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Words to STOP using in sales/business development and why.
Our words carry much more weight than we realize.
Topic of the Day: Words to STOP using in sales/business development and why.
Our words carry much more weight than we realize. Too often we are thinking and saying things that put us in what I call a “one-down” position. We cannot sell and solve problems from a position of strength if we are “one-down”. These phrases put you in a “one-down” position.
Think of sales like dating. Who would want to date someone who is talking to them like this? (note: All of these phrases came from actual emails or phone calls, from well-intentioned, educated people)
- “I’d love to earn your business.”
- “Please get back to me”
- “Thank you so much for your time”
- “I hope to hear back from you”
- “I’m excited about the opportunity to tell you about what we can do for you”
- “I know we would make a great partnership”
- “I know you are very busy”
- “We would greatly appreciate being considered for your upcoming projects.”
- “Thank you for taking a look at what we have to offer.”
- “I hope you would consider a discussion…”
- "Anything that ends in an exclamation point “!” (when you don’t really know them)
If nothing else, this week, remove any references to “hope” and "hopefully" as well as "please" and "thanks for your time." This would be a good start.
Unless you enjoy getting commoditized, treated poorly, and beat down on price. You are the one with the solution, right? Your client or prospect has the problem, right?
Watch your "one-down" language and thinking with email, phone and face: face communication with prospects and clients. You will get more results, and will feel better about yourself while doing it.
Question: From the above list, what word or phrase are you most guilty of using?
Word to STOP using...
I've been guilty of most in the past. My first instincts are to use the words "please and thank you" when starting my phrases. That's a real challenge to stop. Now that I'm so aware of my speech, I DON'T like the way it makes me feel when using these words on sales calls.
How these words make you "feel"
This is a great point. Personally, I believe there are certain words and phrases that make you FEEL empowered, good about yourself (without ego). And there are words and phrases that make you feel weak, less than. I see many people in business use words and phrases that unknowingly make them feel, sound and look WEAK. I find that reading my emails before sending them and noticing how my words make me feel is a helpful filter.
Thanking people for their time
We are soooooooo programmed to be "polite" and deferential. It has been hammered into us all for decades. It takes a while to de-program this. I have to remind myself that I can still be polite and cordial without thanking people for THEIR time.
Thanking people for their time
We are soooooooo programmed to be "polite" and deferential. It has been hammered into us all for decades. It takes a while to de-program this. I have to remind myself that I can still be polite and cordial without thanking people for THEIR time.
Please get back to me
This is a variation of the wimpy phrase I use the most. When I use it, I typically phrase it as "I look forward to hearing from you."
Be careful about "I look forward to hearing from you."
This phrase can work, if they know you. If they don't know you at all, this can also be seen as an "assumptive" phrase. It kind of assumes that you are going to get a reply. This is of course what you want, and I personally want to be careful of anything that assumes a certain course of action. That being said, this phrase is MUCH better than "Please get back to me."
Words to STOP using in sales/business development and why.
In any business interaction, what is the alternatve to the word "please?"
Help Wanted
Thank you for a great reminder. Interesting that businesses want help but we put ourselves in a position to look as if we really can't help them by lowing ourselves. I am going to begin to try to recognize when I do this, and also recognize what internal thought or feeling is initiating that "one-down" phrase. I encourage you to do the same. I will post what that is for me and will be curious what feeling or thought caused you to say those "one-down" phrases.
"What do you replace PLEASE with?"
Someone had asked what you can replace "please" with. There is no easy, general answer to this question. Depending on the situation, my experience is that you can just leave it out. Erase the word, or rephrase. Here are a couple of samples:
Old: "Please get back to me..." New: "Let me know if you are open to talk..."
Old: "Please let me know if..." New: "Let me know if..."
Keep it simple. Tom
All Of them
Well it took me 45 minutes to write my last email but for sure I am not "one down"..Its amaazing how may times i used Please get back to me.. Thanks!!! oh yea no more exclamations marks.
software help...
I use a program that shows what words sell and which words and phrases are harmful to the sales process. I use it to rate most all my communications and sales letters.
forbidden words...
I used to work for a telemarketing company that had a list of "forbidden words" ... there were lots of them and I have forgotten most, but ones that stand out the most are "please" and "interested." I still make a point never to ask people if they are interested in anything...
Vendor to English - conversion dictionary...
On a humorous note, my sales brethren and I maintain a "Vendor to English" dictionary that I hope you enjoy.
"This is A Win/Win" = You didnt beat the heck out of me on price, and god how I love you for it
"We are strategic platform for your entire enterprise" = We will own you, your data, and your little dog too
"We are not a vendor, but a partner" = we are a Vendor
"Our Value Add" = Those one or two things that we do different from the other 1000 vendors out there
"We are endorsed by your local association or user group" = Theres a good chance that I wrote a check to someone to be able to say that, and they will get a cut off any money you give me, and by the way, given a choice, I would rather be a partner with the Soprano family
"Our system is not compatible with 3rd party systems" = We want you to believe that we own you, and despite the fact that we sold you on our "open architecture" our system is more closed than Chik-Fil-A on a Sunday
"We provide a total solution" = We are one or two features behind the market on our technology so we compensate with Professional Services offerings
"This is cutting edge" = Beta Version
"Its coming in the next release" = I hope to all that is holy that this is coming in the next release
"Wow, thats really thinking outside the box" = You are an idiot
"Our RFP Response is Pretty Comprehensive, It tells you who we are as a company" = I have no clue what you are tyring to pull off so I threw the kitchen sink into our response
"Thats a pretty aggressive timeframe to be implemented" = Holy Crap, No Way Are You Going to Make that date
"So You are a consultant, well have a great time at the trade show" = Please get the hell away from my trade booth and get somebody in here that has the power to buy something
"This company wins our door prize" = This company has my contracts and is ready to sign
"We are a best of breed solution" = We dont do much but this one thing
We provide a platform = we have two products
"Instead of providing you a local reference, I would like to provide you with a reference that shares more of your operational charactersistics" = We dont have a reference in your area
sales is a solution looking for problems...
In most situations sales is a solution looking for problems/opportunities.
Most people intuitively know this. So, IMHO, the optimal words to avoid in initial communications are;
"I"
"We" (as a collective form of "I")
I am a firm believer that in any sales process that is highly communicative, the communication starts with the quick qualifiers: Do YOU have this environment, do YOU experience this issue, what are YOUR top 3 priorities for improvement, etc.
Obviously, whatever is important to the prospect is what you ask.
I have just finished a test of online dating and was amused to discover that there are A LOT of guys out there using lines similar to the above. (and sad to say, a few women too.)
I have had surprising success with the following framework;
1) Be interested (then you are interesting)
2) Be real - don't use language that isn't your style - the lie will out, and you lose
3) Be bold - Don't be "impressed" by titles (or measurements) - everyone was once a scared child and will become an old geezer/crone and you're meeting them somewhere along that path - they are people - don't waste their time, they won't waste yours.
4) Everyone would rather buy from someone they like than someone they know/respect/admire. Meet the person, not the purchasing authority.
5) Keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It's harder than it sounds and pays huge dividends both personally and professionally.
a contrarian view...
A contrarian view. I have always found a polite, understated style of selling works exteremely well. Sure it requires a lot of patience where you encourage the client to discover the right choice. While words one uses play an important role, what counts the most is the warmth and genuineness of your interaction with your client.
no customers like to be sold - they want to purchase
Wow, Ray,
What a fund of knowledge; so is of our friends, here. I only wish to add one thing: "No customer likes to be sold, s/he would love to purchase"; I hope I made some sense out of it. And any words toward aggressive sales put off the people, in consumer or B2B scenario.
A couple of months ago, I told a pestering credit card sales man from our one of our official banker, stating I don't need credit, thanks. His parting line was, "for your group executives we have designed a life-time, free credit-card, with a US$ 100 K accident insurance, everybody was willing to took it and what's your problem? There he was only selling and not interested in my sentiments and what I am interested in buying. Anything on those lines is a big put-off to any consumer.
if we label ourselves as adivsors, consutants, etc. - don't act like a salesperson
I've seen that a lot of salespeople around the world have tried hard, very hard to get themselves the label of "consultant", "advisor", "account manager" and a lot of titles that, the farther they're from be labeled as salesman, the better.
BUT, they're still acting as a seller EVEN they have a new title on his business card. This acting includes using a lot all the phrases you mentioned and acting motivated. I have seen that not only life insurance industry, but in B2B as well.
My question is the following, if they labeled themselves as "consultants", among others, why don't act like one? Let me say it in another way: have you ever seen a M.D. or an accountant or lawyer motivated? Or with that attitude?
The best of the best that I have seen, as you said, avoid those phrases among several common sales conducts. They ask a lot of questions, they have a process, a clear sales process. They act as if Lao-Tsu is his trainer, not Mike Bosworth. They make a lot of strategies, preparation and the get a lot of knowledge of it's client company and situation and they never get in the "one-down position".
And from that seriousness (not rigidness) is from where they get their client's trust and a green light to keep alive the sales process.
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