H: Sales Words

Hat-Stand Close

Lovers of Columbo and Morse cheer. This refers to the question right at the death masked as a forgetful aside, when it is really the only thing the super-sleuth wanted to know. The potential customer is off-guard because the meeting has ended. Ask it on your way out, in the car park, stepping back in to ‘pick up your hat’.

Hot Button

Possibly old-fashioned expression for something that really turns a specific potential customer on about your offering. If you can find their ‘hot buttons’ the theory goes you get to the sale quicker.

Hot List

A focused, hand-picked selection of prospects (usually) that you are going to hound until they buy, because they must buy.

Hunter

Another term for a New Business Tiger (like poacher as opposed to gamekeeper). New Business predators are frustratingly often viewed as sell-and-run sharks. Avoid this completely. The real Winners are in it for the long-term and genuinely want to help their customers. Even if a juicy morsel has to be handed over to an account management function, stay in touch – nothing wastes time for a new business salesrep like foul-ups after the signature, so nip them in the bud while you’re at it. And don’t forget to cultivate those Metrics too.