| How many times have you as a professional | | | | therefore it is not may fault that I cannot secure |
| salesperson have had or heard one of these | | | | the results. And how many times have we heard |
| statements from another person who also makes | | | | someone say I hope to close the sale? Again, |
| selling as their living: | | | | responsibility has now been abdicated to forces |
| - Well, I hope to get the sale? | | | | outside of one's control and along with that |
| - I hope to make 20 calls? | | | | personal accountability as well. |
| - I hope to make my quota? | | | | All of these words simply keep you from taking |
| Have you ever considered that this one word | | | | action. You have resigned yourself that something |
| puts you or the other salesperson behind the | | | | else needs to happen for you to have sales |
| selling backstop and not in front of it. When you | | | | success. |
| are engaged in what I call those sales thoughts of | | | | Some may disagree and if so they maybe |
| hope you have both consciously and | | | | seeking that backstop of excuses. Sales research |
| subconsciously placed your ability to earn the deal | | | | continues to suggest that there is a lot of weasel |
| outside of your control. | | | | word behavior given the following about |
| In business and in life, it is the Weasel Words | | | | salespersons and their activities: |
| coined by David Herdlinger that undermine our | | | | - 48% never follow-up with a prospect |
| ability to secure the desired results. These words | | | | - 25% make a second contact and stop |
| are: | | | | - 12% make only three contacts and then quit |
| - Would of | | | | - 10% make four or more contacts |
| - Could of | | | | - 50% of all sales leads are not acted upon |
| - Should of | | | | - 30-70% of all quotas are missed |
| - Maybe | | | | What would happen if you replaced this word of |
| - Might | | | | hope with the following: |
| - Try | | | | - My goal is to earn the sale? |
| From my own experiences and observations of | | | | - My goal is to make 20 calls today? |
| others, I would add the following: | | | | - My goal is to make my quota? |
| - Think | | | | Are you beginning to think differently? What |
| - Yeah, but | | | | specific behaviors and action steps do you need |
| - Hope (when it is not religious or spiritual within | | | | to engage in to turn the goals into the desired |
| the context of the statement) | | | | results? When you remove this one word, hope, |
| For example when you think about something and | | | | from your daily business thoughts, you will no |
| use that as an excuse not to take action, you are | | | | longer be behind the excuse backstop, but will be |
| weaseling out of your own personal accountability. | | | | in front of it. Personally for me, that is a far |
| We all have heard individuals say "Yeah, but." | | | | better place to be. |
| What this means is I agree, but it won't work and | | | | |