Sometimes it pays to be young and naive. Truth is, young salespeople believe the world is their oyster (and it is!). So the young guns can be efficient and effective on the phones.
Just think of the junior salesperson who’s calling executives all day long and not thinking twice about it. They are mostly oblivious to the power dynamics at play, and in a way it’s helping them. As they say, ignorance is bliss! In their minds, they are just as powerful as the CEO of a big company. So why shouldn’t they call them?
The junior salesperson also doesn’t get stuck overthinking things and spinning their wheels. And by failing fast and failing forward, the ones who stick with it build up the self-confidence needed to weather the next stage of their career. Of course, it doesn’t always play out like this. But I’ve seen this pattern emerge after observing hundreds of salespeople in action.
Then in their late twenties or early thirties, they lose the passion and vitality that was once their driving force. They become hyper-aware that they aren’t, in fact, as powerful as CEOs of large companies. And so they assume a submissive role on sales calls, always asking for permission and never bold in their approach.
The truth is — you are as powerful as you believe you are. And the C-suite will respect you as much as you respect yourself. No more and no less. Want to go toe-to-toe with any executive out there? That is, speak their language, carry yourself like a king or queen, command the attention of the room, and leverage real influence? You must first summon the power. I’m going to show you how to do exactly that.
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Is Power A Good Thing In Sales?
Generally speaking, he who holds the power gets his way. In sales, power wielded wisely is a very good thing. Unchecked power is a bad thing.
You don’t want all of the power, all of the time. That’s a tyrant. So I want you to imagine power like a glowing ball of energy. If you hold it too long, it’ll burn right through your hands. So you pass it to your prospect when the time is right. Then you gently take it back to move the conversation along. And like this the power will go back and forth throughout your conversations.
This might sound a little woo-woo, but there has to be give and take in sales. After all, sales is all about relationship building. And relationships are all about the voluntary transference of power and the mutual trust it fosters.
What’s Your Mission?
Your mission is to please your prospect, right? Not so fast. Your mission is to enter into a mutually beneficial partnership that meets both parties’ needs. That’s right, it’s a two-way road, and your needs must also be met.
If you think you only have to meet your prospect’s needs, then you’re drawing dead. I see this happen all the time. And it’s how we get sweaty-palm salespeople. They’re subservient to their master, the prospect, and they have zero leverage in a sales meeting. This is the polar opposite of power.
But beware! At the other end of the spectrum there are salespeople who focus on their needs at the expense of their prospect. This is also a losing proposition. I see this a lot in the young guns and the Grant Cardonians, as I call them. They’re arrogant, brash, and they fly the flag of “Always Be Closing.” This power-hungry approach can work in the short-term, but it’s no way to make a living in the long-term. (No offense to Grant Cardone — I’m just skeptical of the culture built around him and how it’s salesperson-centric rather than customer-centric.)
Who Holds the Power?
The one who does his homework…
I say it all the time: If you want to build relationships and close more deals, get to know your prospect before you get them on the phone. It’s the same reason why war generals study maps. They want to know the lay of the land and what they’re up against. Understand who your targets are, what challenges they face, how they make decisions, and what makes them tick! Do this and you will have power.
The one who doesn’t speak…
He who does all the talking loses the battle. Ask open-ended questions and listen, listen, listen. I know this flies in the face of everything people think about salespeople — smooth talkers who own the conversation. But the real sales pros know when to zip their lips and let the prospect do the talking. Do this and you will gain valuable intel. And intel is power. There will come a time to talk, don’t worry. We’ll get into that next.
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The one who masters verbal cues…
When speaking to the C-suite, it’s important to be mindful of the following:
- Tonality — speak with authority and conviction, stressing certain syllables, allowing your voice pitch, cadence, and volume to rise and fall to draw your prospect in. (Read my article on Tonality in Sales to really dial this in.)
- Passionate and emphatic delivery — to sell anything, you must first show your prospect that you’re sold on your product or service.
- Clear voice — speaking clearly from the diaphragm can help convey power and authority.
- Precise language — Don’t waste your words. When salespeople get nervous, they tend to ‘word vomit’ and speak too much. Rein it in as best as possible.
This includes speaking well. Look – you don’t have to have an advanced degree to sell well. In fact, if you’re a Ph.D., you risk talking your prospect into a bored stupor. Many of the best salespeople in the world are college dropouts. But when they speak, they speak well. They don’t stumble over every other word. They are careful not to say the blacklisted trigger words and phrases. And they paint pictures with their words.
The one who uses non-verbal cues and body language…
The unspoken power dynamics include:
- Power stance with good posture
- Sweeping gestures
- Maintaining eye contact
- Squared up with your prospect
- Move with purpose
- Keep calm, cool, and poised
The one who dresses accordingly & looks the part…
Not wearing a collared shirt? My respect for you could go out the window in a business situation. I’m a C-Level executive, after all, and I wear collared shirts every day. Of course, this depends on the industry you’re selling to. If you’re calling on Startup founders, they might be wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. And in which case it won’t hurt to dress the part. Just remember it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Same goes for being clean-shaven and having a nice haircut when needed. All of this adds up, and it matters.
The one who acts as-if…
Remember when you were young? You acted as-if as your default! Now that you’re older (and perhaps more jaded about life) you must do it on purpose. You must act as-if you belong on the call with the CEO, CMO, CTO, or VP. Because you do!
There’s no “fake it till you make it.” You’ve already made it. You just have to step into that truth and act accordingly. If you don’t act as-if you’ve already made it, the mutual respect and attention just won’t be there. It’s one of the unchanging principles of sales, business, and life.
Final Words
There are power dynamics going on during every single sales conversation. From the moment your prospect picks up the phone and says “hello,” to the moment they sign the partnership agreement… and even beyond. Sometimes you can hear these power dynamics, but often these are silent or unspoken dynamics that fly beneath the radar.
If you want to win in sales and in life, you must attune your sensibilities to these power dynamics and use them to your advantage. If you do, you’ll find that c-level executives see you as an equal, and you’re far more likely to be heard. Just remember, there’s a fine line between showing authority and being an authoritarian. And you don’t want to blur it.
You’ve got this.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso