As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, how you say something during a sales meeting can be just as important as what you say.
How you look, how you act, how you move, and how you engage with an advertising prospect all send powerful messages about who you are and whether you can be trusted. I’m guessing about 80% of sales people ignore the non-verbal parts of the sales cycle, which likely results in losing 30% of the opportunities available to them. Once sales people discover how to use their personal presence to close more business, their closing ratios begin to soar.
Here are a couple of small hints for improving your “personal presence”:
- Shake hands firmly.
- Look people directly in the eye.
- Dress one notch better than your prospect.
- Arrive 5 minutes early for every meeting.
- Leave your cell phone in the car.
- Pop in a breath mint before walking in the door.
- Be organized and prepared. Bring two pens just in case.
- Ask permission to take notes during the meeting.
- Say thank you.
I’ll admit that none of the hints I’m suggesting are rocket science. But I can guarantee you that more business is won or lost through these and other simple non-verbal cues than through all the fanciest, most complicated sales presentations in the world.
Whether it is riding a bike, playing a musical instrument, learning to dance – or closing business – the basics are always the hardest and most important thing to master. Kevin Love still sinks dozens of free throws every day in practice, because he understands that mastering the basics is what it takes to win.
Have a terrific week,
Dan
If there are specific topics you’d like to see discussed in a future issue of The Sales Cycle, please contact me at 612-278-0223 or dan@mna.org