This post could just as easily be titled “Love and Sales,” because it touches on the undignified way salespeople sound when they talk about how much they’d love to get together with a prospect.
Perhaps a certain former HP CEO started something when she used the word “passion” in a business context, because for the past 10 years at least, we’ve all heard—in my opinion—way too much about the passion business people have for their companies, their customers, etc. From passion, it’s a short hop to love. And talk is cheap.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being really interested in what you do and committed to honing your skills or your product for the betterment of your customers. (Note how “committed” just sort of slipped into the previous sentence. Argh.)
In Ms. Konrath’s opinion, using the word “love” makes you sound like a “someone who would give anything to get on your prospect’s calendar.” Better by far to pique a prospect’s interest with “ideas, insights or information” that can help them meet their goals and then offer a couple of options for meeting. She recommends that you review your emails carefully before you press Send to make sure you’ve expunged any trace of love and replaced it with something less warm and fuzzy but a lot more valuable.
Graphic Credit: leoco (123rf.com)
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