Just when life couldn’t get any busier, Kelly’s laptop quit working. So she was off to the computer store to buy a new machine.

She barely got out the words, ‘I’m looking for a laptop’ when the eager sales associate began spewing out THOUSANDS of technical specifications for every laptop in the store!

Kelly’s head hurt. She staggered to her car, mumbling, ‘Thanks for ALL the information – ‘

Communication Action Tip

Insight: Clear and concise communication makes life easier for women.

The average woman is on chronic overload. No longer is she just multitasking. The volume of details a woman handles daily has her multiminding. Excessive facts, figures, and technobabble just produce indecision and stress.

Action Tip: Replace technobabble with benefits.

Instead of saying:

‘This laptop has a Turbo Booster Processor, Model X-Y-WHO-CARES, 50 million gigabytes of high-octane RAM, 27 USB ports, 18X rewritable DVD drive, high-definition 5.1 onboard sound, optional PCI-16-YOU-ARE-PAYING-TOO-MUCH-VGA card – blah, blah, blah – ‘

Make her life easier:

‘This is a great laptop for your business. Here is how it works.’

Final Thoughts

Technobabble can be techno-overwhelming! More women than ever are educating themselves on products and services before they shop. What is most helpful to a woman is to know which product and/or service will best meet her needs. It’s best to talk benefits first. Then talk specifications (e.g., facts, figures, measurements).

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Your fingers peel wrapping paper off the gift faster than snow melts in the spring. As you rip into the box, you tremble with anticipation. Then your heart stops. The gift is a homemade lime-green scarf-and-hat set. YUCK. Excitedly, your best friend asks, ‘So, do you like it?’

Communication Action Tip

Step One: Use Tact

‘Wow what an interesting gift.’

In business situations, using the word interesting can be useful too. For example, when your co-worker or client comes up with a bizarre idea, you can say, ‘Wow, what an interesting idea (decision/concept/plan) you thought up.’

Step Two: Be Kind

‘Obviously, a lot of effort went into this. Thanks!’

In business you can say, ‘Obviously, a lot of thought went into this. Thanks. Hey, let’s see what other ideas we can come up with.’

Final Thoughts

Communicate to Build Lasting Relationships!

Sometimes being brutally honest can be brutally cruel. It can also be a surefire way to ensure that people don’t engage again. Supportive and encouraging language empowers people to do their best, regardless of past performance.

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The Situation

The pressure is mounting at work and maybe even at home. Your ‘To Do’ list is overwhelming and you need help!

Communication Action Tip

Step One: Don’t use the word ‘Help’.

Be aware that the word ‘help’ can make others nervous. It can imply neediness. People may fear that you want more than they can give or that your requests for help will never end!

Step Two: Show respect for their time.

‘Cassie, if you are available/if it’s a good time/ if you have a few minutes – ‘

Step Three: Make them the expert.

‘ – I would appreciate your support/advice/thoughts/expertise – with this problem/challenge/dilemma.’

Final Thoughts

Know When to Ask.

If you believe asking for help is a sign of weakness then here is another thought – real weakness is not knowing when to ask.

Finally, follow up with those meaningful ‘thank you’ notes and e-mails!

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The sales doctor is in! Professionals have been contacting me in record numbers with anxiety over the need to make a sale. The new economy has shaken up more than revenues.

It's a different world today. Buyers want evidence – and lots of it – to justify why a purchase will be a wise investment. The knee-jerk reaction from sales representatives is to oversell. Too many of them are slipping into some nasty habits, which creates discomfort for everyone. Make-the-Sale Anxiety is quickly turning into an epidemic.

Warning Signs

If you suspect you're at risk of Make-the-Sale Anxiety, I urge you read the symptoms below to assess the health of your sales immune system.

Symptom 1: Presentation Nausea

You're so anxious to get a sale that you mention endless features and benefits, in mind-numbing detail. At the end of your long-winded monologue, both you and the customer feel nauseated.

Symptom 2: Blocked Ear Infection

When the prospect talks about their needs, you miss important information. Why? You're too busy listening to the voice in your own head. Silently you're planning what to say next to dazzle the client to buy. This indicates a clear case of blocked ear infection.

Symptom 3: Motor-Mouth Disease

When you finally answer your client's questions, you mix up the 80/20 rule of business. Instead of spending 20 percent of the conversation responding, you take 80 percent of the airtime. You sort of answered the questions but you also did a sales presentation. Everyone gets a headache.

Symptom 4: Solution Shooting Disorder

When it comes time to narrow down the buying options, you panic. The confidence you need to offer up to three targeted solutions, to fit what the buyer asked for, goes out the window. In its absence you act like an out-of-control business consultant. You fire off solution after solution. With fingers crossed, you hope and pray they like something – anything – from your endless list of ideas. You've become delusional.

Symptom 5: ‘Now-You-See-Me, Now-You-Don't' Virus

You missed the memo about customers insisting on follow-up after the sale. What a shame. A quick follow-up call could have led to more business and referrals. Now you're exhausted from pounding the pavement in search of new buyers.

Your Sales Prescription

If you identified with any of the warning signs of Make-the-Sale Anxiety, you could be at risk of overselling. To make a full recovery, follow these instructions:

1. Recognize any fears you may have about not being able to make a sale.

2. Spot all nasty selling habits that could produce anxiety in you or your customer.

3. List at least 10 things of value that you and your goods provide.

4. Re-read your list of values before you meet with a buyer, to anchor your self-confidence.

5. Make a deal with yourself: Take the attention away from you and give it to your buyer.

Once you're back on your feet, you'll never oversell again. How could you? When in top form you show up as yourself. You're the person who makes genuine connections and focuses on the customer. What could be healthier than that?

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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Women buy brands. The days of simply selling a woman a product or service are over. Markets are far too crowded. To make a positive impact, today's seller must develop a brand that's meaningful to a woman. It's the only way to stand out from the competition. It's also the only way to gain access to the world's largest buying market: women.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

We all know that one-size-fits-all clothing doesn't really fit all. Now it's time to admit that one brand doesn't fit all buyers, especially when it comes to women.

Women have specific needs and wants. A brand either ‘gets' her or it doesn't. Marketing communications company Frank About Women dialogued with female consumers to find out what makes a brand work for them. A cross-section of women cited looking for ‘brands that integrate with [their] reality, instead of trying to change it.'

Brand Her Reality: As a corporation, entrepreneur, or seller, your brand must look at the world from a woman's point of view. Then every aspect of your brand and business must reflect that you're ready, willing, and able to meet her needs.

Don't Just Paint Your Brand Pink

The latest buzz phrase ‘Don't paint your brand pink' is as much a wake-up call as it is a warning. To just insert ‘for women' or ‘women only' into ads, marketing materials, and sales conversations can backfire.

Unless you're a woman with a product or service specific to women, or a brand that relies heavily on the feedback of women, ‘gender-specific' sales and marketing can be seen as patronizing.

Build credibility into your brand. Don't assume that you have what women want. Ask her what she's looking for from your company, products, and services. Then incorporate those values and benefits into your brand.

Brand Her Reality: Don't paint superficial ‘pink' messages onto your brand. Hit the delete button and remove any gender-specific messages that might patronize women.

Make Sure Your Brand Is There for Her

It takes more than a designer logo or smoothly crafted tagline for a woman to believe your brand understands her. For most women, by far the most compelling – and most overlooked – element of a brand is the emotional component. A woman needs to hear and see that a brand gets her.

Women are there for each other and expect the same from you and your brand. Don't just tell a woman you provide great service. Prove it. Give her your direct line in case she has questions, or make a quick after-sale check-in call. Your brand must earn her trust and respect.

Brand Her Reality: Your actions speak louder than your words. If you and your brand really get her, decide how you'll let her know.

Dare to Be a Full-Body Brand

Women support brands that support them. Mothers, sisters, and girlfriends come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Dove's Real Woman Campaign got it right on many levels. They put six ethnically diverse women with ‘real' bodies and curves into print, television, and Internet messages. The campaign includes a website for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. The online community's goal, to make real change in the way women and young girls perceive and embrace beauty, tells women that the brand gets them and supports issues important to them.

There are many ways to show that your brand understands women. Put visuals of ‘real' women and ‘real' home and work situations into ads. Provide her with information, education, and a forum to communicate. This can be via newsletter, website, online communities, and blogs. You can also sponsor causes important to women.

Brand Her Reality: Dare to be a full-body brand. Be known as the company that supports women, and the issues and causes that are important to them.

Final Thoughts

The brand that earns a woman's buying trust is the one that gets her. It integrates with her reality, instead of trying to change it. If you develop your brand to appeal to a woman in these ways, you can earn more than her trust. A woman’s brand loyalty may mean you have a customer for life.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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What! Not all of your sales force wants to sell to the emerging female decision-making demographic? Have you tried to motivate them with mind-blowing statistics? You could mention that women make and/or influence approximately 80 percent of all buying decisions.

Still no one's budging? Okay, how about this: Globally women spend an estimated $19 trillion each year. Still nothing? This calls for a plan. It's time to use four easy steps to motivate staff to sell to women.

Step One: Talk About the WIIFMs

Like any customer, a seller has his or her own buying – or, in this case, buy-in – criteria. It's the WIIFM (What's in it for me?) criteria. When considering the value of something, a customer ponders several questions, including ‘What will this do for me?' The same is true for a seller. When considering expanding sales to women, he or she also wants to know ‘What's in it for me?'

When you have a sales meeting, spend time talking about the WIIFMs. Start off with this motivating opener: ‘An immediate benefit of selling to women is increased earnings.'

Now that you have everyone's attention, follow with ‘And this isn't just short-term cash we're talking about. Women are loyal buyers. A sale isn't seen as a one-time thing. When you meet a woman's buying needs, she'll be back. Not only that, because women are natural networkers they'll often refer you to others. Essentially, women have the power to increase your sales – for years.' Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.

Step Two: Give ALL Concerns Air Time

During a sales conversation, professionals are taught to check in and ask, ‘So what are your thoughts?' or ‘How does this solution work for you?' Any issues that surface are individually addressed; then the sale can move forward. The same theory applies to your team. Sellers, too, need a chance air any worries they may still have, even when faced with the prospect of making more money or surpassing sales quotas.

There are several ways to move past a seller's concerns. During a team meeting, invite the group to brainstorm potential challenges in selling to women. Then brainstorm the best solutions.

To begin the brainstorming process, set a five-minute time limit to solve each challenge. Ask the group to shout out only solutions. Banish the phrase, ‘Yes, but – .' Do this by appointing someone to act as the Yes But Police. Whenever that person hears ‘Yes, but – ,' he or she calls out ‘Solutions only, please!' This exercise really works. I've had up to 200 people, working in small teams, brainstorm absolutely amazing selling solutions – in record time.

Companies have also used my ‘Resident Instructor' technique. A seller, or several sellers, are appointed instructor/s of the meeting. Their role is to research solutions and then bring them back to the team.

Finally, to move past lingering concerns about selling to women it's important to know when to call in the experts.

Step Three: Know How to Benefit from the Experts

The right knowledge can skyrocket a person's motivation to sell to women. A specialist in sales and women can fast-track your team's progress – if you hire the right expert.

When looking for the best teacher, be sure to check out a few important things. First, find out what the material includes. You'll get a better RIO (return on investment) when the expert customizes their material to include your company's sales scenarios and challenges. Go for the specialist who does pre-session and/or keynote research.

Read testimonials from previous clients. What did they like about the expert? What value did participants get from the content? For example, it's one thing for an expert to tell people what they need to do when selling to women (e.g., ‘provide buying options'). However, the real value comes from explaining why something works, then giving realistic examples of how to apply the information, including what to say. This hands-on knowledge reduces selling frustration and increases confidence.

Step Four: Lower the Commitment and Build on Success

In sales there's an expression: Lower the commitment to the buyer. A client can be leery if a company or goods are new to them. Rather than try to sell the whole kahuna and risk losing the sale, a seller lowers the commitment. A portion of the package is offered instead. It's like a trial order. Once satisfied, the buyer then comes back for more. The same theory applies to your sales force.

Don't ask for a whopping increase in sales to women. Instead, motivate sellers to succeed by setting do-able sales targets. Once they see their WIIFMs materialize, raise the sales targets and build on that success.

Re-cap of the Steps

Step One: Focus on what's in it for sellers.

Step Two: Give concerns air time and seek solutions.

Step Three: Call in the experts to increase selling-to-women skills.

Step Four: Set achievable sales targets and build on that success.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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‘How did I spend double what I had budgeted?' Is that scenario familiar? Today, more than ever, many women find themselves up against sellers determined to squeeze every penny out of their wallets. The reason is very simple. Worldwide, women now make up the largest buying group in existence.

Female Buyers, Beware: Many companies are working overtime to understand what women really need and want from their products and services. They are also striving to sell in ways that fit a woman's unique buying style.

Unfortunately, in addition to the conscientious sellers trying to hone in on a woman's needs, there are countless vendors tripping over themselves in hopes of making a quick buck. They have caught on to the fact that there is significant spending power in a woman's wallet.

Even if the seller doesn't have exactly what a woman needs, they're determined to sell her something – anything. They see the opportunity as ripe for cashing in – at a woman's expense.

Give Voice to Your Opinions: Should you approach the buying experience as if preparing for a battle? No. However, as women we do need to get more comfortable in stating with confidence what will and won't work for us.

Saying NO hasn't always been easy for women. Throughout history, speaking out about what we did or didn't want often meant standing out – and not in a good way. Many societies view women as a calm presence in the world. Traditionally part of our role has been to keep the waters smooth. We are revered as the mediators and peacekeepers of the human condition, of which we can be proud. That is, until we pay the metaphorical price.

Saying NO can be uncomfortable. The common fear is that saying NO will offend someone. Worse yet, saying NO could alienate us from others. To avoid creating any hard feelings or difficult situations, many women will steer clear of saying NO, regardless of the cost.

Maybe I Will and Maybe I Won't: Women can be the mistresses of ways to skim around issues. We should get an award for the number of carefully crafted ways we can indirectly say NO without ever uttering the letters N and O.

The predicament this creates is one in which our indirect communication only points out that we can be swayed into saying YES. When a woman doesn't set a definitive boundary, what she consciously or unconsciously communicates is that her stand isn't a firm one. Sellers know that moving her from an indirect NO to a direct YES is an easy probability. Many sellers are up for that challenge.

Avoid Sending Mixed Messages: We can't fix what we don't recognize. Women tend to use qualifiers when we speak. Qualifiers can be words or statements that instantly change the message about how certain we are about something, the four most common being ‘sort of,' ‘kind of,' ‘I think,' and ‘I guess.' Most of us are unaware of how often we slip into our sentences these phrases that scream out ‘I'm really not sure about my decisions.' When we do utter them, they quickly reveal how a woman really feels. Just as quickly, they alert the seller to turn up the heat in order to make a sale.

Those sellers are waiting to hear qualifying statements like these:

• 'I like this house. There are many things that could sort of work for our family.'

• 'You're right. It's a good color on me, even though I was kind of thinking of trying something else.'

• 'I think this product will work.'

• 'I guess I could try it and see if I like it.'

Taking a Stand: There are gracious ways to deliver a NO.

• Cushion NO between thanks

‘Thanks. But no thanks.'

• Be clear and concise

‘This isn't what I was looking for.'

• Express gratitude

‘However, I did appreciate the time you took to explain everything to me.'

Some sellers won't take NO for an answer, at least not right away. Your best course of action in this situation is not to defend your position. Your explanations will only provide an opening for a persistent seller to mount a counter-selling attack. As an alternative, keep repeating the statement, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.' Eventually you'll be heard.

If you run across a seller who does have your interests at heart, they may offer more products and services, even after you've graciously said NO. Even so, if you sense they are truly committed to finding what's right for you, hold on to that seller for life. You've found a gem.

Final Thoughts

The best way to ensure that you aren't oversold is to deliver a clear and direct NO. In doing so, you set boundaries for yourself.

Becoming more aware of your communication patterns allows you to communicate more effectively. It also makes saying NO, graciously, much easier. Now you are doing business on your own terms – under NO uncertain terms.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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We're all affected by high fuel prices. Every time a car rolls up to the pump, the new economic reality takes an even bigger bite out of our collective wallets. The ripple effect has some buyers thinking long and hard before making buying decisions.

In turn, many companies and independent sellers are ringing alarm bells instead of ringing up sales. Fear-based thoughts – such as declining profits and potential downsizing – dominate these sellers' every move. Regrettably, many professionals don't recognize that they're in the driver's seat. The ability to be successful is within their control.

Don't Give Up

Even in times of economic uncertainty, there are those who actually increase their sales.

Right now, many sellers are reporting record sales. So what's up? Don't they realize that doom-and-gloom forecasts are the headlines of the hour? Shouldn't they be preparing for the worst?

The answers are YES and YES. Enlightened sellers know what's going on. And they should prepare for the worst, but not for the reasons you might think.

What I Know for Sure

In unstable economies, some sellers thrive while others barely survive. I've witnessed it over and over again. I've taught thousands of professionals how to excel in sales and business throughout my career. However, at the end of the day, regardless of how much experience sellers have, it's their thoughts about success that can fuel or drain their bank accounts.

Thoughts Drive the Outcome

Not to oversimplify, but people's ability to do well comes down to the stories they tell themselves about how easy, or hard, it is to make money. Whether sellers think the cash register is half full or half empty, they're right. This is especially true when markets are tentative. Here's why: Depending on your point of view, your thoughts can work for you or against you. Thoughts about scarcity or success both turn into belief systems – beliefs that run so deep, they will seep into every sales conversation you have and every action you take.

Don't Run Out of Gas

Three key self-sabotaging beliefs that professionals utter are, ‘Times are tough,' ‘It's really competitive today,' and ‘People aren't buying like they used to.' My response has remained the same since I opened my first business during the recession of the 1980s – ‘Life is hard if you say it is.'

As humans, we really aren't that complex. What we think is what we get. If we believe that times are tough, then tough times are what we get. The filter that we choose to view the world through becomes our reality.

Here's how your thoughts shape that reality: Before meeting with a client, if you silently mutter, ‘I don't think they'll buy,' then you unconsciously set out to prove yourself right, which is easy to do. Think about it. How can you sell anyone on the value of your products and services, or even the upside of this economy, if you haven't sold yourself?

Then, after a disappointing sales call, the debriefing sounds like this: ‘See? I was right. I knew they wouldn't buy.' The amount of evidence one can collect to prove how bad times are is endless. It can also set in motion a years-long cycle of disappointment.

Travel a New Route

The seller who thinks of hard times as an opportunity to stand out becomes the seller on the road less traveled. Thoughts such as, ‘Someone will be writing up sales, it might as well be me' translate into more sales, more often. Essentially, you are creating a potent belief system for yourself. Your inner dialogue becomes, ‘Regardless of what's going on around me, I will thrive.'

Fill Up with High-Octane Fuel

A success-fueled mindset enables you to see new selling opportunities, one of which could already be staring you in the face. It's the women's market. While other sellers are busy moaning about tough times, your positive attitude could be opening the door to selling to the largest global market.

Even in shaky economies, there are women buying high-ticket items. But don't just assume you've got the sale. First believe in yourself and the worth of your products and services. Women are experts at reading body language. Your rounded shoulders, low energy, and/or lack of direct eye contact send out red-flag warnings. Any fears of where the dollar is headed can open the door to deal-making that would make a 99-cent store seem expensive. Instead, take the high road. Think positive, success-fueled thoughts.

Final Thoughts

The quality of your thoughts has a huge influence on how your sales story turns out. Don't be pulled under by doom-and-gloom forecasts. Be the positive thinker who writes up contracts even in uncertain economies. Recognize that you drive your ability to be successful, no matter what's going around you, including rising fuel prices.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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No doubt about it, a woman's selling style is radically different from a man's. We have a unique set of values, communication traits, and behaviors – characteristics a woman must express when selling, if she wants to feel comfortable and confident.

Unfortunately, far too many women sell in a style that works better for men. This isn't terribly unlike building an igloo in the Sahara; as soon as you lay the foundation for a great structure things dissolve before your very eyes. No matter how hard you struggle, the pieces never seem to come together.

To avoid watching your sales dreams evaporate into thin air, take heed of the following techniques:

1. Sell yourself first. Nurturers by nature, women often spend more time building the self-confidence of others than cheering themselves on. Granted, boosting another's self-esteem is a great attribute – or at least, it is until your performance suffers. Excessive caretaking can cause fatigue. When exhausted, how can you possibly pump yourself up about value of your products and services?

It can be a challenge to hide any hesitation surrounding the worth of what you offer. So before you meet with a prospect, you need to take the time to sell yourself first on why you and your goods the best deal in town. Only then you can look after others, including your clients.

2. Change your thinking to change your outcome. To change any limited thinking, write ‘Build selling confidence,' at the top of your to-do list. Next, block out 20 minutes of uninterrupted time to journal. Sit quietly and list at least 10 reasons as to why your products and services are terrific value for the money. Follow that up by jotting down what makes you perfect for the job.

Each morning, read your list aloud. Within a few weeks this new and improved version of yourself as a seller will become your reality.

3. Leverage your natural communication style. When women communicate, we take turns sharing information. During your sales conversation you can apply the same style – with minor adaptations.

When speaking with your client, devote the majority of your exchange to asking questions. Once your buyer responds, you then reciprocate. At this stage, you briefly share information about how you or your goods will meet the need just discussed. To re-engage the customer back into the conversation, you then ask your next question. As you can see, when you leverage your natural communication style, the discussion flows with ease.

4. Anticipate all objections in advance. To further enhance your selling skills, you can look at the sale from your customers' point of view. To do so, simply tap into your intuition. Once you have channeled your inner customer, ask yourself, ‘If I were considering this purchase/investment, what buying concerns or objections might I have?' The answer(s) to your question enables you to foresee any potential roadblocks to the sale. The next step is to prepare your responses in advance.

5. Only offer targeted selling solutions. Women need to resist the urge to try and fix every problem, especially in today's market. High on most priority lists is finding the right solution for the right price.

Make it your role to work with your buyer to determine their must-have needs. Then inquire as to what price range they are looking to spend. At the end of your discussion, only offer the solution(s) that solve the real problem and fit the expressed budget. Otherwise, you'll be working work far too hard for the money.

Final Thoughts

When you sell in a style that works best for you, everything becomes easier. As a super saleswoman, you get to show up as yourself and save the day – without feeling like you sold out.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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Several men have surprised me in the past few weeks, and it wasn't with flowers and chocolates. Actually, it was what they said that made me gasp for air – they were discussing their new ‘cautious' approach to buying goods and services.

These encounters led me to recognize a few key things about the buying behavior of men in our current economy:

1. This economy has changed men. Yes, the stock market has been rising and falling like a sailboat navigating through an ocean storm. But men have traditionally thrown caution to the wind when it comes to buying something they really wanted, regardless of the market.

Many a guy will also admit to upselling himself on a product or service with lots of options – unlike most women, who often pass on the extras when times appear to be tough, and instead opt to spend money when a product or service meets an immediate need. Well, that's changed: Men, too, are evaluating where and how they spend money.

2. Men speak a new buying language. When men talk about their new buying habits, the conversation sounds eerily similar to how women speak. To prove the point, here are some excerpts from my recent discussions with men:

Man A: ‘I've become my grandmother. Instead of pitching the flyers, I'm now cutting out coupons.'

Kelly's male-to-female translation: ‘It's time to stretch my dollar.'

Man B: ‘When I'm in the electronics department, the big-screen TVs don't seduce me like they used to. I just put my hand on my wallet and think about the dent it would make in my credit card. Then I turn around and leave.'

Kelly's male-to-female translation: ‘Unless I really need it, I'm not buying.'

Man C: ‘Right now, vendors have to really prove how their service will improve my business. If not, I won't even return their calls.'

Kelly's male-to-female translation: ‘In this market I'm not a high-risk taker.'

Man D: ‘I bought my phone from the guy who spent two hours educating me on how it works.'

Kelly's male-to-female translation: ‘The sales guy made my life a whole lot easier. It was a great investment of my time and money.'

3. Our sales conversations are blurring. When teaching professionals how to sell to women, I used to stress, ‘Make sure to emphasize the value of your products and services.' Now I'm adding, ‘and in this economy, make sure to have a similar conversation with men.'

4. You need to change your selling strategy with men. Guys are solution-oriented by nature. Even when being cautious, however, a man tends to zero in on buying solutions much faster than a woman. Your best selling strategy would be to ask him some very focused questions before recommending any products or services.

Keep in mind you walk a fine line when probing to find out what's needed. If you ask too many questions, he might assume you're not an expert. Limit your queries and, to be safe, start with an open-ended one. ‘What would you like to know?' is a good example.

When you answer his questions, you'll gain credibility with statements like, ‘Well if I were you, I'd use – ' or ‘Here's what someone in your same situation bought – .' You could also say, ‘We've dealt with this before. We did this and we did this and we got this result. And we can do this and this for you.'

A woman isn't the only one sifting through the merchandise at the sales counter. Nor is she sitting alone, pounding the keys of a calculator in the company's purchasing department. Today, before a man whips out his credit card or signs a purchase order, he too wants lots of assurance he's getting great value for the money.

So take the time to find out what he really wants, then use actual examples to prove you've got the right solution. And deliver as promised.

About Kelly McCormick

Business expert Kelly McCormick is a speaker, coach and writer. She is the author of 'OutSell Yourself: Go from HELLO to SOLD with Ethical Business and Sales Techniques'. Check out Kelly's E-tips, blog posting and more at www.OutSellYourself.com.

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