C.O.Y.O.T.E.

When I was growing up I remember hearing about C.O.Y.O.T.E which I believe was an acronym for Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics. I think it was like a union or something for prostitution... which by the way is not the oldest profession. Selling is and that is just a subset of sales.

...but I digress... When I say C.O.Y.O.T.E. I mean Call Off Your Old Tired Expressions. Have you noticed that the sales profession has embedded language that may be counter productive? How you talk about what you do will eventually work it's way out into how you do it.

Do you "Pitch" your customers? Maybe so, but really great professional selling is something you do "with" and "for" your customers not to them. It should be a dialogue and not a monologue that uncovers genuine needs and wants. If you use the "pitch" word, you may over time move away from interaction and toward less productive one way communication.

Do you "Overcome Objections"? The problem with this phrase is that it conjures up images of winning an argument. How many arguments have you won with your clients? Did you still get the sale? Doubt it. Think about "working with" or "resolving concerns" instead.

Great Servant Selling is a dance and a romance. Start working with your customers to find mutually beneficial solutions.