wahmsales

SDR

Thoughts on sounding 'professional'?

During team roleplay, I got to thinking how some reps sound totally different when they're making a sales call. The words they use, the tonality, etc. Personally, I think it sounds horrible and I always try to sound like a normal, everyday person.

Do you try to sound professional/formal? Is it something you do unintentionally and you're trying to fix it? Do you sound like someone people would like to grab a beer with?

Do you try to sound 'professional' on sales calls?

Attached poll

Yes Nah Maybe subconsciously Depends on who I'm talking to

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13 comments

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Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

Director Sales and Market Development

I absolutely use a phone voice and am more polite. But I can go professional to hood pretty quick and bro down if they open that door.

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

Totally. As a relationship develops, interjecting informality makes sense and creates a personal relationship on top of the formal/professional one. That's a winning combo.

MMMGood

Celebrated Contributor

Senior Account Executive

100% absolutely yes. If you're in sales and haven't taken any sort of public speaking classes or seminars, or read any books on the art of public speaking, I highly encourage it. Your fluidity in speaking and articulation of your product can do nothing but help your cause. Perhaps not at a lower level in an org chart, but certainly as you work higher into leadership and the executive level.

Does that mean you can't interject humor and personality? Not at all. Presenting yourself as a professional is important...but also being a human being. It's a delicate balance to be sure. One thing that's helped me is ANY time I'm on a call with a customer and at least one other internal person is as well, is to ask for feedback from that colleague on your personal delivery on the call. Especially with leadership. Not only does it help you improve your craft, but it exhibits humility and coachability.

StringerBell

Politicker

Account Executive

I’m sure some things I say sound professional/salesy but my overall style is to be very genuine and normal with people. I want them to feel like we’re shooting the shit and I’m just giving great advice in the form of my platform’s benefits. I find the past year has really accelerated this. We’re quite literally seeing into peoples homes, we dress more casually, you can maybe see some laundry in the background or a kid who needs help with something - overall I find we’ve become more open with complete strangers. Moreover, we’re all united by an existential threat of covid-19. I want to be as open as possible and when my real personality shines through, more often than not it resonates with people because it feels genuine.

wahmsales

WR Officer

SDR

This is my way too. I think most people appreciate talking to a normal person.

paddy

WR Officer

Director of Business Development

Fuck that. Be authentic, people will respect you more

Wolfof7thStreet

Valued Contributor

I usually try to match the customer but try to open sounding friendly/professional

Telehealth_2the_Moon

Notable Contributor

Director of Business Development

I definitely present as professional but friendly at first. I often will make a couple jokes here and there to see if they run with it. Depending on that I'll stay with the business professional approach or open it back up a bit.

Also, you can be 100% professional and also like a normal person. If it's a forced professionality then people will likely see through that, at least in-person/video calls.

Sometimes on the phone that added tone and things are necessary due to the lack of body language and facial expression.

Bittersweet0326

Politicker

Digital Business Associate

Pick your spots to sound professional vs 'normal.' Tonality tends to be something that's harder for people to use correctly vs sounding like a pro.

Incognito

WR Officer

Master of Disaster

depends on the prospect. If they're a "rough and tumble" type, I go there right away.

However, I've had prospects who are very buttoned up formal personalities give little giggles whenever I drop f bombs.

So, I'll start there but TBH my authentic self comes out pretty quick regardless of who is on the other line. They're either gonna vibe with that or not. But this might not work for some other sales roles (mine is a long sales cycle with continuous client interactions as long as they remain a client).

LordBusiness

Politicker

Chief Revenue Officer

I don't try and sound "professional" per say, but I have and do spend a lot of time practicing my cadence and tone when selling - tone and voice inflection are MASSIVELY important, especially in the discovery phase of calls. This is something my reps miss on pretty regularly, they always ASK the questions --- but the way they are asked can come off flat, and the answers match. Especially for phone sellers, your voice is a tool -- and how you speak is a SKILL - it requires, thought, and a TON of practice reps to master. This is why mock calling, non live call repetition is so important.

wahmsales

WR Officer

SDR

Do you have your reps practice tonality? If so, what does that look like? I feel that my managers are afraid to help us with how we say things, and they just go over how we handle objections. They'll tell us when our tonality is good, but never help us make it better, it's strange.

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

I hook them with the language they are using.

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wahmsales

Thoughts on sounding 'professional'?

Do you try to sound 'professional' on sales calls?

13 comments

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