Jarod Dickson
Sales Director at BASYS Processing
Published May 31, 2018
How you speak is as important as what you say!
A few years ago I trained new sales reps at the company I worked for. They would be as green as ever, often times just having graduated from college. They were ready to conquer the world and make the big bucks— I continue to admire their “get after it” attitude today.
I would talk lightheartedly about where they came from, what they liked to do, and what they hoped for in the future. Everything would go great until I told them to pick up the phone and make a call.
Naturally, they would be timid and try to sound very professional on the phone. They were new so they didn't know what they were talking about and they tried to mask their ignorance with their “professional voice”.
This would get them nowhere.
They would get hung up on. They would get told to send an email. They would get cut off by gatekeepers like they were a bad weed in springtime.
Their failure didn’t just come down to their ignorance of the product, however. That was part of it, but an equally large part was their tone.
Tone: a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.
If you are a salesperson you HAVE TO HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE AND TONE ON THEPHONE.
You just have to. Here’s why…
Tone and confidence demands respect from the person you are talking to. If one person called a prospect and talked quietly and with timidity and they next person called the very same person saying the very same thing but talked confidently and with purpose the latter would find far more success.
Why?
It’s human nature. We judge people all day long. We can’t help it. When someone calls us we instantly are making assumptions about that person. If they act like they know what they’re talking about — if they belong, and if they’re confident you will give them respect. If they’re quiet and timid you will assert your authority over them.
So how do you speak confidently and with a proper tone? Try this…
- On your next call speak louder than you think you should. Even if it feels weird. This shows you are confident.
- Don’t speak too professionally. People that “belong” don’t talk professionally. They speak casually and comfortably.
- Lastly, Don’t ramble. Say what you need to then shut up. People ramble when they’re not confident and nervous.
I hope this helps grow you into the salesperson you want to be. I’ve seen it work time and time again, and I continue to use these principles to this day.
Keep selling my friends,
Jarod Dickson
