While waiting for friends one evening, a cute guy walked up tome and asked me if I “had a light” for his cigarette. I repliedthat I don't smoke, and he said, “But you sure do have fire!”

I laughed and asked him if that pick-up line had worked withother women. The guy felt embarrassed and started to leave, thenturned around and said, “It got you to laugh and talk to me.” Goodpoint, Romeo!

[Related: How to become a magnetic insuranceadvisor]

Of course, this exchange got me thinking about selling. What dopick-up lines and sales openinglines have in common? Confidence, intuition,wit and a solid sense of timing. Remember that you only haveabout eight seconds of someone's attention span to work with,according to a recent article in Time. In those eight seconds, the languageyou use matters. You need words that will hook that prospect,pique their curiosity and transform a short interaction into alonger conversation.

Here, we have compiled a list of great sales opening lines tohelp you land your next client. Take a look, then tell us: Do anyof these lines work for you? Do you have other opening lines thatyou return to over and over again? Let us know in the commentsbelow.

1. Use the unexpected pleasantry.

If you're cold-calling a prospect, do you immediately introduceyourself and your company? According to an article in Entrepreneur,that's a big don't because you're preemptively telling yourprospect to hang up immediately.

Instead, be pleasant and thank the prospect on the other end ofthe line for their time, like so:

“It's an honor to finally speak withyou!”

“Thanks for picking up the phone!”

“Thanks for taking my call.”

“Your time is important. Let me cut to thechase.”

Language like this will not only be perceived as positive andenthusiastic, it will make your prospect feel appreciated.(Besides, going right in to who you are and who you work for isn'tinteresting.) After the pleasantry, follow up with a benefit-drivenhook that is likely to be of interest to this specific prospect.Then, finally, identify yourself, what you do, your business,etc.

See also: Follow-up call finesse

2. Name drop.

Using the name of one of your known clients creates credibilityand can help catch your prospect's attention, accordingto Actimizer, a company that specializes in callleads. All the better if you can accompany the name with a successstory. Here are some examples of how to lead with this method:

“Other companies like [name] use our services forachieving/improving their …”

“We have helped [name] increase their revenue/becomemore cost-efficient by …”

“Industry leaders within [industry] use our productfor …“

Remember to always get approval from previous clients orcompanies to use their names during your sales calls, and make surethat your usage is compliant.

See also: Closing the sale: an app for the iPad

3. Be honest.

Honesty ranks high on the list of attributes today's consumersdemand from a saleseperson, and it helps establish trust with yourprospect from the get-go, notes EngageSelling.com. Here's how to show yourhonesty from the very start:

“[Prospect's name], wehaven't met, and to be honest I don't know if what I have to saywill be of benefit to you. But if you have3–5 minutes right now, can I suggest thatwe discuss why you might be interested in speaking withme?”

See also: This is the ultimate closing technique

4. Have an online meeting, anytime,anywhere.

Leading with a quick online presentation is respectful of yourprospect's time and, importantly, meets your prospect where they'reat. Kim Magdalein, a producer and owner of Magdalein &Associates, uses a very simple technology to reach clients. WithJoin.me, an online meeting portal, you can present your practice toprospects in just 15 minutes by sharing your computerscreen.

“Hi, John, this is Kim Magdalein. Our mutual friend,Bill, said that you might be able to use my service. Do you havejust a few minutes now or would another time be better? Fifteenminutes will get you everything you need to determine whether I canbe of benefit. Great, can you get to your computer for just a fewminutes?'”

Before you call, make sure you have a sample illustration readywith the products that will better serve this prospect, Magdaleinsuggests. Or have a slideshow ready that explains yourpractice and the benefits the prospect will receive from doingbusiness with you.

See also: 22 reasons why salespeople don't close moresales

5. Focus on one person at atime.

“I don't know how you feel about having a 'crystalball' to accurately time the financial markets better than anyanalyst on CNBC, but it's been my secret to nearly 20 years ofconsistent trading profits.”

This opening line is also known as the “I don't know how youfeel about” line. According to TheRyanMcGrath's blog, it works because it ishonest and empathetic. It also communicates that you care aboutyour prospect and that you're not telling them how they should feelabout your services or products. Moreover, you're painting a vividpicture of the payoff they will receive, thus fulfilling their“what's in it for me?” (WIIFM) question before they ask it.

See also: 14 data points to help you sell this week

6. Use real-life comparisons

Making real-life comparisons that resonate with your prospect'slifestyle can help them start visualizing a budget that isfeasible. Try this:

“How much money can you save weekly? Can you savethe cost of that daily cup of coffee, which could come to about $10per week, or roughly $40 per month?”

See also: Sell like you're on the highlight reel

7. Use the “your time is valuable”line.

“I know you've scheduled an hour for thismeeting, but I'll only take 20 minutes.”

This pitch line will not only make your prospect smile, it willalso make you more likable in their eyes, according to Forbes. The article cites four reasons why thisline is magical:

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  • It shows respect for your prospects' time.
  • It demonstrates confidence.
  • It forces you to be more creative.
  • It reduces cognitive overload (when there's too muchinformation in one conversation).

See also: Where have all the prospects gone?

8. Never leave home without your nifty financialcalculator.

“What average returns have you been getting for thelast 10 years?”

“How much has your current advisor helped you earneach year for the last 10 years?”

“Would you like to explore how you may be able toincrease your earnings by 5% per year? Five percent doubles thetotal value of your account in just 15 years. Does that interestyou?” (Take out the nifty calculator.)

Kim Magdalein suggests that you show your prospect what you cando to help them get better returns by using a financialcalculator like the iPhone app HP 12c lite. Showing your prospecttangible numbers that have a benefit for them will help close thatsale every time.

See also: 4 sales pitches every insurance agent shouldknow