I recently heard a radio DJ get in touch with celebrity Kim Kardashian at her Sydney hotel. Of course there is nothing unusual about a DJ speaking to someone famous – except in this instance he didn’t have her number, had no appointment, and had made up a fake story and identity.
His goal? To see how easy it was for anyone to breech security and speak directly to a celebrity.
He put on a fake persona as a lawyer – with an urgent tone, an air of importance and an expectation of success – and got through the hotel switchboard, Kardashian’s own security team, and eventually directly on the line to Kardashian. The call only lasted until she realised it was a hoax, but he made it.
The secret of his success? Confidence. At all points of the process he conveyed an undeniable expectation that he had the right to speak to whomever he wanted.
So what does this have to do with your business?
When approaching prospects with whom you want to work, your belief in your product or service comes into play. If you are hesitant about your ability to do the job, or the value of your offering, your prospect will not be inspired to work with you. You will convey your lack of confidence even if you don’t mean to – by your tone of voice, use of language, and lack of persistence.
For instance, if you aren’t confident you may not make as much eye contact, may not speak as clearly or directly, and may give up after the first sign of disinterest. You may use weaker words such as ‘might’ and ‘could’ instead of commanding language such as ‘will’ and ‘can’. All this will happen subconsciously, and your prospect will pick it up on a subconscious level too.
So what can you do to boost your confidence in what you provide?
1. Gather all the positive feedback and testimonials you have received from customers. Read them often.
2. Display positive feedback and testimonials in your office, on your website, and in your marketing and sales materials. Share client success stories with prospects. Positive things other people say about your business are more convincing than anything you can say yourself!
3. Write a list of the benefits of your product or service to the user. When describing what you do, don’t only speak about the features (what something does), but also the benefits (what something will do for them). For example, the feature of exercise is moving your body, but the benefit is increased fitness, health, and energy. Focusing on the benefits rather than the features takes the focus from the product or service to the prospect … which is essential in any sales conversation.
To make the sale you need to have, and display, confidence in your product or service. If you don’t believe in what you do, you can’t expect anyone else to.