During my tenure as a sales trainer, I've had the good fortune of working with hundreds of salespeople. One thing I've noticed is that top-performing salespeople speak differently than their less-successful counterparts.
Here are a few things I've never heard a great salesperson say:
1. "The economy is preventing me from hitting my targets." The economy may not have fully recovered, but plenty of buyers and decision-makers are making purchases. The key is to give them a compelling reason and to demonstrate exactly how they will benefit from your solution.
2. "What will it take to earn your business?" I can't believe how many salespeople ask this question. My knee-jerk response is to think "If you do your job properly and I need your solution, I will buy from you." Salespeople earn business by clearly demonstrating an understanding of their prospects' needs, wants and unique situations and positioning their solutions accordingly.
