Sales' Seven Dirty Words

1. Package: Fed Ex and UPS have consumer stores and they sell packages there. Go apply if you're passionate about selling packages.

2. Added Value (counts as one word): If the Buyer asks for it, you say, "Mr. Jones, every idea we come up with has only one purpose, to further your interests because it has value. Do you mean you want a gift? Okay, let's exchange birthdates, and gifts on those occasions.

Here's what you sound like when you introduce "added value": "You say that's not enough? You say you want more? Okay."(Clap your hands together). "Tell you what I'm gonna do..."

3. I'll be honest with you: "Phew, and here I thought you were going to try and sell me something no matter how you had to get me to do it." This expression costs you any shot at credibility.

4. Special: As in "I have a special for you today." I believe that's effective at Border's. (Unless of course their plan is to get me in the store with a 40% coupon for one book and hope that I will buy others at full price). I won't. I just wait for a day or two until there's another 40% off deal. They've trained me to buy cheap, as you will be training your buyers with periodic "specials."

5. Cost: Cars cost, tangerines cost, pedicures cost, etc. Marketing dollars are investments. Train yourself and your customers to think that way

6. Me/I: Think and say "you."

7. Sign here: That's a really personal and threatening directive. "Make sense?" with the offered contract is not.

Remember always that a truly customer focused, well prepared, honest, creative and supportive selling/partner becomes the representative of choice and that perception supercedes all product and pricing differences with competitors. Is a great customer focused idea at an investment of $100 less appealing than a self-serving dumb one that costs $50?

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
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