How Language Sabotages Your Deals

Your words are either moving a deal forward … or quietly killing it. Prospects don’t just hear your words; they hear your posture. But sales reps often sabotage themselves with weak, tentative language that undercuts their authority and makes them sound unsure. And the worst part? They don’t even realize they’re doing it.

A few simple shifts to stronger, more confident phrasing can instantly change how you’re perceived and dramatically improve your results with prospects and customers.

 

Words and Phrases to Avoid in Sales

1. “Hope” OR “Hopefully”

I often see sales emails that end with something like “I hope we can talk soon”, or some version of that.

Remove the word hope from your sales vocabulary.  Communicating that you’re relying on hope in a business transaction is like saying you’re not going to take the necessary action to make things happen. If a sales person tells me they’re hoping for something, I immediately question if they’re actually doing anything beyond hoping. Don’t hope. Simply do what is needed to move the needle in the direction you want things to go.

2. “I’m just touching base” … OR  “Just a follow-up on our previous discussion”

The word “just” is a diminisher word. It downplays the importance of what you’re doing.  But do we really want to diminish any aspect of the sales process?  This is an easy word to delete from your communications.  Just stop using it.  I mean, stop using it.

3. “We should be able to”

Imagine you’ve just purchased a new bed for your guest room. You really need it to arrive in time for your family’s visit so you can accommodate them in comfort. You tell the salesperson at the furniture store that you need the bed delivered by Friday. She replies “we should be able to do that”.

Well, can they or can’t they? Should is one of the most frustrating words for a customer to hear because it doesn’t allow them to plan with any certainty. Will the bed arrive in time? We don’t know because “should” is a non-committal word. It’s neither yes or no. You should stop using it with customers and prospects. I mean, stop using it.

4. “I’ll try”

In sales and business, we don’t try. We simply do. To “try” suggests that you didn’t complete the action.

Here’s an example. I was coaching a sales rep who told me that “he had tried calling the prospect to book a meeting”. So did he call the prospect or not? Did he “try” but his fingers couldn’t dial the number? Did he “try” but the call didn’t go through? To try suggests that an action wasn’t fully taken or completed. Remove this word from your sales team’s vocabulary.

See the Difference: Which Email Would You Send?

Read the before and after examples below. If you were receiving these emails from a sales rep, which one would have a better impact on you?

BEFORE EMAIL:

Hi Sandy

I know how busy you are, but just wanted to send a quick follow-up to our phone call today. As promised, I’ve attached the white paper we released recently about changes in the industry. I’m hoping to be in your area in early January and should be able to meet with you then.

AFTER EMAIL:

Hi Sandy

Great talking with you today. Your comments about the damaging effects of the new regulations are being voiced throughout the industry. 

As promised, I’ve attached the white paper we released recently about changes in the industry. (You’ll want to take a look at page 10 in particular as the findings address your concerns.)

I’m scheduling meetings in your area in early January. Are you available to meet on January 9^th or 10^th for 30 minutes?