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Guest post by: Ian Traynor Become an Author

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So many sales pitches are boring. But you can bring your selling to life by painting pictures in words to excite your prospective customer.

"Our widgit has 'x' whatsits". "We provide a complete solution to ...". "Our software has 'umpteen bells and whistles' which do...".

Oh dear! I can hear your prospect shouting "Yes, but what will it do for me?" Are you really selling to folks what they really want to buy? Are you giving them their hopes, reassuring them, overcoming their fears, realising their dreams? That's what they really want to hear. And it doesn't matter whether they are the Chief Buyer of Megalith Co plc (or Inc!) or a one-person band just down the road from you.

Sell them their dreams! How? Here's how... paint them a "word picture" of their dreams coming true.

First, you have to find out what they really want - not what you want to sell them. What are the real benefits to them - as a person, not a representative of a corporation. If they are in a big company, will buying from you enhance their reputation? Make them more secure? If they own their own business, will your product/service help them towards their personal goals? Paint a word picture to demonstrate this to them. Here's a retail sales example...

Man walks into your gift store, aiming to buy a present for his wife. He sees a beautiful vase. You say "That is a beautiful gift. I can see the look on your wife's face as she unwraps it and says 'Darling, that's lovely. It will be just right on the mantleshelf over there'. You see the smile on her face, and you feel really pleased that you bought it. It gave her so much pleasure"

OK, that's maybe a bit over the top, but can you see how bringing an image into concrete terms - into the listener's terms - can give the 'dream' concrete substance. You can sell a hammer in the same way:

"When you pick up this hammer and heft it, you can feel its weight. As it hits the nail, you can feel it driving the nail into the clean, hard wood. It feels just right in your hands"

Again, maybe a little over the top? But I once gained a major consultancy contract using this method. My prospect wanted dearly to extend his chemical factory (as I found out though asking questions and listening). I painted the word picture: "I can see you standing here 12 months from now as the foundations are going down for the new extension. You're thinking 'At last I will have the capacity to meet this increase in orders resulting from our new marketing initiative. That feels really good!'"

Over the top? Maybe. But this was in hard-headed Yorkshire in England. And I used those words to a 'self-made' man. I can't claim that the 'word picture' alone made the sale

But I'm sure that it helped. Try it for yourself. But practice it first. And make sure that you've asked all the right questions, so that you know what really switches your prospect on.

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