I'm currently reading a book about sales called 'Predictable Revenue'. It is an excellent book.

However, one of the chapters is entitled 'My Favourite Sales Call Question Of All Time'. He describes opening questions such as 'how are you doing today?' as irritating and meaningless. I agree.

Instead, he believes the best opener is: 'Did I catch you at a bad time?'. Again, I agree it is a good question as it demonstrates respect for the person you are calling, and implies you are aware they are busy people too. It is likely to make the recipient of the call less defensive and more receptive to continuing the conversation.

Where the author and I disagree is his insistence that the question should be 'Did I catch you at a bad time?' rather than 'Did I catch you at a good time?'. The author says it is never a good time for busy people. I disagree.

I believe both terms can be used but they are best used when they are selected intelligently based on the information you have. If the person taking the call answers their phone in a cheery fashion, mirror the mood and ask if it is a good time to talk. If the person appears to snatch up the receiver, answers abruptly and quickly there is a good chance they could be stressed, in a hurry or just in a bad mood. In this instance I would suggest the 'bad time' question is more appropriate.

Experiment and see what works best, but always treat people you are calling with courtesy and respect. If you forget those basics, no matter what your opening question is, I can guarantee the call won't last long.

Kind regards,

Jim.

If you look under 'selling' on wikipedia you get a mass of information, opinion and discussion which is all very healthy.
However, for me, the definition of the art or science (depending on your viewpoint) of selling is very simple: "Selling is the act of helping people to buy without regret".

We have all heard horror stories about pressure sales tactics and misleading sales literature and conversations being used to close sales, but that really isn't selling. It is just lying to achieve a temporary objective. It reflects badly on the salesperson, the company and the brand. In these days of social media the individual buyer as well as the business buyer are empowered to cry 'foul' and seriously damage anyone involved in unethical sales practice.

It is therefore, much simpler to just treat potential buyers as you would wish to be treated. Be a person first and a salesperson second. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Define and fully understand the customers wants and needs. If you have a solution to their problem, present it to them in a clear and concise manner. Let them ask questions so they can fully grasp what you are proposing. Be honest and transparent. Agree next steps.

It's not hard to be a good salesperson.... just be a good, normal person.

Kind regards,

Jim.