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What does a sales manager do to impart their intention? It’s the most challenging knowledge in sales for sales managers to pass on to their team.

What makes teaching intent difficult? It’s not a verbal ability and isn’t something that can be taught in the salesperson’s mind and is based on character and goodwill.

A salesperson who arrives on an appointment with a genuine desire to know the prospects’ business and issues will make higher sales than the more articulate, more polished, less expensive competitor. Humans are wired to detect dishonesty and the absence of authenticity. They can also tell the genuine person and wants to be honest. Who would you prefer to work with?

So, how can you instruct your sales team members to take every sales prospect with the best intentions? Here are three questions you can ask to assist:

1. Are you at the office of the prospective client to discuss or sell?

When a salesperson approaches a selling scenario with the goal of closing the deal, there is a change. The buyer’s mind is closed due to the fact that they realize that the questions are intended to prompt a “yes.”

For instance, a potential customer has shared their frustrations and issues with an agent. Salespersons can detect “buying signs” and then follows up with a concluding question “If it were possible to make this better, Would you like to?”

The dumbest question that a salesperson could ask on a conference call. What is the prospect expected to answer? “No, I’d prefer to remain in this situation and continue to lose thousands of dollars and my most valuable customers.” The salesperson whose goal is to listen and comprehend doesn’t make purchases based on signals.

A great sales professional is enthusiastic and inquisitive. They approach every sales meeting as an investigator from “CSI” and are interested in understanding why there is an issue, how it becomes an issue, and its impact on business. The sales professional is aware of how many pieces they can gather and the more effective solution they can give.

2. Are you looking for the truth or the answer you’ve been looking for?

It begins with the right intentions and is followed by refusing to play games that are often the case during an upcoming sales call. Did you have the sales call of prospects who aren’t interested and keeps the cards near to their chest or do not appear to be in any actual discomfort? It’s likely that this person has already made a choice to believe in win-lose relationships or thinks that talking to a salesperson with actually solving the issue. (You know the kind that if you speak about the loss of weight could occur.)

If you want to discover the truth, you have to be honest. Truth sounds like this “Mr. Prospect, and I have the impression that you.

(1) Have already selected the company you will partner with for this venture.” Or,
(2) “Are you uncomfortable with sharing the information I require to give an informed recommendation.” Or,
(3) “Have some concerns. But, I’m not certain they’re big enough to tackle at the moment.”

When you search for the truth, you’ll become an avid hunter of big game and are”the “sales elephant” in the room, the one who’s not receiving any attention when it hoots and raises its trunk. When you tell the truth, your prospect will also speak the truth, and a genuine dialog starts. Although I cannot assure you that every sale will be successful, however, I can promise you won’t be wasting time with prospects who aren’t prepared or ready to engage with you.

3. Are you trying to impress or influence others?

That was the topic; Willie Jolly, a motivational speaker, was asked by an audience with professional trainers and speakers. “You are able to impress the crowd with your flair and style,” Jolly said. “They will be amazed. But they will not be affected.

“The successful speaker has a connection with the people in their life is altered due to your capacity to influence. What would you prefer to accomplish? Or influence?”

We’re all given the same option when it comes to sales. On a lot of occasions, salespeople arrive at meetings with the intention to impress the prospective client. They will recite their product knowledge in fancy PowerPoints, and seven-syllable phrases are used throughout the discussion.

If a salesperson is concerned about impressing others, their concentrate on them, not on the prospects or clients. It’s easy to realize that prospective customers and customers don’t do business with self-centered individuals.

Make sure you are clear about your motives. Be honest. Make a choice to be influential.

The prospective buyer recognizes the difference. Do you?

Colleen Stanley serves as the president and founder of SalesLeadership, Inc. She is a regular columnist for the national Business Journals, author of “Growing Great Sales Teams,” and co-author of “Motivational Selling.’ Prior to establishing SalesLeadership, Colleen was vice director of sales and marketing at Varsity Spirit Corporation. In the ten years she was at Varsity, the company’s sales increased from 8 million to 90 million.

She is the founder of the EI Sellingprogram, an innovative and effective sales program that blends the skills of emotional intelligence with the ability to consult on sales. The services that she offers in terms of training and consulting include:
Benchmarking, Selection, and Hiring of Top Sales Talent
Consultative Sales Training
Leadership Training for Sales Managers
Major Account Sales
Prospecting and Referral Training
Sales Compensation
Territory Management
Customer Relationship Management