A positive attitude is a key sales tool. A positive attitude is something sales people work on, practice, sharpen and tune. Attitude breeds attitude, and if you are negative, the other person will be negative. Positive thoughts lead to positive language, and this is the language that sells. Within this positive language there are very powerful words that, if used effectively, are proven to be the words that sell.
It might be said that it is challenging to maintain a positive attitude in these difficult times. Yes, it might be said, but NOT by sales professionals. It has ALWAYS been difficult to keep your positive attitude tuned up. There have always been mountains to climb, storms to survive and challenges to overcome. Who said sales was easy? Keeping yourself positive is part of the role of a sales person.
What is a Positive Attitude?
It is important to know what is meant by a positive attitude. A famous quote by Gibran is – The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose. A person who looks for the rose, will see the rose, and will TALK about the rose. A person who looks for the thorns will see so many of them that they will be overwhelmed!
But, you say, it is important to see the thorns, otherwise you will get hurt! This is quite true. A more powerful thought that helps define positive attitude for sales people is adapted from a Maxwell quotation -
The pessimist complains about the wind.
The optimist expects it to change.
The Sailor adjusts the sails.
The Sales person is like the professional Sailor. They look at the current situation, whatever it is, and they find ways to steer the sale to a successful outcome. Positive attitude sends them on a constant search to find out HOW to steer the ship through the storm, how to smell the rose without being hurt by the thorns, and how to sell THEIR products to THIS prospect.
Words that Sell
Positive language will have a more positive effect on the prospect, so avoid negative language like the plague! Talk about what your products and services CAN DO rather than what they can’t do. In addition to this basic principle, there are other words that Sales people have collected over the years that are proven to work in a sales situation, the words that sell.
These words are words that sound attractive and positive to most people, and they like hearing them. We don’t always know why this is, but the fact is that they are words that work. All good sales people will prepare their benefits using these words, and will practice using them effectively.
The first 3 of these words that sell are BENEFIT, VALUE and YOU. These words are absolutely critical to putting across your offering positively. We talk about the value of the products or service to you and your business. The word you is a powerful word, use it often – the value of this to you, what this means to you is, or the benefit of this to you and so on.
As well as talking about the benefits, if you actually use the word ‘benefit’ you will ensure your benefit becomes relevant to this Customer. This is a full list of the words that sell -
1. Benefit
2. Value
3. Safe
4. Proven
5. Save
6. Guarantee
7. Best
8. Love
9. New
10. Happy
11. Maximise
12. Special
13. Option
14. Easy
Kate Tammemagi is a Sales Trainer in Ireland. She provides Sales Training Courses and Management Coaching.