You’re talking with a person so be PERSONABLE

One of my coaching clients started laughing when I said “prospects are people.”

We were having a chat about the difference between friend vs. prospect call beginnings.

FRIEND
ring ring “hello this is Marsha”
Ed “Hi Marsha its Ed”
Marsha “Hey Ed”

PROSPECT
ring ring “hello this is Marsha”
salesperson “Hi Marsha this is Ed Smith with ABC Industries, I’m calling….”

What if you eliminated the difference and added pauses and listened EARLIER?

PERSONABLE PROSPECTING
ring ring “hello this is Marsha”
salesperson “Hi Marsha this is Ed Smith” (pause for response)
Marsha “Hi Ed” (pauses because she doesn’t know who Ed is)
Ed “I’m glad I caught you! I’m calling….”

Make the prospect into a person and you’ll have better conversations.

Look at that picture of our dog Fred. That is his pet me stance – Fred greets everyone he meets that way because he has learned there are more treats and petting if he is enthusiastic about the interaction.

I’m not suggesting you wag your whole body, rather that you remember the person on the other end of the phone is a person first and prospect second – so be personable.