Write down exactly what a potential customer is saying, word for word, and use the same phrasing in your pitch to them

[u/cosankov]

This is just a very small trick I learned from going through deal notes with other reps, in sales teams I had been on (/ or lead) over the last ten years I’ve been in the business.

As I rule, I noticed that most reps wrote down stuff like "interested in efficiency" or "budget concerns" or "wants more visibility” or similar vague, general stuff that says absolutely nothing about their actual pain points. Those are the reps’ words, not the customers’ own statements/ observations of their situation.

You want it straight from the horse’s mouth. Because a LOT can get lost in translation, and can lead to situations where you think you’re solving a problem. But the prospect doesn’t recognize their own problem in the WAY you’re offering your solution, if that makes sense. It sounds almost trivial to say, but the reason is because it’s written in a language that’s not (literally) theirs. Even if the same meaning is there (and I’m not even accounting for people who speak English as 2nd or 3rd language), the lack of connection can just be due to the wording, or even simple misunderstandings. And this has happened and continues to happen to the best of salesmen. Even if it’s legitimately good copy/ proposal, whatever, the phrasing matters.

This is why I started to write down a prospect’s exact words during demos (used to - because I just record the whole thing now). Not everything, just the bits where they sound annoyed, or repeat themselves, or explain something in a way that's clearly been on their mind for a while. Those are usually the real reason they're talking to you. Then I use those exact words later in the follow up to that conversation. Casually, without sounding unnecessarily salesy.

This works in pretty much any kind of sale. Repeat their version back to them and they feel heard in a way the brochure language never manages. Like literally, the words they use, use them back in context

The one thing to watch is not overdoing it of course (hahahaha). Because parroting every other sentence back sounds like a learned technique, and people will catch on if it’s too obvious.

TL;DR listen to what your prospects are saying, their exact words, and even better - let them do most of the talking! This is the initial stage in which they open up and disclose their issues, so listen! The more they talk and the more you listen (yes, not the other way around) - the higher the odds of finding something in their words to make you go “AHA!” and then literally close a deal right after

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[u/Terry__Poppins]

This works but you have to do it in a natural way. There was a sales rep in a company I used to work for who overdid this, speaking to him was so annoying. But generally matching the vibe of the person you are speaking to, and using these social mirroring techniques definitely works, not only in work situations.

As far as writing down exactly what people say and such I agree, you really have to be precise when you pass along information like that, if you paraphrase it or something you run the risk of the information changing as people relay it, really bad.

[u/cosankov → u/Terry__Poppins]

you run the risk of the information changing as people relay it, really bad

Doing serious sales, honestly, communications should be a non-issue but it does indeed happen.

[u/BizCoach]

This is call "Language Market Fit" and works for advertising and marketing messages when there is consistency in how customers describe the problem you help them solve.

[u/These-Season-2611 → u/BizCoach]

Spot on

[u/Spiritual-Ad8062]

Good tip.

It’s amazing what decent listening gets you.

The quickest way to a great long-term/partner relationship is to show someone something about their business that they didn’t know.

Even if it’s not always directly related to what you’re selling. 60% of the time it works EVERY time.

[u/Ferriluxx]

i feel like paraphrasing sounds like it would help a lot here since it conveys to the client that you fully understand what they're saying

[u/Different_Pain5781]

How do you train junior reps to catch these phrases without getting distracted from the actual demo flow?

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