*Two Underrated Tools*

At the start of a call, you need to do something to grab the prospect’s attention and set yourself apart from all the other sales people out there. I’ve discovered that your tone of voice and the pacing of your speech are two of the best tools you have for this. In this episode I reveal how I use these tools on my own calls.

*Don’t Get Self-Deprecation Wrong*

One tone I often use at the start of a call is self-deprecation. This works well for making you approachable but it can also undermine your expertise and authority. I’ve found the key is to be self-deprecating about everything that doesn’t apply to your business but nothing that does. Bev and I cover some specific examples and scripts for this during today’s episode.

*Use a Provocative Tone*

Being provocative is about saying things that are light but not funny. You want to stir up a small controversy to get people talking. I’ve found this works best if you immediately relieve the tension by following provocative statements with a bit of self-deprecating humor. I’ll reveal exactly how I do it today.

*Get Serious About Pacing*

I only have one rule on pace and it’s very simple: talk faster about less important things and talk slower about the big stuff. It’s fine to breeze through your opening at a face pace but when you get to talking about the price, you need to slow down. To convey seriousness and authority, drop your voice and start talking at half speed when you reach a discussion of price.