Charisma is hard to define – but when someone has it, it’s obvious. Charismatic salespeople have a huge advantage over their competition. Prospects are far more likely to engage with them, respect their guidance & listen to them.
One of the easiest ways to stand out & be more charismatic is to change your vocabulary. The following phrases are powerful. Combine them & they will be even stronger.
- “Tell me more…”
Traditional sales calls can feel like interrogations if you’re not careful. Charismatic salespeople avoid this issue by responding to their prospects with phrases like:
- “Tell me more . . .”
- “I see.”
- “Go on . . .”
- “And . . . ”
These simple, neutral replies show that you are listening & encourage the buyer to open up. They also avoid prompting the buyer to give a certain response, unlike leading questions such as, “Do you think that strategy is working?”
- “It’s like . . .” or “It’s as though . . .” or “It’s as if . . .”
There’s a reason writers rely on similes, metaphors & analogies: They work. They make your discussion more memorable & engaging. See the difference?
- Before: “Our tool helps you find & connect with passive candidates approximately three months before they start looking for a job.”
- After: “Our tool helps you find & connect with passive candidates approximately three months before they start looking for a job. It’s like you’re starting a marathon an hour before the next racer.”
Coming up with a great figure of speech on the spot is hard to do, so once you find some that work, stick with them.
- “No”; “yes”
Charisma & confidence go hand-in-hand. Next time you’re answering a close-ended question, fight the urge to over-explain: Simply saying “yes” or “no” will make you seem a lot more “sure” of yourself – it’s definite & absolute. If your prospect wants more information, they’ll ask for it. This subtly puts you in a position of power. And, you’ll avoid rambling & Dumping – which tends to lessen your charisma. Here’s an example:
- Prospect: “Do you service the Midwest?” Rep: “Yes.”
- Prospect: “Great, how many distribution centers do you have in the region?” Rep: “Three.”
- “One of our customers …”
Like confidence, storytelling & charisma go hand-in-hand. People are usually most spell-bound when they’re absorbing a story, whether it’s a TV show, podcast, movie, play, book, or speech. This is why customer case studies have enormous power in the sales process. Use them to bring the value of your product to life for your prospects & show them how similar they are to its current users. Stories from your personal experience can also amp up your charisma (although be careful to maintain professionalism).
- For example, if the buyer is struggling with his business’s payroll system, you might tell a funny story about the time your former company’s system crashed right before taxes were due. Not only will you win credibility, you’ll liven up the call.
- “I’m excited about …” or “We’re excited about …”
Charismatic people show their emotions “spontaneously & genuinely,” according to author Ronald E. Riggio. He says, “Others naturally pick up on those feelings, which makes them feel closer to charismatic person & more comfortable expressing their own feelings.” With this in mind, why wouldn’t you share your emotions? Both positive & negative.
- If you’re excited about an opportunity for the buyer, say, “I’m excited about the chance you have to do X … ”
- If they give you a dismaying piece of news, say, “We’re disappointed to hear Y … ” or “It upsets us that … ”
Just make sure you don’t go too far: If you’re always mentioning how you feel or claiming to feel things you don’t, you’ll come across as unprofessional or inauthentic.
- “To recap …”
Repetition is powerful. Naturally, people will remember information the more often they hear it. And guess what? They’ll also be more likely to believe it. If you have a specific fact or argument you really want to drive home, try saying it at the beginning & end of your sales call.
- To give you an idea, you might say at the start: “The right Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will improve virtually every aspect of your hiring results.”
- You’d end the call with, “To recap, implementing an ATS will improve your company’s hiring efforts across the board.”
- “Imagine …”
Charismatic salespeople use hypothetical situations. Especially ones that place the buyer front-&-center. This captivates & engages their audience.
- For instance, a salesperson might ask her prospect to imagine a world where she meets her objectives in half the time. He’ll immediately want to reach this future state, making him more receptive to her pitch.
- “Suppose,” “pretend,” “what if …” & “envision” are also strong options for creating a vision in the buyer’s mind.
- “Great question, glad you asked.”
A salesperson that oozes charisma will often welcome her prospects’ questions. She knows the safer the buyer feels asking for information or clarifying a detail, the likelier he is to trust her. As an added benefit, this response subtly boosts her prospect’s ego. Who doesn’t like asking an insightful question? Just be careful not to say this too often or after every question – not genuine at all!
Now, go stand out!
