Continued...

When I was undergoing my NLP practitioner training, Richard Bandler, the co-creator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, stated that we needed to be wary of the word "just." When we use the word "just," we are seeking to "justify" our request and minimize the impact of the intrusion in our client's mind.

For example, perhaps you have heard yourself follow up on an Internet lead with a statement similar to the following:

"Hi Bob. You downloaded a white paper from our site. I'm just following up to make sure that you got everything you needed."

Or maybe you walked into an office complex with this introduction:

"Hi Bob. I was in the area and I just wanted to introduce myself as the local rep."

Or:

"Hi Bob. I was just calling to see if you had a quick minute to sit down for a cup of coffee and a quick meeting."

When you use the word "just" in your opening statement, what you are essentially saying is that you and your offer are not as important as what your client or prospect is currently engaged in. In your prospect's mind, "just" is a verbal signal that says, "OK--this interruption isn't very important. It's 'just' a salesman selling something. Let's go back to doing the crossword puzzle."

And you may think that what you are bringing up to your prospect or client is a small thing. But that begs the following question: If it is so small and inconsequential, then why are you interrupting your client to bring it to their attention?

If the item that you are bringing up is small and not worth your client's time and attention, then it's probably not worth your time either.

If you want to connect with more of your prospects and get the attention of your clients, bring your value to the table and go in with a strong opening statement.

And your first step in going in with a strong opening statement is removing the word "just" from your language.

About the Author: Larry Prevost is an instructor and an IT consultant for Dale Carnegie Training of Ohio and Indiana. He also is Manta's resident sales expert, answering sales-related questions from Manta member. Ask him a quesion here.


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