Attention Sales World... Are You Having Connecting Conversations With Your Clients Would You Even Know?

larry levine Dec 19, 2022
Attention Sales World... Are You Having Connecting Conversations With Your Clients Would You Even Know
"A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation."
Mark Twain

What adjectives are you using when engaging in conversation with your clients?

The words and messaging you use will either connect you to your clients or disconnect you from your clients. Think about it.

The language you are using right now with your clients is it clear, concise and full of familiar words?

To quote John C. Maxwell,

“Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” 

Are you communicating or connecting with your clients?

Interesting statement to ponder, isn't it?

Connecting and communicating often are used interchangeably. It's fair to say those in sales can communicate, however; how many are successfully connecting and with meaning?

Communication occurs with your voice, hands, eyes, and body language. Your words may be heard loud and clear, but... Do your clients feel the emotions behind them?

Connecting with your clients goes beyond your words

To really connect with your clients, you must think beyond your words. You must communicate your feelings and attitudes.

Sales reps communicate to connect on a surface level, sales professionals communicate to connect below surface level. One moves the relational needle. Can you guess which one?

Critical things to consider fostering client connection:

Verbal connection - Your clients will respond to the words you use by the tone of your voice. The way you use your messaging will draw your clients in or push them away.

Emotional connection - How you act has the power to draw your clients in or alienate them. Your attitude speaks volumes! This shows more than your words could ever be heard by your clients.

Visual connection - Well before you speak, your clients have already formed a visual impression of you. It's about how you look, dress, and behave; couple this with your online presence... starting to get the picture?

Intellectual connection - Big fancy sales crapola jargon doesn't make you smarter. Often speaking in simple language and using more common words will build more trust, credibility and connection.

Are you communicating information succinctly, so people understand quickly, without having to decipher complicated sentences or vague sales jargon?

To my sales community... You owe it to the person you are communicating with to engage in conversation simply and clearly. Please remember, the primary goal of communication is to convey information.

Let's stop right here for a moment, and recite to yourself... If people understand more of what I'm saying, would they likely feel that I make sense?

To further drive this home, I will defer to the entrepreneur, Stephen Wang, who said,

“No matter what job you have in life, your success will be determined 5 percent by your academic credentials, 15 percent by your professional experiences and 80 percent by your communication skills.” 

Plain, simple language removes barriers between your clients, your future clients and yourself. This will set you apart from all the other salespeople. This allows you to move from communication to connection. And isn't this what you want?

CLEAR COMMUNICATION ALLOWS CONNECTION

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall."
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Was Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. onto something when it came to communication?

Back in the 1800's, he surrounded himself with the literary legends, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Together, they left a massive imprint within the literary world of the 19th century that flows right into the present.

Why am I bringing this into this message? Because of another one his quotes...

"Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow."

Whether you're a tenured salesperson or just starting out your career, the language you use, how you communicate it and how well you engage in meaningful conversations are foundational skill sets you must master to catapult your sales career.

Salespeople, well over 200 years ago they were writing about it.

Connection leverages influence. Are you influencing your clients? If not, then who is?

Two commonly used phrases in sales, "People buy from people" and "People buy from people they know, like and trust." Many throw these phrases around, but how many are building their people and relational skills to bring these two phrases to life?

Therefore, if you want to elevate yourself to new sales heights, you must hone in on developing your conversational, people and relational skills.

No alt text provided for this image
Click on the image to register for the 2023 Authentic Selling Challenge

STOP THE SALES JARGON AND CONNECT

Allow this quote to sink in for a moment,

"Jargon allows us to camouflage intellectual poverty with verbal extravagance."
David Pratt, Foreign Editor, Sunday Herald

What's concerning is how many salespeople use the same, overused sets of sales jargon to describe situations as a replacement for just speaking plain old normal language.

Way too many in sales rely on buzzwords to communicate concepts rather than explaining what they mean.

Do you think this makes you sound or look smart? I guarantee it only adds more confusion especially when your clients need clarity.

So, here's my question to you all... Are you using simple and straightforward language to connect with your clients?

Hiding behind catch phrases and buzzwords is not a cool way to lead your sales life.

COMPLICATED WORDS CREATES DISCONNECTION

Allow this quote to sink in...

“The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”
Albert Einstein

Attention salespeople... Stop hiding behind complex sales phrases, jargon and crapola!

Empty sales reps cover up their lack of understanding and experience with science, jargon, and overly complicated sales phrases, all because they think it sounds good.

Hello! All this does is confuse, alienate and distract you and your clients from business betterment.

You can't hide behind simplicity. Think about it.

Salespeople and yes, even sales leaders... Your clients deserve plain, simple and easy to understand language when communicating with them.

  • Simplicity gets your message across.
  • Simplicity is understandable.
  • Simplicity requires less time to explain.

In other words, using unclear and overly complicated cliche ridden sales jargon reflects upon you with unclarity and canned thinking. 

SIMPLE CONVERSATION FOSTERS CONNECTION

Are you connecting or disconnecting when conversing with your clients?

How are you conveying to your clients how you can help?

The words and messaging you use are your tools, choose them carefully.

Your ideas and solutions can be complex and sophisticated, however; you must be able to communicate clearly and concisely to create ease of understanding.

In a conversation, the only thing you can control is yourself, your behavior, and how you carry yourself. Just imagine how your conversation will be if you are speaking effectively and listening consciously. You can leave a conversation energized, inspired and action oriented.

Remember this... Are you communicating with your clients to help them become better or to impress yourself with bug fancy words and catch phrases?

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR SIMPLE BUSINESS CONVERSATION

To quote Albert Einstein,

"If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well.” 

Using plain and simple language is not a sign of sales weakness!

Industry jargon can become a habit. Unfortunately, many salespeople fail to realize they are using complex language.

Salespeople assume it sounds impressive to use big words and flowery sales language.

Salespeople believe that they are “dumbing it down” when they use plain words.

I ask all of you to...

  • Ditch your ego - An important part of embracing plain language is letting go of your desire to use impressive words.
  • Keep it simple - Use familiar and easy to understand words.

Think about simplicity as you watch the following video, courtesy of Siegel and Gale. They are a brand strategy and design company out of New York City. Its corporate tagline is “Simple is smart.” Each year, they release a study called a "The World's Simplest Brands".

 Are you keeping things simple?

Sir Richard Branson said,

"Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to make something simple."

Simplicity creates connection and simplicity creates loyalty!

Originally published on Larry Levine's LinkedIn

Pre-order Selling From the Heart on Barnes & Noble get over $300 in Bonus Items!

Learn More

Stay connected with news and updates!

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.

We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.