Can your sales reps put a sentence together? The words salespeople use define them in the eyes of customers, just as their voices and demeanor do. But in the digital world, strong communication is becoming a lost art.
People have become accustomed to typing and texting in shorthand, and we spend less time actually talking to people. So while the Internet has enabled us to connect with more prospects than ever before, it's also ruining our ability to do so effectively.
Sales managers, listen up. It's not enough to coach your team on boosting numbers and closing deals. Even the most effective sales techniques fall short if your team sounds, well … stupid.
Sales reps want a call back? It's time to lose the "ums," the bored tone of voice, the filler words, and — worse yet — the words they use incorrectly. (I literally wish people would stop misusing "literally.") Another one of my favorites is "honestly." Does that mean everything else your sales reps have been saying is dishonest?
Come on, salespeople are smarter than that!
Forget the filler words
This isn't high school; it's the business world. And it's time for sales managers to pay attention to the words their teams use when communicating with prospects and clients.
That's why I related to Jennie Haskamp's recent post about how to communicate concisely and powerfully. In "15 Words You Need to Eliminate From Your Vocabulary to Sound Smarter," she writes:
