Love it or hate it sales is a part of business and knowing how to sell is a must-have skill if you want to make it as an entrepreneur.

And if you have big dreams for your business there’s no way around it… you need to master the art and craft of sales conversations. 

I’ve found that one of the most effective (and fun!) ways to learn how to do something is to know how not to do it…

And so today I’m talking about what not to say in a sales conversation 🙂

These are 3 of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen people make when they’re talking to prospects in person or on a call.

They’re basically foolproof methods to turn hot and heavy leads who are seriously considering working with you or buying from you…

Into haters who can’t wait to get away from you!

Foolproof Method #1: Making it Their Fault

Let’s imagine you’re talking to a business coach and you’re considering a premium mastermind program.

A few minutes into the call, he starts getting into how you’re not using the right growth strategies or how you’re not hitting the mark with your message, or your personal brand plus a whole bunch of other stuff you’re not doing “right.”

You immediately think you need all the help you can get, so you sign up then and there.

Sounds like a sales win for him but it’s not and here’s why…

When you make your prospect wrong, when you get them feeling guilty or ashamed about their mistakes, what you’re really doing is connecting their self-identity to what they’ve done in the past…

And as you know, we can’t change the past.

So what happens is all that guilt and shame damages their confidence in the present and brings up a whole lot of doubt and uncertainty at the same time.

And 1 of these 2 things will happen:

1. The prospect signs up thinking you’re the answer to their prayers and when things don’t go perfectly (and they never do), they’ll blame YOU for it.
2.  The prospect doesn’t sign up and they walk away thinking you’re a jerk for making them feel ashamed or guilty

Either way you lose.

So if you see your prospect doing something that’s not working in their marketing funnel or message or whatever it happens to be, let them know it’s not their fault.

What you want to do is talk about the ineffectiveness of a strategy or some other external situation — it could be they were led astray by market conditions or unscrupulous marketers or a hot sales trend-of-the-moment that’s wrong for their audience — then give them insights into how you can help them. 

Share a bit on what they can do instead and how you can support them.

Whatever else happens, don’t ever make it their fault. 

If you play the blame game you’ll only end up creating resentment and driving people away.

Foolproof Method #2: Getting Wrapped Up in Me, Myself and I

No matter who you are and what you’re selling, nobody wants to buy your stuff.

Sounds harsh I know but it’s true.

Think about it…

No one wakes up in the morning thinking, “Hey, I’m ready to buy fill-in-the-blank with your offer from insert your name!”

So, what do people actually want?

They want to buy what your stuff can do for them.

They want to buy how your product, program or service makes them feel or what your offers let them be, do, have, overcome or achieve. 

So keep your sales conversations focused on your prospect. Ask about their goals and what they’re looking to get from working with you…

And don’t ramble on and on about yourself.

Touch on who you are and what you offer but don’t go on nonstop, about your experience and your credibility, past wins and high achieving students.

Here’s something a lot of entrepreneurs don’t understand…

One of the biggest reasons people don’t buy is because they don’t believe they can get the results they’re looking for.

So, when you’re in a sales conversation your job first and foremost is to sell your prospect on themselves.

Help them find clarity around what they truly want and get them excited about their vision for the future.

Then (and only then) do you sell them on yourself and what you can offer.

Foolproof Method #3: Taking the Untrue, Unethical Route

Ever been in a conversation where the salesperson tells you that you NEED to buy their stuff or you’re never going to build a successful business or write your book or whatever it happens to be?

In other words, your dream will die and nothing’s ever going to turn out right for you if you don’t hire them or buy from them.

When you’re in a sales conversation, never present yourself or your products or services as the ONLY solution because the truth is there are countless options for people to choose from.

Saying you’re the only one who has what it takes to solve their problem and help them get to their goals is untrue, unethical… not to mention totally gross.

Instead, tell them why you’re different from everyone else in your niche or industry and share why you’re the BEST choice — not the ONLY choice.

Then let your prospect decide.

You’ll find that most people respond positively — and this means they’ll be happy to work with you or buy from you — when they’re treated with respect and dignity during the sales process.

The truth is there are lots of dirty tricks people use in sales conversations and I’ll be straight with you…

A lot of that stuff works!

But what most people don’t realize is that they’re losing something absolutely priceless in the process… their prospect’s respect and trust.

So, if you’re in it for the long haul and you want to build a business that stands the test of time (and something tells me you do!) forget “no-fail” sales tips or tactics designed to scare, threaten or trick someone into saying yes.

Instead I want you to think about the person you’re talking to.

Think about who they are and where they come from. Think about their hopes and their dreams and how you can help them.

Focus on building long-term relationships over getting that in-the-moment adrenaline rush of closing a sale…

You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see your sales numbers “magically” start to rise!

The old mantra, “Always be closing” has given way to the new, “Always be caring.” The fastest way to show your prospects that you care is to — get this — actually care. 🙂

Now you know what not to say in a sales conversation, let’s talk about hitting the perfect price point for your offers so it’s even easier for prospects to give you a big, easy, happy YES!

Go ahead and download our Ultimate Product Pricing Guide (it’s free!) where I’m sharing proven, insider techniques to price any product you create so it’s fully congruent with the results you provide AND absolutely irresistible to your prospects 🙂

Get your free guide here 

And now it’s your turn…

What are some of the “yuckiest” experiences you’ve had as a customer? What’s a sales conversation that left you feeling like you need to take a shower?!

Share in the comments below… I’d love to know!