How to avoid the cardinal sin of selling

What is the worst way to open a sales conversation, meeting, appointment or call (warm or cold)? This was the question I asked attendees at a recent sales training workshop. The answer? To talk about your company—your background, history, number of locations, how long you've been in business, client list, awards you have won or anything else of a self-serving nature.

The same concept holds true for your slide decks. Most companies insist their logos be prominently displayed on every single slide in the deck. And it's not uncommon for marketing departments to insert a dozen slides at the front of a deck, each focused on the organization.

Needless to say, this was a tough concept for some workshop participants to swallow. I heard a lot of "Yeah, buts…" For example:

• "Our marketing team says we have to open with those slides."
• "Our prospects don't always know who we are, so we need to tell them right away."
• "It shows how diverse we are."
• "My boss says every presentation has to start this way."

But, here's what your marketing team or boss may not understand: Your prospects don't care about that stuff. They don't want to know about your company, and telling them about it will only annoy them. They care about their businesses and problems, which is why they have agreed to meet with you. The sooner you stop talking about yourself and start talking about them, the quicker you will get their attention and stand out from the competition. Sounds simple, right?