3 Sales Conversation Changes You Must Make to Win Deals in 2011

The word on the street is that clients are finally loosening the budgets and may be more apt to invest in professional services. That means it's time to stop working on those marketing tools and start talking to prospective clients. My prediction: 2011 will be the year of sales conversations.

Don't start the party yet, though. While buyers are more confident about demand for their products and services, they are cautious enough to want a strong business case before investing. Here are three changes we all need to make to adjust to the new mindset buyers have.

These changes can make the difference between a having a strong business case the buyers welcome and prospects saying, "This sounds great, but it's not a priority right now," or "I'm not risking any political capital here."

1. Clever to Clear

This change is one of the biggest, and it's about how buyers form first impressions. The way you introduce yourself sets up the conversation you will have. When you are in direct conversations, you have to be crystal clear from the very beginning. Now is not the time to be too clever.