing types.  Usually we blather on about “What we have” in the realm of the products or services, or options and promotions etc.    Instead of starting your sales and marketing conversations with “What we have are ____ and ____…” replace it with “What we believe is small businesses should take advantage of______ “or some phrase like that that espouses intelligence.    Customers/ Prospects know your darn products (heck they went online before they called you!).  What they want is advice and counsel.  They want a company or a person that has an opinion, a belief.  It’s less risky that way.   They want to hear what you believe.  Do this and you will make more sales.

 

  • “What Most People”:  Throw away everything else – these are the most powerful words in sales,marketing and training.  There is comfort (especially in a sketchy economy) in what other “like” people or businesses do.  Just lead with these 3 words!   You don’t need to explain it, tee it up or cringe before you say it.  “What most people buy is the _____”.  Or “What most people say is within 120 days they see great results”.   You get it.  But no one really says it often enough.  People and businesses (especially some say, small businesses) wont’ move till they know it works and most others are doing or using it.  Say it 50 times a day or more and you win!    

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

 Mark

The Most Powerful Phrase in Sales

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It’s the most powerful phrase in Marketing too.

It’s shocking how many of us in Sales forget to use it. Marketing folks forget it it too but not as often as they tend to proof stuff before prospects or customers see or hear anything.

Why we sales people forget it all the time is another blog for another day but what you must do now with this most powerful of phrases is jump on it and start using it today, this hour and in as many ways and places as you can.

The world is eating this phrase up right now. It’s never been hotter. Ever.

Interestingly the key to this is not rooted in what everyone thinks are the pillars of sales success like “Solving a problem” or ” Filling a need” or “Asking great questions” or even “Focusing on your customer”

This phrase is not about your customer. It’s not about you, your company or your product either.

And what’s really really cool about this powerful phrase is that it is easier than ever for you to use it. There’s more evidence to cite it, examples to help frame it, places and spaces to preach it, teach it and shout it out from the top of your cubicle, desk or chair.

It’s simple too. Here it is.

“What most people….”

What most people…What most people…. Say it with me, “What most people..!!”

Ahhhh.

Powerful.  Add  “do” or your favorite  action word or words – it doesn’t matter-and it all becomes gold! . What most people “say”, “ask”, “wonder”, “start with”, “buy”, “think about”, “try”.

The phrase is not about you. It’s not about the customer or the prospect either- it’s about people like them.

That is powerful. That gets attention. That starts and moves sales. That works.

We are sheep.  I’ve written and shared studies with all of you on how powerful what most people do is. We want to see the most fans on Facebook, the most likes, the ratings, what others bought, the plus 1’s, the followers on Twitter.  It’s all the same thing.  What most people do is what I the consumer or the business owner wants to know.

I’m no fool. Not every customer will follow mindlessly like sheep do. But I guarantee the phrase gets the head and heart to at least listen to what you have to say – and that is half the battle.

Work it in to your phone calls and presentations and not just around “What most people buy is“. It’s smart, effective and the most powerful phrase in sales.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

Love

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I’ve gotten a lot of good natured ribbing lately about the word “Love”.  

Yeah, I helped the talented staff here and designed a short training a couple of weeks back around a particular sales effort.  I recommended that salespeople use the word “love” in voicemails and conversations they have with folks.

Darn proud of it I am.   It’s good thinking.  Heard we got some sales rollin’ in too.   

You don’t like the idea?  Feels uncomfortable for you?  Too bad.  You are missing the point.    

It’s not the word “love” that matters as much as what that type of word does.

You have a choice.  Do you want to sound like every other Sales or Account Rep calling or leaving voicemails for clients and prospects or do you want to be different? 

Do you want to be the 11th voicemail the small business owner picks up that is not a needed customer, or their accountant, or a family member but instead is a sales rep (you) and pray that your brochure-like language gets an inkling of attention?  Or do you want to be memorable?

In Voicemail your biggest obstacle isn’t how you deliver your value, or how you position your offer or if you can sound credible – it’s the dang Delete button. 

You bore and you are no more. 

A word like “Love” in a voice mail or in the first minute of a conversation as in “We sent you a coupon for this because we love you” makes wonderful sense when you are calling on customers with any tenure to your organization.    A word like “Love” as in “I love what you are doing, opening a new business- that is exciting” when working with prospects will surely get attention.

Still feels awkward?  It just doesn’t feel right still? 

Find a way.  You are still missing the point.

“Love” and words very much like it, engage something wonderful in a customer or prospect.  They don’t expect to hear that and in one word, it signals uniquely what you think of them – which is impossible to go unnoticed.   No other vendor, sales rep or partner leaves words like “love” on a voicemail today let alone in a conversation.  And maybe, just maybe if you do this – that customer or prospect will perk their ears up, listen to the rest of the message and who knows, write your number down and call you back.

So whether the word is “love” or “adore” or “cherish”, each will get attention.   And it sets you apart in a memorable, wonderful way that will get you far more business than if you sound like everyone else.

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark

So Misunderstood

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Some sales people, when they hear my name, turn their heads away and shrug.

Some sales people, when they hear my name, feel insulted.

Some sales people, when they hear my name, get very angry.

It’s too bad really.

Some sales people, when they hear my name, just don’t get it.   I am so misunderstood.

Because without me, some of the greatest sales people in the leadership world would just about be forgotten.   Without me, you’d not remember half the moving messages of an Obama  or  Reagan or the stirring words of Martin Luther King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or the timeless candor of JFK at his Inauguration.   

Without me, some of the greatest sales people in the traditional selling world would just about be lost in the crowd.  Without me, you’d not have heard half the messages of Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar or Jeffery Gitomer.

Without me, some of the greatest sales performances around us would just be of the ”Oh So Average” variety.  That guy in Florida, the one that landed the fortune 100 company, that would have been different.  That appointment setting guru, she wouldn’t get half the meetings set up with decision makers she does today without me.   

My name is Scripting.  And I am so misunderstood.

I am not overstating this.  Barack, Ronnie, Martin and John performed crafted messages.  They worked from scripts.  They had visions and dreams and goals to sell.   They followed that script; they wanted to; they needed to.

There is an unwarranted aversion some sales people and sales leaders have to being handed a script. 

You have to remember that a script is content crafted in such a way that a message is superbly told, a vision is passionately stated, or an experience is exquisitely orchestrated. 

No one who hands you a script is trying to script tone, genuineness, sincerity, passion and excitement.  You own that.  

No one who hands you a script is trying to “de humanize” you or the experience.  It’s the opposite.  That script, that process, that well crafted content is there to allow you to maximize your talents making the experience sound nothing like a script.   Learn from the masters and make the script invisible; that is what you own.   

The great sales people of the world, the industry or even in the building you work in wouldn’t dream of “winging it” or thriving off of improvisation; it just doesn’t work. 

Till next time,

Grow The Business.

Mark