Five Words That Will Make You a Better Salesperson and Leader

Whatever your job is in your organization’s sales channel, you want to be better at it. Which means you’re always on the lookout for tips, tricks, and hacks to make you more effective and productive.

Well here’s a simple yet powerful one. It’s a five-word question that can significantly increase your influence and performance. It’s:

“How can I support you?”

Whether you’re a salesperson, sales manager, or CEO, your job is to support others: customers, salespeople, or your executive team. (And if you’re a CEO or owner, your job is really to support everyone in your organization.)

Asking how you can support the people you interact with can alert you to problems and opportunities. It enables you to uncover needs and challenges you never knew they had. And it causes people to feel heard, understood, and respected.

Plus, when you provide the support that your prospects, customers, or employees need, you improve your compliance, your results, and your loyalty.

This is not to say that you absolutely must do whatever the person suggests. People can ask for unreasonable, inappropriate, or impractical things from time to time. But even if you can’t deliver on what they would like, you may be able to come up with an alternative that would satisfy them. And merely asking the question will let them know that you value and care about them. That increases gratitude and trust.

So add this question to your repertoire. Make it a regular part of your communications with those you interact with. It’s only five words. But those words will lead to more solutions, more productivity, and more sales.