Tips and Hacks

Sales professionals can alleviate the pressure customers feel by identifying their internal deadline. Understanding what the customer needs to make a decision provides the sales professional with a major strategic advantage. This approach allows the sales professional to conduct conversations in a more relaxed and unhurried way, positioning them as a trusted advisor to the customer. As time passes, the natural pressure of the decision-making process will build on the buyer.

Ask: The most straightforward way to determine the internal deadline of the other party is to ask them directly. You can ask them when they need to make a decision or when they need the product or service you are offering.

Analyze their behavior: Observe the other party's behavior and communication patterns to identify any cues that may indicate their internal deadline. For example, if they are suddenly more urgent or are asking more questions, it may be a sign that their deadline is approaching.

Look for external factors: Consider external factors that may impact the other party's internal deadline, such as upcoming events, new regulations ad laws or seasonal trends.

Research: Do your research on the other party's industry and competitors to identify any common industry practices or trends that may indicate their internal deadline.

Let’s say that the offer you received is not what you expected. In order to get your #counterpart to make you a better one, you need to decline the first offer. But what is the best way to get what you want?

Try the Henry Kissinger Method. The idea behind his method is very simple. When someone makes you an offer you think could be improved, you simply respond after a small pause:

You: “Thanks. That’s Not Good Enough.”

Then pause again and let your counterpart make the next step. Most #negotiators will fall into the emotional trap of losing the deal if they don't fix it. It is important thing that you use as few words as possible, pay attention to pauses and never give a reason why it is not enough.

An excellent example: Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under Richard Nixon, was a master at this tactic. According to one story, his chief of staff once handed in a report he had written on an aspect of foreign policy. When Kissinger received the report, he asked simply, “Is this your best work?” The chief thought for a moment and, worried that his boss would think the report was not good enough, responded, “Mr. Kissinger, I think I can do better.” So Kissinger gave the report back. Two weeks later the chief turned in the revised report. Kissinger kept it for a week and then sent it back with a note that said, “Are you sure this is your best work?” Realizing that something must have been missing, the chief once again rewrote the report. This time when he handed the report to his boss, he said “Mr. Kissinger, this is my best work.” Hearing that, Kissinger replied, “Then this time I will read your report.”

Mirroring the prospect is important because it allows you to connect with them on a deeper level. By using language that they are familiar with, you demonstrate that you understand their needs and concerns. This creates a sense of trust and comfort, making the prospect more likely to open up to you and share important information about their buying criteria. The secret of mirroring is not to repeat the same words, but to convey the meaning of the statement in tone, speed of speech in similar words or phrases. Here's an example:

Prospect: "I'm really looking for a solution that will help me save time and be more efficient in my day-to-day work."

Sales Pro: "Understood. It sounds like you're looking for a solution that will streamline your workflow and free up more time for you to focus on other tasks, right?"

Here are 3 easy-to-implement hacks that will help you mirror your prospect better and more successfully.

Listen carefully: Pay close attention to the words and phrases your prospect uses during your conversation.

Match their tone and pace: Adjust your tone and pace of speech to match your prospect's. If they speak quickly and enthusiastically, match their energy level.

Use social media to gather insights: Take a look at your prospect's social media profiles to gain insight into their interests, communication style and repetitive words or phrases.

Do you use unnecessarily complex language in professional conversation or meetings? Most people who are using smart words or extended smart sentences try appear more sophisticated or intelligent and often use sentences like:

Sales Person: “Let us utilize the data insights and synergize with the corresponding team prior to articulating future action”.

According to research it does the opposite! It makes you appear far less intelligent and overall, much less interesting to listen too. But not only that, you alienate whoever you are speaking with. To be more interesting to people, use phrases like:

You: “Let’s study the data with the other teams and decide next steps”.

You might have noticed; highly charismatic people speak in a way that’s easy to understand. It’s relatable. It’s simple. Sure, they might use certain technical language or industrial lingo in context and with the right people so long as it doesn’t distract from their communication.

Making it harder for people to understand you, just to sound smart, backfires. And if you're wondering now what to do if your negotiating partner uses smart words or extended smart sentences - that’s easy too.

Your negotiating is covering up his insecurity or his low self-confidence! Stick to your plan of using simple, relatable, and easy-to-understand sentences. That shows self-confidence and you will quickly notice in his language when he is becoming more confident. Right there when he starts copying you.

How do you react when your prospect asks you, how much experience does your company have?

Prospect: “How much experience does your company have in this space"?

Most sale professionals don't care why the decision makers are asking this and immediately jump in like:

Sales Person: "Great question {name of prospect}. We got tons of experience. Last year we ranked the biggest company in the space. In fact, we helped like {number of companies} such as {name some competitors} ..."

They go on and on for 35-50 seconds of how great they are and later they're surprised when the prospect turns them down after all. This is for a very good reason. These sales professionals don't understand why the prospect is asking and just talk about themselves. Next time you are asked this very important question, use the following hack:

Prospect: “How much experience does your company have in this space, {your name}?

You: Well {customer name} (pause), our clients would say we have a lot of experience in {field}. (pause) And you must have asked me that for a really important reason. Can you elaborate? Or

You: Well {customer name} (pause), our clients would say we have a lot of experience in {field}. Now, (pause) did you ask me that for a reason just so I have a better understanding.

Now the prospect will tell you what is most important to them (about their potential partner). That way you know how to wrap your answer into the best fit for what they are asking. Just make sure you ask that question before you tell them all about you.

You've had a pretty good discovery session and understood what their challenges are. You've aligned your product or service with their needs. Now it's time to give them a quote and they react like:

Prospect: "Ohh, this is too expensive. We can't afford to spend this kind of money right now"

What is a slap in the face for many sales people is a positive buying impulse for me. We need to understand that the objection is a value because it shows us that the prospect agreed to our product but does not see the value in what we've suggested for that price.

What we need to do now? To find out, where is this value gap that the prospect perceives and revisit what their understanding of getting for the price. You can use phrases like:

Sales Person: "{Prospect name} (pause), can I ask you a question to understand it a little better"? Or...

Sales Person: "You said the price is too high. I'm wondering (pause) for this price that you see in the quote, what do you understand you're getting, (pause) because I think (pause) maybe I might have missed something?

In my question I'm putting the blame on me and give the customer the opportunity to explain his point of view. Since he answers the question honestly, he will be open to further discussion.

How often do you use the word ‘but’? How many times have used ‘but’ during your prospecting or sales pitch? Phrases like:

Sales Person: “That’s really great (pause) but first we need to...”.

If so, you should stop doing this immediately. The Problem with this 3-letter-word is that it is inherently negative and it negates whatever precedes it. When you use the word ‘but’ you unintentionally block the free flow of ideas and invalidate the person. This can lead to defensiveness and undermines your relationship. In your next conversations, try replacing the word ‘but’ with the word ‘and’.

1. Example:
“That’s a great idea but we don’t have time for it now…” is bad, better use “That’s a great idea and let’s see if we have time for it in future”.

2. Example:
“You were great in that meeting but you need to improve…." is bad, better use “You You were great in that meeting and here is some suggestions for your improvement.

The principle of swapping but for and was founded in improvisational comedy and it is such a simple collaborative communication technique that can completely transform your relationships.

Opinions differ as to whether you should leave a voice messages or not and it is a personal decision, but numerous studies have shown that leaving a professional voice message has a major impact on prospects. I typically call a lead once per day and I leave a message. I would not call two or even three times a day without leaving messages like most sales agent. Here is an example that works very well:

You: Hey {customer name}, (pause) this is just {your name} with {your company} it looks like you had responded to one of our ads on Facebook about 30 minutes ago, looking for {content of the ads / problem to solve}. I just had time to get back to you to see if we could help. I'll be available here for a little bit today. My number is {your phone number}.

Almost more important than the content of the voice messages is your voice and emotion you must convey. Speak slowly, calmly, and positively. Whoever speaks too fast has already lost. The prospect needs to like your voice and understand that you're there to help them, rather than trying to sell something.

To make your intention even more effective, I would not send an email after my voice message at the first contact attempt. That's too pushy. If the prospect doesn't answer, call him again the following day and send an email if you can't reach him.

Imagine you do cold calling or follow up calls. You are super prepared, full of energy and the prospect says early in the conversation can you just call me back? I cannot talk right now. This is very frustrating because we always assume that the customer is just blocking us out. And that's true. That's exactly what what they do. Here's why:

Prospect: “Can you call me back later? I'm just too busy right now.”

You:“Okay, no problem. I can call you back tomorrow afternoon. is this a good time for you?"

Don’t do that! Don't chase them! It makes you look bad like you're just trying to sell them something. It also makes you weak because you show them that you need the customer more than the customer needs you. Instead of you telling them that you can get back to them sometime later you should say this:

Prospect: “Can you call me back later? I'm just too busy right now.”

You: “Yeah {customer name} not a problem.(pause) What I can do is give you my number and you're welcome to call me back in a little bit to see if I’d be available for you. My number is {your phone number}. Would that help you?”

This way you position yourself as an authority and that you're busy with other clients. You create the impression that you don't need them so badly and they're going to start to view you more of the expert whose time is valuable rather than just another sales person trying to sell them something. It may continue like this:

Prospect: “Ok, I guess can get back to you sometime later in the week possibly.”

You: “Well {customer name} you can try but I’m not sure if I’d be available for you then. (pause) Here is a better way. Let me send you make calendar link and you can book a specific time with me so you don't have to chase me down and vice versa. Would that help you?”

This positions you once again as a trusted authority. An expert whose time is valuable rather than just another salesperson who's trying to run them down. Studies show that this method is 5 times more successful than calling the customer again and again!

It may not be in your best interest to answer a counterpart’s question if you do not have enough #information to make an educated or appropriate #response. In those situations, Deflecting an Answer with a Great Question is appropriate.d I leave a message. I would not call two or even three times a day without leaving messages like most sales agents.Here is an example that works very well:

Prospect: “If I could get this model in blue, your favorite color, would you be willing to purchase the unit today?”

You: “How long would it take you to locate a blue model and have it delivered?”

You have not made a commitment, and at the same time you have asked a great question, which could yield information important to your purchasing decision. When negotiating to buy something, you can almost always make more gains before committing to buy than afterward.

How do you answer when the prospect asks you “How are you doing”? It's absolutely ok to say "I am doing good" but at the same time there is a big problem with this statement. Not only do you sound like all the other sales people, you also activate the well-known "sales aversion" in the customer. All prospects are used to everybody saying:

Sales Person: “I am doing really awesome. Very busy but that's my job”. Or...

Sales Person: “I am doing great. Drinking lots of coffee, working hard… you know”?

If you want to convince your customer that you are different, you should give them a #creative and #unique answer, like:

You: “Thanks {name of prospect}. (pause) Just hanging out, being the boring guy. Trying to stay out of trouble. What’s about you? (Pause and wait for the reaction)

Why should you do this? Because your prospects are not used to that and they will be absolutely surprised and react like:

Prospect: “oh, ha ha (pause) I am sure you are not getting in trouble....

With such a reaction, you disarm your prospect in a charming way, who doesn't understand what's happening right now. It lets them forget their sales aversion for a moment and be more open to the conversation. But it is important that you pay attention to the correct tone and pronunciation. It works best if you sound a bit sarcastic, with a smile in your voice.

Overall Rule - I avoid talking in first person! (i.e. I)
The prospects or customers doesn't care about you, they care about themselves. Talk about their pain points or their results they achieve with your help instead of what you (i.e. I) can do for them.

Number 2 - Avoid the word “They”
Secondly, don't talk about “they“. The word “they“ suggest distance and that you're isolating yourself from somebody else. For example, if you're talking about a competitor, say “one of our competitors“, don't say “they“. Same goes for customers or clients.

Number 3 - Avoid the word “Honest” or “Honestly”
This word activates a big red flag and the customer understands exactly the opposite. That you might not be honest and a liar. That goes for everything you're going to say, as well as everything you said before.

Number 4 - Avoid the phrase “Trust me”
Just like honestly or honest, you should never tell them to trust you. Trust is something you build. If you suggest that they have to trust you, the exact opposite happens. It is the same red flag as in the previous point.

Number 5 - Avoid the word “Cheap”
I never use that word cheap. Sentences like “We're cheap“, “We're the cheapest out there“ . “We're cheaper than the competition“ just triggers sales resistance and purchase aversion. Nobody wants to buy anything that's cheap because cheap is always associated with poor quality. Use instead “we have good value for money”, “our customers like our pricing” or “our pricing is competitive and of the best in the market“.

Number 6 - Avoid the phrase “Low Cost”
It's basically the same as with the word cheap. In addition, most people have traveled at least once with a so called "low-cost airline". they know that the "small price" is only calculated for the basic transportation and all additional services have to be paid extra, so that the total price is not much lower than with other airlines.

Number 7 - Avoid the word “New”
“New“ is a word that I avoid in sales conversations. If you are offering new services, customers can be scared to use your product or service because anything new suggests it is unproven. Most prospects or customers are not sure if they want to invest in something which is unproven. It's better to use phrases like "product expansion", "product update" or " product innovations” that our customers have asking for".

Number 8 - Avoid the word “Obviously”
It's a word most people say without really thinking about it. It is much easier to identify a problem and its logic solution (which is obvious then) if you can look at the problem unemotionally and from an external position. Your customers cannot do this because they are sitting in the middle of the problem. If you now present “obvious” solutions, the customer only hears "I'm stupid" because someone outside recognizes it and he does not. It is best to delete the word completely from your vocabulary.

Number 9 - Avoid the word “Maybe”
Most prospects or customers don't like the word “maybe“ because it's too vague. Most salespeople use the word to increase interest and curiosity before making a commitment. But customers want a quick commitment. They want action. They want a positive direction forward. By using the word „maybe“ they're thinking, “well, is it a yes or a no”? and a vague answer is just as bad as a “no” for a person who is looking for a solution.

Number 10 - Avoid the word “No”
Don't use the word “No”, under no circumstances. Since our earliest childhood we have associated purely negative feelings with the word. In addition, the word stands for a final decision with no chance of further negotiations. Instead of saying ”no“, repeat back the question you heard to make sure it's correct. This gives you time to think about a good response. You can offer instead an alternative pricing, additional services or the promise to take this back to speak with my boss and see what he can come up with.

Number 11 - Avoid the word “Sorry”
It's a word most people say without really thinking about it. We automatically apologize when we make a mistake, an error or when someone correct us on something. Which makes a lot of sense when we are maybe speaking with our significant other or our children, but a “sorry“ has no place in a meeting or customer conversation. There's nothing to be sorry about if you made a mistake or missed something. You could say something instead, like, “…you raise a good point“ or, “oh, I missed that“, but the word “sorry“, puts you in a position where you are inferior and not a equal partners trying to come up with a solution together. At least I the eye of your prospect.

Number 12 - Avoid the phrase “It’s easy” or “that’s easy”
Now this one's a little bit tricky but you should try to avoid this phrase as much as possible. Most sales professionals will say that part of the value of their product or service is that ”it is easy to use”. That's great but what might be easy to you might not be easy to somebody else. You lose all your credibility if you talk about how easy your solution is, the customer takes a look at it start asking questions because it's just not as easy as you said it is. It's better to use phrases like " user friendly", "trendy" or " innovative handling”.

1. Communication Style:
In the USA, communication tends to be more direct and straightforward, with an emphasis on getting to the point quickly. In contrast, Israel has a more assertive communication style, with a preference for expressing opinions and ideas. This can affect how cold calling is approached, with American callers being more to-the-point and Israeli callers being more expressive.

2. Relationship Building:
In the USA, building a personal connection before conducting business is important but not always essential. In contrast, in Israel, building trust and rapport is crucial before any business can be conducted. This can impact how much time and effort is spent building a personal connection during cold calling in each country.

3. Follow-ups:
In the USA, follow-up communication tends to be structured and planned, with a focus on confirming details and ensuring clarity. In contrast, in Israel, follow-up communication may be more frequent and urgent, reflecting the fast-paced business environment.

4. Use of Humor:
In the USA, humor is often used to build rapport and make people feel at ease, but it is typically more restrained and subtle. In contrast, in Israel, humor is more direct and irreverent, and is often used to build rapport and ease tension. This can impact how humor is used during cold calling, with American callers being more cautious and Israeli callers being more comfortable using humor.

5. Importance of Tone:
In the USA, tone of voice and body language are often more neutral and professional, with an emphasis on maintaining a businesslike demeanor. In contrast, in Israel, tone of voice and body language can be used to express emotion and intensity, and can carry as much weight as the words themselves.

1. Communication Style:
In Germany, communication tends to be more direct and straightforward, with an emphasis on clarity and precision. In contrast, the UK has a more indirect communication style, with a preference for using hints and implications. This can affect how cold calling is approached, with German callers being more to-the-point and British callers being more subtle.

2. Relationship Building:
In Germany, building trust and rapport is important, but it may take longer to establish than in the UK. In contrast, in the UK, building a personal connection and establishing rapport is often seen as a key factor in business success. This can impact how much time and effort is spent building a personal connection during cold calling in each country.

3. Follow-ups:
In Germany, follow-up communication tends to be structured and precise, with a focus on confirming details and ensuring accuracy. In contrast, in the UK, follow-up communication may be more informal and focused on building and maintaining relationships.

4. Use of Humor:
In Germany, humor is often used in a more reserved and subtle way, with a preference for irony and sarcasm. In contrast, in the UK, humor is often used more openly and directly, with a preference for self-deprecation and teasing. This can impact how humor is used during cold calling, with German callers being more reserved and British callers being more comfortable using humor.

5. Importance of Tone:
In Germany, tone of voice and body language are often more restrained and professional, with an emphasis on maintaining a businesslike demeanor. In contrast, in the UK, tone of voice and body language can be used to express emotion and build rapport, and may be more expressive.

1. Communication Style:
In Israel, communication tends to be direct and blunt, with a preference for clear and explicit language. In contrast, in China, communication may be more indirect and nuanced, with a focus on preserving harmony and avoiding confrontation. This can impact how cold calling is approached, with Israeli callers being more straightforward and Chinese callers being more indirect.

2. Relationship Building:
In both countries, building relationships is important, but the approach may differ. In Israel, relationships are often built through personal connections and shared experiences. In contrast, in China, building relationships may involve more formal and hierarchical protocols, such as exchanging business cards and participating in formal banquets.

3. Follow-ups:
In Israel, follow-up communication tends to be more informal and relationship-based, with a focus on building trust and rapport. In contrast, in China, follow-up communication may be more formal and structured, with a focus on ensuring clarity and avoiding misunderstandings.

4. Use of Humor:
In Israel, humor is often used to convey sarcasm and wit, with a preference for self-deprecating humor. In contrast, in China, humor may be more indirect and subtle, with a focus on preserving face and avoiding embarrassment.

5. Importance of Tone:
In Israel, tone of voice is important and may convey assertiveness and confidence. In contrast, in China, tone of voice is also important, but may be more understated and respectful.

1. Communication Style:
In Israel, communication tends to be more direct and assertive, with an emphasis on getting to the point quickly. In contrast, the UK has a more indirect communication style, preferring to soften messages with politeness and diplomacy. This can affect the approach to cold calling, with Israeli callers perhaps being more to-the-point and UK callers taking a more diplomatic approach.

2. Relationship Building:
In Israel, personal relationships are highly valued, and building a rapport and mutual trust is essential before business can be conducted. In contrast, the UK places less emphasis on personal relationships, with business matters taking precedence. This can impact how much time and effort is spent building a personal connection during cold calling in each country.

3. Follow-ups:
In Israel, follow-up communication tends to be more frequent and urgent, reflecting the fast-paced and dynamic business environment. In contrast, in the UK, follow-ups are typically more reserved and may take longer to materialize.

4. Use of Humor:
In Israel, humor is often used as a way of building rapport and breaking down barriers, and is a highly valued tool in business negotiations. In contrast, the UK tends to use humor more sparingly and cautiously, and may be less comfortable using humor during cold calling.

5. Importance of Tone:
In Israel, tone of voice and body language are highly significant in communication, and can carry as much weight as the words themselves. In contrast, the UK places less emphasis on tone, and may be more concerned with the content of the message.

1. Communication Style:
In Germany, communication is typically direct, precise, and formal. In contrast, Israel tends to have a more assertive communication style, with an emphasis on expressing opinions and ideas. This can affect how cold calling is approached, with German callers potentially being more formal and concise, and Israeli callers being more expressive.

2. Relationship Building:
In Germany, building a personal relationship before conducting business is not as important as in some other cultures. In contrast, in Israel, building trust and rapport is essential before any business can be conducted. This can impact how much time and effort is spent building a personal connection during cold calling in each country.

3. Follow-ups:
In Germany, follow-up communication is typically structured and formal, with a focus on confirming details and ensuring clarity. In contrast, in Israel, follow-up communication may be more frequent and urgent, reflecting the fast-paced business environment.

4. Use of Humor:
In Germany, humor is typically more reserved and subtle, with a focus on wordplay and puns. In contrast, in Israel, humor is often used to build rapport and ease tension, and can be more direct and irreverent. This can impact how humor is used during cold calling, with German callers being more cautious and Israeli callers being more comfortable using humor.

5. Importance of Tone:
In Germany, tone of voice and body language are often more restrained, with a focus on maintaining a neutral and professional demeanor. In contrast, in Israel, tone of voice and body language can carry as much weight as the words themselves, and can be used to express emotion and intensity.

1. Communication style:
Prospects in the US tends to value more direct communication, while the UK prospects favors a more indirect approach.

2. Relationship Building:
In the UK, building a relationship and establishing trust is often a more important part of business than in the US. Therefore, UK prospects may be more likely to engage in small talk and want to get to know the salesperson before discussing business.

3. Follow-Ups:
In the UK, it is generally considered polite to follow up with a thank-you email or note after a cold call, even if the prospect is not interested in doing business. In the US, follow-up is still important, but there is less emphasis on sending a thank-you note.

4. Use of Humor:
In the UK, humor is often used in a self-deprecating way, as a means to create a connection with others and diffuse tension in uncomfortable situations. In contrast, in the US, humor is often used as a means to entertain and impress others, and can sometimes be seen as a way to assert dominance or power in a conversation.

5. Importance of Tone:
In the UK, a formal and polite tone is often valued, and it's important to avoid sounding too pushy or aggressive. In contrast, in the US, a more enthusiastic and confident tone is often appreciated, and it's acceptable to be more direct and assertive in your approach.

1. Communication Style:
US prospects in cold calls tend to be more direct and focused, while German cold calls often have a longer introduction and may be more indirect.

2. Relationship Building:
In the US, there is often a focus on building a personal relationship during a cold call. In Germany, the conversation may initially focus on the business at hand before any relationship building occurs.

3. Follow-ups:
In the US, it's common to follow up a cold call with an email or other message to deepen the relationship with the prospect. In Germany, this is less common and advisable to fix the follow-up appointment already during the call.

4. Use of Humor:
Humor can be an effective way to bridge language barriers, but it may be used differently in the US and Germany. Americans may be more likely to use humor in a business context, while Germans may be more reserved.

5. Importance of Tone:
Tone can be a critical factor in communication, particularly when language is a barrier. Americans may tend to use a more enthusiastic and positive tone, while Germans may be more neutral or formal in their tone.

1. Communication Style:
In the USA, communication is typically more direct and explicit, with a preference for getting to the point quickly. In contrast, in Brazil, communication is often more indirect and implicit, with a focus on building rapport and relationships before getting to business. This can impact how cold calling is approached, with US callers being more straightforward and Brazilian callers being more focused on building a connection.

2. Relationship Building:
In Brazil, building personal relationships is critical, and business may not be conducted until a relationship has been established. In the USA, while building relationships is also important, it may not necessarily be a prerequisite for conducting business. This can impact how much time and effort is spent building a personal connection during cold calling in each country.

3. Follow-ups:
In the USA, follow-up communication tends to be more informal and relationship-based, with a focus on building trust and rapport. In contrast, in Brazil, follow-up communication tends to be more structured and formal, with an emphasis on ensuring clarity and avoiding misunderstandings.

4. Use of Humor:
In Brazil, humor is often used to build rapport and make people feel at ease, with a preference for using humor and socializing to establish relationships. In contrast, in the USA, humor is often used to break the ice and make a connection, but it may be more restrained and less openly expressed. This can impact how humor is used during cold calling, with Brazilian callers being more expressive and US callers being more restrained.

5. Importance of Tone:
In Brazil, tone of voice and body language are often used to convey emotion and meaning, and may be more expressive than in the USA. In the USA, tone of voice is also important, but may be more focused on conveying authority and confidence.