If you’ve ever been in an argument with your significant other, you’ve probably worked out that the way you say something is often more important than what you say.
The same principle applies to sales.
You may have put hours into researching your market, learning your product, and crafting your pitch, but if you aren’t aware of what your voice conveys to your potential customers, all that effort may be for nothing. People are considerably less influenced by the actual words you use, and more influenced by the tone of your voice and your body language. Consider how many miscommunications happen because during text conversations or email exchanges. You can hear yourself say the words in your head as you type, but when the other person can’t hear the tone of your voice, your words are left up to interpretation. Most of the time, they are interpreted wrong.
Why is tonality important in sales?
In business, the first sale is always to yourself. If you don’t believe in your product or service, why would anyone else?
But if you lack confidence it will be glaringly obvious the moment you open your mouth. This can spell disaster when you’re making a sales call. After all, would you want to invest your hard-earned money in a product even the sales person doesn’t believe works?
Of course not!
When you approach a prospect, you are doing so because they have a problem that your product or service can fix. In this situation, you are the expert with the solution and you must present yourself in that manner. So if you sound like you don’t care about their problems, you can bet they won’t care about your solutions.Mastering your tone is an essential part of business. Once you learn to control it, you’ll be on your way to better sales.
The Eight Different Tonal Patterns
Tonality is broken up into eight different patterns. Which one you use will depend on the relationship you’ve built with the other person, where they are in the sales process, and what you hope to gain in that moment of the conversation.
- Scarcity/Urgency
This is used to convey the need to make a decision quickly.
- Reasonable
You’re on the same side as them.. you’re a member of their team, or can relate to their point of view.
- Absolute Certainty
You know you can help them, and you want them to understand that as well.
- I Care
Empathy is important in sales. Customers want to know that their problems matter to you.
- Using a Question Your Statement Should Be Declarative
Ending your statement with a raised voice suggesting a question mark. This infers agreement.
- Series of Three Up-Tones
When stringing three statements together, your voice will go up at the end of each. These micro-agreements can encourage others to agree with you.
- The Presupposing Tone
You know the outcome they can expect. Using a presupposing tone is especially helpful when emphasising the benefits the prospect can expect to have when using your product.
- I Really Want to Know
Customers want to be heard. Using this tone allows you to communicate that you want to hear them.
How to Use the Right Tone in Your Sales Presentations
Tonality in sales isn’t about picking one tone and sticking with it throughout the conversation. Varying your tone throughout the conversation will keep your potential customer engaged and hanging on your every word. Remember that you are having a conversation, not performing a monologue. While you are extremely excited about whatever it is you’re selling, your potential customer will likely be considerably less so. You may need to start out with “I’d really like to know,” before raising the excitement level in your tone. This way, you can meet them where they are at and then slowly ramp them up to where you want them to be.
While tonality and body language are two distinct aspects of communication, they can affect one another. Consider how you feel when you are slumped over in your chair, shoulders hunched, and head forward. Chances are you feel insecure, sad, or unenthusiastic.
It sounds surprising, but even if you’re talking to a prospect on the phone your posture and your emotional state will come across in your voice. They can’t see you, but you must still be aware of your body language. So sit up straight, do a few stretches, and get ready to portray the confident expert that you are.
Some people are born with the gift of perfect tonality. They naturally know just how to talk to people to achieve their goals. For the rest of us, it takes practice. By becoming aware of your tonality, you’ve already taken the first step to improving your business. It’s a learned skill that you can practice and eventually master.
If you struggle to engage with prospects, perhaps some coaching would help you improve.
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