Give Them The Control

Minor changes in major areas are the essence of true achievement. And if you improve your verbiage and the way you say things to other people, then they will see you as just a little bit sharper and a little bit better than your competitors. And that's sometimes all you need to win the business away from someone you are competing with. The margins of today are not what they used to be, so don't even try to be the top rep in your entire industry. Instead, just be better than your competitor. Take the pressure off yourself and focus on making minor changes and minor shifts in those areas that give you the greatest impact.

Here's a phrase that I want you to integrate into your lexicon five times this week, and measure the impact. I guarantee that it will make a big difference in your ability to influence others. The premise of this phrase is that people want to be in control and want to be in charge of the decisions they make. Admit it because you can't change it, so you might as well leverage it to your advantage.

Here's the phrase: ". . . then you can decide for yourself if you'd like to go forward."

Here's how to use it if you're talking with a prospect:

"I'd like to first find out what is important to you as it relates to ____________, and then I'll share with you how I think my product can benefit you on a personal level in that area. And then you can decide for yourself if you'd like to go forward. Sound fair to you?"

What do you think this does to a prospect that you talk to? It's the first time he or she didn't have a sales rep talk to them as if they were a walking invoice. It's congruent, sincere, authentic, and focused on them. Keep in mind that buying a product or service is an emotional and personal decision, even if you sell to an institution or a corporate entity. Organizations are just made up of people, so appeal to them on a personal level by giving back the control of the decision to them.

Scott Love shows managers and sales people how to manage their risk and win the game of business. He is a professional speaker and can be reached at 828-225-7700 or on his website at www.nolimitachievement.com