“Your” Key to Closing More Sales

One of the most powerful words you can use when talking with a prospect is “your.” While average salespeople focus on “our products,” “our services,” “our features” and the history of “our company,” top salespeople prefer to talk about “your needs,” “your experiences” and “your results.”

As a customer, you don’t think about the salesperson, their product or their commission. You think about how the product or service might solve your problem. You think about its impact on your life, your company or your family. You think about your budget and your priorities. A savvy salesperson taps into those thoughts and emotions by using the word “your” liberally in their questioning and in their presentation.

Here’s how one great salesperson, Dana  Stephenson, of San Diego Harley-Davidson, uses this tactic to sell more to her customers: “As soon as a person tries on a piece of clothing, I start referring to it as ‘yours.’ I say things like, ‘Let me see how your shirt looks.’ ‘Would you like me to hold your jacket while you try on these other items?’ and ‘Do you have the shoes to complete your outfit?’”

As Dana noted, “When you refer to something as ‘your’ item, in the customer’s mind, they already own it. So they stop thinking about whether or not they want to buy it. The sale is already closed.”