New Sales. Simplified.: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development

by Mike Weinberg

Visit. I like to ask the prospect to visit with me. “Appointment” sounds so clinical, and no one is sitting around wishing for another meeting to attend. “Visit” is a positive word. You visit with family and friends. “I’d like to visit with you…” or “Would you have thirty minutes to visit with me next Tuesday or Wednesday?” 2. Fit. “Fit” is one of my overall favorite sales words. It demonstrates confidence and also disarms the prospect. It’s nonthreatening and shows you’re not desperate. “Let’s get together to see if we might be a fit to help you…” or “I’d like to learn more about your situation, share how we’re helping XYZ organizations like yours, and determine together if there’s enough of a fit to talk about a next step.” 3. Value. Value is what everyone is talking about and seems to be the yardstick by which we are all measured today. I suggest using the word in a couple of ways. One way is: “We’ll review your current situation and see if we can bring some value to what you’re doing…” The other way is to promise prospects that they’ll receive value from the meeting, which is part of the enticement to invite you in. That usually happens after a prospect has predictably said “no” to the first and second requests for the meeting. Then it’s time to put together the trifecta and use all three magic words in combination: “Judy, I understand that you’re [insert her objection here]. Visit with me anyway. I promise you’ll get value and ideas from our time together, even if we ...