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Life Health > Life Insurance

What's love got to do with sales?

By Jill Konrath

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If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Every time I speak or train, I emphasize this point. Yet, salespeople seem to be totally deaf to this message:

Don’t tell a prospect that you’d “LOVE” to meet with him or her.

Just in the past few days, these love notes have arrived in my inbox.

  • I would LOVE to jump on a quick call to discuss.

  • I really would LOVE to hear back from you.

  • I would LOVE to chat, so please let me know when you have a moment.

  • I would LOVE to understand how you’re using webinars to help with pipeline growth.

  • I’d LOVE to grab 20-30 minutes of your time since you’re a leading authority in sales.

  • I would LOVE the opportunity to speak with you about what you are currently doing with virtual communications.

What’s wrong with LOVE? 

It’s self-serving. It’s all about you. And, worse than anything, it makes you sound like a total wannabe —someone who would give anything to get on your prospect’s calendar. 

Here’s the deal: 

Prospects don’t want to meet with hopeful wannabes. They want to meet with pros. Someone who can bring them ideas, insights or information that helps them achieve their objectives. 

So, what do you say instead? 

How about a short, to-the-point, business-oriented message. Something like this:

Terry,

Like all Sales VPs, driving net new revenue is crucial for making your numbers. But the reality is, your salespeople are really struggling to set up sales meetings. 

If you keep hearing complaints about how tough it is, I’ve got some ideas that can help. They’ve worked for other tech companies like ABC and XYZ.

Let’s set up a short meeting next week to talk about it. Does Tuesday afternoon work for you?

Jill

See the difference? 

I could have said, “I’d love to set up a time to talk with you and find out about your key sales challenges and share with you how we might help”… but then I sound like a wannabe again. 

If what you sell truly makes a difference for your prospects, say it. Get to the point. Pique their curiosity. Get them to say, “Hmm. That’s interesting. I’d like to learn more.” 

It’s a whole lot better response than asking for the love you so desperately want. 

So here’s your challenge: 

Look at your emails. Are you asking for them to give you love? If so, rework your emails so you sound like you’re worth meeting. 

P.S. I LOVED writing this blog post. I feel like I’ve just removed a big weight from my shoulders. The responsibility is now back on you to do it the more effective way.

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