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The Most Powerful Word In Sales - and Elsewhere
Something You Can Use Right Now 
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The Most Powerful Word
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Greetings! 
 
There is a word that will:
  • cause customers to open up - or shut you out
  • facilitate your next needs analysis
  • put you in control in negotiating
  • bring you information you never had before
Used effectively, it will help you and your customers; used the wrong way, both of you will suffer.
 
The Most Powerful Word in Sales:
 
Help!help
 
 
It's amazing how this word works. At some point we have all needed help. And we have offered help to friends and strangers. What happens in the subconscious mind when you help someone or are helped by someone?
 
It will stop men in Armani suits on the streets of Manhattan. It will even stop people rushing through the airport dragging their roll-aboards.
 
80% of selling happens at the subconscious level. Our choice of words, intonation in our voices and our body language usually communicate as much or more as our planned presentation.
 
The word "Help", as in "Will you help me?", seems to put the person asking the question in a subordinate position. However, when used deliberately and effectively, asking someone for help can actually put you in control.
 
Use It Right
 
For instance, approach a prospect and say something like, "I was on your web site and I found this term which I've never seen before; could you help me understand what it is?" Who is controlling the sales call at this point? Who is gathering the information they need for the transaction? Who is building the most credibility with the other person? Who is showing interest?
 
See how it works?
 
Use It Wrong
 
Every day thousands of "salespeople" use this word incorrectly. Go into almost any retail store and how will you be greeted? "May I help you?" How do you respond? "No thanks, just looking."
 
Did the seller create a buying or even a selling environment? No!
 
Whenever the word is used in a familiar way, it loses its power. And, as we've just seen, it can actually create the opposite effect of what the seller wants.
 
Use It Today
 
Find ways today to use the word "help". Look for them and you'll find them.
  • Whenever you need anything from the client - use help
  • When you first meet someone, find a way to incorporate the word in your introduction ("You're with Acme Widgets - help me understand what you folks do.")
  • When negotiating, find ways to use the word effectively ("Can you help me understand which of these issues is most important to you?")
  For the full white paper report, see below
 
Want the Full White Paper?
 
It's free, of course, and it contains the DIY Sales Training format you can use for one of your in-house sales training sessions.  
 
There is more detail on how and why this word works so effectively. I've summarized it in a White Paper that is available using the link below. It explains more of the subconscious and subliminal aspects of using "help" in your selling.
 
If you'd like to focus one of your DIY sales training sessions on this topic, the format for the training is embedded in the white paper as well. (Email me if you'd like a free copy of the Quick Start Facilitator's Guide for conducting in-house training. It will be coming out in a few days.)  
 
 
 
 Chuck Reaves, CSP, CPAE, CSO     770.965.5595   Chuck@ChuckReaves.com
dangerComing Next Issue
 
The Most Dangerous Word in Sales!
 
You may be using it more often than you think. And you may have used it more than once today already. When you see it and understand the psychology behind it, you'll know why it can be a subtle trap. You'll learn why your clients and prospects have reacted to it as they have. And, you'll be able to come back to this edition and see how it was used in this section!