How Salespeople Can Create Immediate Believability And Credibility

It pays to be specific. I believe that statement is true. If it is true, why do so many salespeople pepper their sales presentations with phrases of generalities? There are two primary reasons. One is habit and the other is instinct.

So many people in and out of sales speak in generalities. It's really hard to pin them down for the details. If speaking in generalities comes so naturally to so many people - it has to be instinctive. In sales it's tempting to impress new and prospective customers. One of the ways salespeople do this is with their product and service presentations.

These presentations often include references to the following:

=> How many products are in your product line?
=> How many years your company has been in business?
=> How many customers you have worked with.
=> How much of your business is repeat business?
=> How much of a discount you're planning to offer to get the business?
=> How much your product improves productivity?
=> How much your product reduces the cost of doing something?

When the time is right to begin talking about your products you'd be a fool not talk about these things. But for some inexplicable reason salespeople usually follow a similar path. Let's review this list and see how salespeople tend to use all of the above during a sales presentation.

=> We have over 20,000 products in our product line.
=> Our Company has been in business more than 30 years.
=> Our customer database includes more than 30,000 customers.
=> Last year more than 50% of our business came from existing customers.
=> Because of the quantity you're buying I'm delighted to offer you a 20% discount.
=> Our product will improve your department's productivity at least 20%.
=> Our product will reduce the operating costs for this project by more than 10%.

Do you notice what all these statements have in common? All of the numbers cited end in a zero. Zeros seldom add credibility. In fact, they detract from it. Salespeople tend to feel more secure when they're not pinned down by the specifics. Generalities make you feel good, but they don't make you sound good.

It takes a great deal of self-discipline and determination to speak with any degree of specificity. Here's an example that has repeated itself many times.Whenever I conduct an on-site sales training program (usually one-half day) I always provide the decision-maker, because he's usually the one who introduces me, with a prepared introduction. It's exactly what I want him to say and it also takes the pressure off him to improvise something at the last minute.

The last three lines of my introduction are:
-- He has worked with 458 different organizations.
-- Last year 68% of his business was repeat business.
-- Jim Meisenheimer, Inc. has achieved 16 consecutive years of increased sales and profitability.

All the introducer has to do is read the introduction.Here's how the last three lines are often delivered. He has worked with over 400 different organizations. Last year more than 60% of his business was repeat business.
Jim Meisenheimer, Inc. has increased sales every year he's been in business.

Ironically, even with a written script the generalities come bubbling to the surface. Let's try it one more time and see if you can sense the difference.

=> We have 21,973 products in our product line as of July 1st.
=> Our Company has been in business 33 years.
=> Our customer database includes 32,877 customers.
=> Last year 57.5% of our business came from existing customers.
=> Because of the quantity you're buying I'm delighted to offer you a savings of $785.34.
=> Our product improved ABC Customer's productivity by 23.6%.
=> Our product reduced the operating costs for XYZ by 12.7%.

Okay, let's wrap it up. Think about these five questions.

1. Do you want to get someone's attention?
2. Do you want to create the impression that you've done your homework?
3. Do you want to build credibility throughout your sales presentation?
4. Do you want to differentiate yourself from your competition?
5. Do you want to increase your sales?

You can do all of these things and more if you trade-in your generalities for more specifics. Specifics are more credible and believable than generalities.

Simply stated, you'll become more believable and credible as soon as you become more specific.

Jim Meisenheimer is the creator of No-Brainer Sales Training. His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by contacting him at (800) 266-1268 or by visiting his website: http://www.meisenheimer.com

---

Customers Want You to Ask for the Money

Many years ago, I was the one starting a small... Read More

Sales Tips from Sales Masters

Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and... Read More

10 Blockbuster Ways To Ignite Your Sales

1. Sign-up to win web site awards. When you win,... Read More

Making Sales is Easy When You Learn How to Make Friends

Friends buy from friends. Why? Because people trust that their... Read More

The Road to Pendingville is Paved with Good Intentions

If you've been in sales for any length of time,... Read More

Build Rapport by Mirroring

Traditionally, salespeople look for something in the office that begs... Read More

Grrr! Why Arent I Making SALES?!

Selling online can be very difficult, more difficult than in... Read More

Increase Your Sales in 5 Minutes

Increase your sales-in five minutes. This article is the third... Read More

Nine Competencies of the Complete Sales Professional

Have you ever tried to explain to someone what you... Read More

You Dont Need Health Insurance!

Seems almost every situation in our lives is centered on... Read More

Whats Your Sales Training Goal - Exposure or Behavioral Change?

When your company invests in sales training, what is the... Read More

Top Ten No Money Promotion Ways That Create New Clients and Fast Sales

Better than offline promotion such as press releases, talks, or... Read More

Using the Consultative Approach to Gaining Sales

What do we mean by a consultative approach?When you hear... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Sales Marketing Tricks To Explode Your Profits

Sales marketing online is an art that you must keep... Read More

The Golden Week of Selling

Have you ever heard of the Golden Hour? I live... Read More

Sales Lessons from Bob Vila

There's more to what he does than meets the eyeWith... Read More

Sales Skills are Life Skills

I love the art of selling. LOVE IT. When I... Read More

Reaching Goals in Direct Sales

From surveys and experience, we've noticed many setting excellent goals... Read More

Quick Tips On Handling Rejection

Looking for a way to handle rejection?Edward W. Smith, motivational... Read More

Youre Hired... I Think

I'm not a fan of "The Donald" and I had... Read More

Growing Sales Through Creating Connections

Your mission as a business owner is to develop a... Read More

Do You Want Fries With That? - Using Suggestive Selling to Increase Your Sales

Suggestive selling is a powerful tool that can increase your... Read More

The Changing Role of the Sales Consultant

"Leadership rests not only on outstanding ability. It also rests... Read More

The Power of Confidence

My experience has taught me that people want to buy... Read More

How A Dancing Horse Can Increase Your Sales

"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More

Busting Your Assumptions: Effective Probing Techniques for Sales Professionals

Do you find yourself making these kinds of assumptions?- "I... Read More

Want to Make More Money? Fish in a Bigger Pond!

Setting prices is a dilemma most service business owners encounter... Read More

5 Powerful Tips To Persuasion!

Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important... Read More

Make More Sales By Creating How To Use It Product Updates

Do you have any idea what your customers have experienced... Read More

What You Can Learn From The Movie Business

Maybe everything you need to know you can learn from... Read More

A Stupid Question

This is a stupid question but it has to be... Read More

The Art of Backend Selling

The art of backend sellingThe backend sale can be more... Read More

Small Business Computer Consulting Freeloaders? and How to Avoid Them

If you've been in the small business computer consulting industry... Read More