Sometimes all you need to sound more credible is an outside source. Take a cue from tele-sales expert Art Sobczak and use these outside sources in your preliminary conversations.

TESTIMONIALS: You can say that your system can increase productivity by 20%. But it's more impressive to state that "Jan Halston at Allied Engineering saw a 22% increase in production output which he said was directly attributable to the system."

Action Step: Think of actual testimonials, case studies, and success stories. Get permission to use company and individual names. But even without names this still carries weight by saying, "I had a customer the other day who said ..."

INDEPENDENT INFORMATION SOURCES: I typically roll my eyes when I hear, "We're the most respected in the business," or, "We're the leaders in ..." The skeptic in me is thinking, "According to whom?" What really carries clout, though, is something like, "According to a study done by Widget News Magazine, we are rated number one in customer satisfaction."

Action Step: Collect all the studies, news articles, and other information mentioning your company and products. Compile according to the categories and situations you can use.

THIRD PARTIES OR ENTITIES: If a savvy customer detects you can give him a lower price, he will keep grinding, trying to extract it from you. However, it's more difficult when the price is set by the Corporate Pricing Committee, and is based on a complex algorithm, market prices for raw materials, and the phases of the moon. Of course, your hands are tied in this case. You get the picture.

Action Step: Think of the situations you encounter where you are challenged. Prices, benefits ... then determine if there are other people or entities you can use to substantiate--not make excuses for--the way things are.

Art Sobczak, President of Business by Phone, Inc., specializes in one area only: working with business-to-business salespeople - both inside and outside - designing and delivering content-rich programs that begin showing results from the very next time participants get on the phone. Learn more at www.businessbyphone.com

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