Many companies are trying to move into a less transactional sales environment.  The latest fad where everyone calls themselves “solution providers” is part of that. We know that being transactional can take down you the commoditization road.  Companies are trying to avoid the situation where your unique features and services are lost in discussions focused on price.  But is your strategy to become less transactional being contradicted by the words you use?

I worked for a sales organization that used the term “deal” all the time. We were working on “deals”, big deals, small deals, closing deals etc.

The word “deal” is very transactional, “I got a good deal at the grocery store”.  Great deals on used cars!

The products I sold were part of million-dollar projects. Projects that took months of planning and preparation on the customer’s part.  I wanted to make sure my customers knew I understood this, so I used the word project.  Even internally I always thought of the projects I was working on, not the “deals”.  Want to move away from being transactional?  Start by using the right words, the words you use matter.

 

JP

R2BB