What do you say when you’re at a networking event and you meet a likely prospect and he asks you, “What do you do?”
What do you say when you’re asked, at a trade show or sales blitz, “Tell me what makes you different from ABC and XYZ”?
How do you respond to your DOSM when she asks you, “So what is that you’re selling to this customer?”
Top achievers can answer those questions because they have worked out their answers prior to being asked. They don’t provide a scripted answer but a thoughtful, impactful one because when they’re asked, they’re prepared.
Just as a Broadway star can improvise and move away from the scripted words, yet stay entirely on script (is this making sense?), that is exactly what top achievers do. They are fully prepared with what could come next and then they use the intelligence of the moment to respond authentically and with relevance to the other person.
Anyone who has ever attended my presentation skills or story telling workhops knows what the very first words should be to those 3 questions. (I can hear you now! Exactly!)
1. Thank you for asking.
2. Briefly describe the outcome you provide for customers, or the “pain” you can solve.
3. Return the question to them.
Example: Thanks so much for asking. (Look ’em in the eye and mean that! They have given you an opportunity to talk about yourself. Show appreciation!)
You know how frustrating it is when you hire a speaker and your group pays more attention to their phones than the speaker. What I try to do is make the content so valuable to them, that that doesn’t happen.
Have you had meetings like that?
No matter what the prospect says after that (if they don’t walk away!), we are engaged in an authentic conversation.
If she says, “No, that doesn’t happen because we turn off the internet in the room,” well, you can go in a million directions…
If she says, “Yes, it was humiliating for the speaker because I thought he had good information but no one listened,” you’ve learned great information…
If she says, “Really. And exactly how do you do that when no one else seems to be able to?”, you get to explain further or ask more questions…
Take the time right now to script your message so that the next time you’re asked, you’ll answer like the top achiever that you are meant to be.
What do you say? Tell us!
Do you agree with this strategy?
Power Sales Writing