Salespeople Say the Same Old S#@! Part I

Working in sales the last 20+ years has taught me that salespeople love to run their mouths. The one problem I have with them talking, is that most of them are not talking about anything. They just won’t shut up. It’s as if someone told them that dominating a prospect with more words would give them an advantage.

Prospect: 100 words

Sales Rep: 5000 words

Sales Rep: WINNER – I don’t think so!

Sales has never been about who could talk the most.  The job itself used to be about a person who was clever, savvy and strategic enough to verbally take advantage of any and all situations by being brilliant at arousing curiosity. An example that comes to mind about how bad-ass your conversation should be is founded in the Viagra principle. And what the hell do I mean by that? I’ll explain! Viagra is a drug designed to arouse, stimulate and keep a man strong during sexual interaction. If they designed a similar drug for sales people who were impotent with their communication, somebody would make billions.

Today, I come to you because some of you need Salespeople Viagra. You talk too much and say the same s#@! that every other sales rep has been saying since the birth of sales. Where is your creativity? Where is your hustle? Where is your wit? Where is your charm? Where is your strategy? Where is your love for changing the game?

There was a time when I dared a person to throw me a rebuttal. I cherished the thought process that another person had in attempting to throw me off my game. It couldn’t happen! My motto always helped me push the envelope. I banned all ‘uhhh’ moments. You see, the secret to selling is in the motto; which most of you don’t have.

MY MOTTO: If I don’t come up with a response to what someone says, then my mom should die!

Was that morbid? You can think what you want!

I know that what I did sounds crazy as hell to many of you, but that little statement governed that I would never lose in a sales conversation. It didn’t mean everybody would buy from me, but it made me always find a logical response.

Which brings me to the point of this post. I want the salespeople of 2017 to work on packaging their messages. Stop being weak! Challenge yourself to listen real hard to what someone says and respond by being professional, sincere, genuine and authentic. If you are going to say the same S#@! that salespeople have said for years, then your prospect will hear what you are up to and defeat you. I have your tombstone waiting.

We are in the language game.

Stop saying “I understand,” when most likely you don’t understand anything.

Stop saying “sorry to bother you.” Why would you ever apologize for calling people?

Stop saying “can I tell you about…” What if they say no? Then you are stuck!

Stop saying “is this a good time.” Why give someone a chance to get off the call?

If you don’t verbally challenge yourself every day to be stronger, you might as well turn in your resume to Walmart. I’m sure you can manage to greet people. Maybe the only reluctance you need to be fighting is the old lady failing to acknowledge you while giving her a basket for her groceries.  

SALES IS A PROFESSION!

Maybe this will help you get it. Athletes work out by lifting weights in the gym, running on the track for cardio, and by doing some variation of sit-ups and push-ups. I’m sure you understand why. They are attempting to get to the top of their game.  The good ones start practicing 1 or 2 hours earlier than everybody else. Then when everybody else arrives they practice with them. Then when everybody else leaves they keep practicing. Again, they want to be the best! In the sales world we should be doing the same damn thing.

I would charge all of you to sit down and do cardio, sit-ups and push-ups with your words. You are supposed to be working to be the next best thing in your chosen profession.

Either you are working out to be the best or you are looking for a job month after month.

You decide!

If you want to teach your organization how to work-out, give me a shout.