Mastering the World of Selling: The Ultimate Training Resource from the Biggest Names in Sales

Chapter 49. Having a "Great Meeting" Is Not the Objective

Chris Lytle

Sparque

Whenever a salesperson tells the boss that he or she had a great meeting, you can be sure that he or she did not make a sale. If the salesperson had made a sale, he or she would lead with that information: "I got the deal."

The following conversation actually took place. The names have been changed, but I'll let you know that I was the sales manager. A salesperson has just returned to the office from a sales call 102 miles away.

• "How was your meeting, Alan?" asks the sales manager.

• "It was a great meeting," says the rep.

• "You got the order, then? Congratulations," says the manager.

• "No, I didn't get the order."

• "Oh. Then why did you tell me it was a great meeting?"

• "Well, we talked for nearly two hours."

• "So, he didn't throw you out."

• "And he really likes our product. He says it is the best he's ever seen."

• "So what is the next step?" asks the manager.

• "He wants me to call him in the spring."

• "Spring is six months from now and 91 days long, Alan. Is there a specific date in the spring when you are going to reconnect?"

• "No, he just wants me to call him in the spring."

• "Let me get this straight. You just drove 204 miles and got put off until spring and you call that a 'great meeting'?"

• "Okay, it was a good meeting."

• "I would call it a continuation and leave it at that, Alan. You had a meeting and have no next step planned."

• Using precision language is seemingly a lost art.

Salespeople use terms like "hot prospect" and "great ...