We have worked with thousands of people internationally, and many of them have had an accent.  It is not a problem, and do not be worried.  In this article, we will share a few tips how to sell in English with a foreign accent.

The first thing that you need to understand is that your voice is your key mechanism for success.  Over the telephone, the prospect/client cannot see you when you are talking with him.  He can ONLY hear you.

Fact #1 – 14% of what you say matters.  86% is how you say things

Fact #2 – We all know that different accents possess different tonality inflections.

The act of translation is hard.  Sales is not easy.  It is difficult to sell in another language…I know.  Nevertheless, in order to go to the next level in your results you need to push yourself.  Begin to analyze the tonality that different regions use, during different statements, at different points of the sales process.

For Example:

Have you ever noticed that at the farewell salutation in Arabic has more syllables?  OR in Japanese?  The translation will give the natives of those countries, the tendency to use higher infection on the “good” versus the “bye”.  This is only one very specific example, but it proves the case I am making.

So what is the easiest way to master tonality?  Mirroring.

I want you to mirror the tonality that your prospects use.  If you have someone on the phone that speaks fast, you speak fast.  If you have someone on the phone that sounds happy, you sound happy.  When you have someone on the phone with you and this person happens to say “good-bye” with her tonality on the “bye”, then you do the same EXACT thing.

Mirroring works well on many levels, but especially well with tonality.  I could talk for hours about why mirroring is a phenomenal idea, but I do not want to blabber.  Just make sure to try it.
I guarantee you will make MORE money at work.  I assume that is the reason you are reading this article…  Right?

If you have any questions, or comments, or I forgot anything… let us know!  Good Luck!

-Claude Massey, Sales Development Israel