What's the one thing most people obsess over in sales?

Any guesses?

⬇️

The correct answer is the words!

But what about the delivery of those words?

I conducted a poll recently asking what people thought was the most important part of communication - the result...

Words = 14%

Tonality = 69%

Body Language = 17%

It begs the question - why does tonality hardly ever feature in sales training or during company onboarding programs?

Salespeople can watch an influential trainer on YouTube and copy the exact same script, but if the delivery doesn't back up the words - they fall flat - and then say it doesn't work.

Tone is so fundamental in human communication.

It conveys meaning.

And meaning is everything.

How many times have you heard people say:

"It wasn't so much what he said, but the way he said it...I didn't like that one bit."

In sales your tone can be a tightrope -

🛑 Some people advocate being passionate - but overdo this and you'll sound salesy.

🛑 Some say less is more - but you need to be careful you don't sound monotone and dull.

🛑 Others will say 'you must sound assertive'...but where's the line before you start to sound patronising?

🛑 Advocates of The Challenger Sale will advice applying 'constructive tension', but this can be misconstrued to the point you sound downright rude.