Tag: Sales Page 1 of 2

No matter what your job is you should know how to speak well, convincingly and effectively.

This ability is otherwise known as the gift of gab.

The gift of gab also sometimes cohabitates with the written word for those lucky enough to possess the talent in both its forms.

Salespeople with just one form may only find limited success. This is because while you should always be closing, your ability to do so is hindered if you follow up great presentations with ugly email communications to your target audience.

People call me out on technicalities because they know I like to identify them just as much as anyone does.

For instance, it might be argued that “gab” concerns only the spoken word. I can see how one could make this error. The implication for gab on the written word, however, is proven several times over when someone tells (or writes) a good story.

If you consider gab to include the entire communication spectrum of both written and spoken word, I would suggest the sky is the limit regarding your ability to always be closing.

Instead of cold calling all the time, if you’re fortunate enough to have someone’s email address, you could easily be in business if your written gab skills are on a par with your spoken ones.

Another reason to communicate by written word is to avoid having someone hear your voice, especially if you’re what I like to call voice-insecure regarding your spoken gab skills.

Voice-insecure is a much better reference than voice-modest or voice-challenged as neither of those characterizations screams non-braggadocio like voice-insecure.

So, let’s say your voice-insecure.

Why would someone be voice-insecure?

Some reasons for this malady would be if you sound like a “get-off-my-lawn-er” or perish the thought and register on the other end of the aural paradigm as juvenile-adolescent.

No matter how you sound, if you can write, even just a little bit, you might be able to corral that lead into a bona fide client by sending a personable email featuring succinct, tantalizing info with razor-sharp focus–qualities that don’t always come across during phone calls–especially if you sound like Betty Boop.

So, now you understand how the gift of gab can work for you other than conversationally and over the phone.

But, I also hear some of you saying, “Well, Bob, I’m going to have to speak with this entity, consortium or person(s) at some point.”

Maybe yes, maybe no.

But, if you must, what would you rather do? Send an email first and then speak over the phone or vice versa?

Depends on whichever is your strong suit, right?

Again, maybe yes, maybe no.

If you always call or speak in person first, you’re losing out on the promise of what an inviting email could bring. Plus, if you are rejected when speaking over the phone, then you’ll appear awkward resorting to a follow-up email–which may very well blast you out of the water entirely with respect to any chance of salvaging the deal in the future.

And a lot depends on what it is the deal entails.

If it’s a speaking engagement, then duh, yeah, lead with your speaking gab strength.

If it’s trying to get a publisher to take on your latest manuscript, then perhaps sending an email first and following up with a phone call will serve you more richly.

When all is said and done, though, it’s best to be good at both types of gab.

Personally, I find written gab more satisfying and rewarding. That is, unless someone appreciates my unintentional get-off-my-lawn tonality when speaking on the phone.

If you’re like me, however, you try to turn a perceived weakness into an actual strength. Add a dose of humor to what you’re trying to convey and it may become a deeply satisfying experience by the time you complete the call.

As always, your mileage may vary. But, you’ll be well on your way to changing your outlook as well as honing another skill in your communication toolbox. And that’s not so bad, is it.

None of this is common sense.

It may have been common sense 100 years ago or maybe even 50, but it no longer is today.

That’s why I do what I do.