The way you communicate could hurt you in business and love

The early stages of a sales conversation are much the same as a first date. In both circumstances you are courting the individual, investing time in getting to know them and putting your best foot forward in the hope that what you’re selling appeals to them.

The fastest way to derail any date is to talk about yourself, and the same applies for any sales conversation. If you want the relationship to be a success, listen and wait until there’s a natural opening where your question or message fits.

And when the time does come for you to speak, here’s how you can use your voice to romance your companion and secure a second date.

1. Be engaging – Similar to most aspects of life, Aussies tend to bring a laid-back attitude to the way we speak, which means our delivery can be a bit lackluster–remember, first impressions count. If you want someone to take an interest in what you have to say, your message needs to be spoken in a punchy and captivating way.
2. Don’t be afraid to show a bit of muscle – There’s a time and a place for a bit of muscular prowess, and this is it. In the same way that you need to clock time at the gym, so too do you need to train your voice to achieve a muscular, lively and crisp delivery. When you’ve locked in a time and a place, choose a famous speech, a play or a piece of poetry and record yourself reciting it. When it comes to winning someone over with words, the most useful thing you can do is to practice and be conscious of how you sound. Your voice is an extremely powerful weapon in the art of seduction, provided you understand how you’re using it.
3. Be true to yourself – Disregard what you’ve heard, imitation is not the highest form of flattery. If you’re trying to be like somebody else, there’s a high chance that guy has already tried, failed and been shown the door. Be genuine, and rather than putting on a performance, devote your energy to being the best version of yourself.
4. Take it slow – Punctuation isn’t there for show. It sets a pace for your message and prompts you to stop and breathe, so don’t ignore it. Barrelling through your sales pitch will only make your intentions seem insincere, and it doesn’t leave time for someone to digest what you’re saying, let alone respond. Silence is a magical thing, and a lot can be said when saying nothing at all.
5. Don’t save passion for the bedroom – Start strong and bring high energy to the conversation. If you’re excited, don’t shy away from your personality and have a conviction for what you’re saying, your companion won’t be able to resist showing an interest. Worried your enthusiasm may make you seem desperate? See for yourself.

How 60 Seconds can help you close

If you want your message to be memorable, the most useful thing you can do as a salesperson is to rehearse, and 60 Seconds can help you do just that. 60 Seconds is a mobile coaching platform that allows you to rehearse and record your pitch, and share it instantly with your manager for feedback. Giving your manager the ability to set tasks in real-time that will help you improve your delivery, target your weaknesses and develop incrementally–think of 60 Seconds as your mobile wingman.

If you’re struggling to make it past the first date, find out more about how 60 Seconds can help you close.