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Watch Your Language
by Mark Duley

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Near the end of a sale, have you ever listened to the things that come out of your mouth? When all is agreed upon and you are down to the finer parts like training, payment requirements, thirty-day trial periods, and warranty terms, watch out for phrases like maybe, we might, that is possible, probably, or we don't normally. These items have concession written all over them.

Consider the following...

Customer	Salesperson	Message
I want a free trial.	That's possible.	No problem.
Can we have 45 day terms?	We don't normally do that.	But we will.
We are spending 200K. I expect a 5% discount	Maybe I can speak to my manager.	No problem.

Salesperson	Customer	Message
Since you are spending 200K, we might extend the warranty to two years.	Okay.	Too easy. The true warranty cost must be minimal.

All of these items have two common themes.

1. If the salesperson might, could, or would, they will.

2. Never does the customer respond with, "Thank you."

If training costs your company x amount, put that amount as a value within your proposal. When your customer asks for extended terms on payment-such as a concession-challenge that concession with your built-in concession. "I am sorry Mr. Customer, but I already gave up x amount for training." The mere fact that you are being asked for more shows that the customer did not appreciate the concession you gave up front.

When finalizing sales agreements, watch out for loose verbiage. The more unsure and vague you come across the more your customer will ask for and the more concessions you might have to make. Be firm with your answers. Take away items within your proposal when the customer asks for discounts. Above all, watch your language. Your customers are listening.

Think first. Listen to what you are saying. What do your customers hear?

Make your customers earn everything you give them.