10 Things Sales Workers Should NEVER Say To A Customer
We have all, at one point in time conversed with a sales person and can tell, almost immediately if the conversation is going to go well or end extremely terrible.
Most companies provide their sales team with a script or guidelines to go off of.
Some are persuasive and others are downright annoying.
Here are a few tips that Sales workers should never say to a customer.
- “Do you have 90 seconds?” Sure…..you are trying to come across like the conversation isn’t going to take that much of your time, but in most calls this is not true. How can you have a full business discussion in a minute and a half? Do not start a conversation with a lie.
- “I really need this deal.” Well….Sales is about solving customers and clients problems, and delivering excellent products or services, not trying to push off your own personal struggles on another individual. This makes you look incredibly desperate.
- “I’m going to be honest with you.” We’ve all heard it! So, does that mean that you haven’t been honest until this point?
- “Tim, let’s take a look at this one. Does that sound good, Tim?” Ugh! It’s good to take the time to remember a customer’s name but know when to stop! More times than not it’s an attempt to build rapport and ends up irritating the intended buyer.
- “I don’t usually do this for anyone but…” An obvious sales pitch. If you didn’t do something special for ALL of your customers then what’s so good about your company in the first place?
- “What keeps you up at night?” Well, right off the bat wouldn’t you want to say we all have a lot of different things that are none of your business, lol! This is a common sales question that is just trying to find out what problems your company is going through but needs to be rephrased to “What are some of your daily struggles that is holding your company back?”
- “How could you not want this deal?” This immediately comes off as desperate or sometimes even cocky. What if someone said back to you “Because you didn’t do a good enough job selling it to me!” Normally it’s as simple as “the price of the product!”
- “I’m just touching base.” Touching base obscures what you’re really asking for and is very transparent. Call or email for a decision or an update but don’t call to touch base, it sounds like you are obligated to do so and often inconveniences the other person.
- “My competitor’s products are awful.” Instead of badmouthing your competition, point out the difference and value of your company.
- “Would you like some time to think about it?” This gives your prospect a quick way to end the conversation. Let them be the ones to ask for some time to think it over so you can ask what their concerns are and get to the solution faster.
If you are in a call center you may HAVE to obey their policies and read off of a script but it wouldn’t hurt to bring this to their attention. But, if you have the independence to personalize your calls then please keep these in mind when cold calling! We have all gotten these pesky sales pitches and each have our own pet peeves so please share yours below!
*Spiro – Ken Kupchik – 10 Things Salespeople should never say to a customer – https://spiro.ai/10-things-salespeople-should-never-say-to-a-customer/