Life Lessons by Luke

The older I get, the less surprises me.

That said, I continue to be baffled by one particular phenomenon: younger salespeople who can talk endlessly in meetings, on Teams calls, and in Slack channels somehow have no idea how to leave a voicemail.

When a prospect doesn't answer, they either hang up immediately or leave a rambling, incoherent message that sounds like someone being held hostage.

A voicemail should accomplish three things:

Remind the person who you are.

Give them a reason to call you back.

End before they lose interest.

That's it.

Practice. Have a script. Reference a previous email, conversation, or meeting. Sound like a professional, not someone who accidentally butt-dialed a prospect.

Virtual Meetings Are Not Real Meetings

I know this sounds obvious, but apparently it isn't.

An online presentation is fundamentally different from sitting across a conference table from someone.

In person, you can read body language. You can see engagement. You can tell whether your audience is fascinated, confused, or mentally planning their next vacation.

On Zoom? Good luck.

Half the attendees are off camera. A quarter are answering emails. One person is walking their dog.

If you want engagement, stop asking:

Any questions?

There won't be any.

Instead, ask questions that require participation.

What challenges are you dealing with right now?

How are you solving that problem today?

Who do you typically compete against?

Why do clients choose you?

Why do they leave?

People respond better when they're talking about themselves than when they're being asked to critique your presentation.

And please stop asking, What keeps you up at night?

You know what keeps me up at night?

Questions like that.

And the fact that at my age, my bladder apparently operates on a subscription model.

Respect the Clock

One of the simplest ways to demonstrate professionalism is finishing on time.

Yet somehow it remains one of the rarest.

When you schedule thirty minutes, take twenty-five.

When you schedule an hour, finish in fifty.

Leave time to summarize. Leave time for questions. Leave time to discuss next steps. Leave time to actually ask for the business.

Running over isn't a sign that your presentation was valuable.

It's a sign that your planning wasn't.

Silence Is Not Your Enemy

Many salespeople are terrified of silence.

The moment a prospect stops talking, they rush in to fill the gap.

Don't. Silence is where thinking happens. Pause. Listen. Let people finish their thoughts.

The prospect who is speaking is giving you information. The salesperson who is speaking is usually repeating information.

One of those has value.

A Few Final Reminders

If you're working remotely:

Look into the camera.

Stop multitasking.

Close your email.

Put your phone away.

Pay attention.

And while I am not advocating for three-piece suits and cufflinks, put on a collared shirt.

You're meeting with clients, not auditioning for a reality show.

And for the love of all things holy:

No hats.

— Luke

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Life Lessons by Luke continues its mission of helping sales professionals avoid preventable mistakes, one sarcastic observation at a time.

Send your questions, complaints, and questionable career decisions to: luke@advintroedgemagazine.com