…is “how are you doing?”
When I started my career as an account executive, I found out very quickly that customers and prospects rolled their eyes the moment I started talking about my company and our services.
I would ask them if they’d like to hear about our new product release…crickets.
I would ask if I could bring my sales manager in for a meeting with my main contact’s boss…crickets.
I would ask if they had any budget they needed to spend…”nice try!”
But when I asked about them, when I asked about their business challenges, fears or aspirations, they lit up like a Christmas tree. And that is how (through lots of trial and error in business and in dating) I found out that I needed to stop talking about myself and ask that most important question: “how are you doing?”