There are some very common phrases used by salespeople which need to be removed from their vocabulary. Unfortunately, these phrases have been picked up from listening to others without ever questioning if it’s the smart thing to say.
The list is long,
but we have highlighted nine of the most commonly used phrases that could see
your sales immediately spike upwards if dropped from your vocabulary.
These are the nine things salespeople should never say on a sales call:
1. “I’m just checking in with you…”
People check into
hotels, not sales calls. What do you want to achieve when you check-in?
Potential buyers are smart enough to understand that what you are doing is
trying to sell them something or close a deal. They know you are not bringing
anything new to the table, just waiting on them. You have handed the buyer
control of the sales process.
2. “Is now still a good time?”
The potential buyer
has just answered your call, and you are asking them if they wish to terminate
it? If they don’t have time to talk, they will advise you immediately, without
even asking them. The buyer now has control of the sales process, and you are
now working to their timeline, not yours. You cannot control a sale and close
business by being overly accommodating and subservient. Your time is equally
valuable as theirs, and you need to gain commitments towards finalising a sales
contract.
3. “Do you need some time to think about it?”
This is another way
of handing control of the sales process to the buyer. There may be “awkward”
silence as the buyer considers their position, and you jump in and solve the
problem by allowing them more time. But, again, you are being overly
accommodating and letting them off the hook from making a decision. You could
be losing deals because you are too accommodating and not focused on getting
commitment.
4. “Are you the decision-maker?”
Potentially the
rudest question anyone could ask in selling. Instead of doing your research and
finding the potential decision-makers of the company, you have just jumped in
and asked them to do your work for you. The question often offends as it can be
perceived as you do not think they have the authority or demeanour of a
decision-maker. As a result, you are reducing their position in the company.
Rarely is this question not taken negatively, and the rest of your sales
appointment will be polite conversation till then can be rid of you.
5. “Does that make sense?”
After explaining
your product or services to a potential buyer, you question their competency to
relate to what you have just said. For example, did you speak to them at such a
technical level that they could not understand you (a bad mistake in itself) or
do you not understand your own offering well enough to make sense to you?
You may not mean
harm, but many people will take it negatively, as though you do not think they
are smart enough. Instead, use a different phrase like, is there some points
where you may need further detail as part of your review process?
6. “To be honest with you..”
Were you not honest
before? This big slip-up occurs when you are over trying to build trust and
rapport. It is like saying you have done the company spiel, but now you will be
honest. This phrase discredits the company and you as the salesperson. Just say
what you want to say without qualifiers to start the sentence.
7. “Normally we don’t do this, but…”
Showing you can
bend the rules for them means you will do anything to get the deal done. It
shows a desperate and somewhat manipulative salesperson in how they get to sign
business agreements. Your credibility is gone when you use this phrase. You are
not making them feel they are being looked after; you are making them feel
tricked. Be straight with them on what your company can do without the
qualifier statement.
8. “Can I send you some information?”
Rarely does sending
information to buyers does not move a sales opportunity forward. They can find
information on the internet without your assistance. You are putting in
barriers that will stop you from moving the sales process forward and having
solid next steps and an agreement with the buyer. Your goal is to build a
conversation with the person and them being reliant on you to answer all their
questions.
9. “What keeps you up at night?”
This old sales
cliché dates back 20-30-40 years and is known for entrapment. Every senior
decision-maker knows its fishing expedition of salespeople looking for marlin
to jump on the end of the line and make a great sale. But unfortunately, asking
this question immediately lowers your value to the buyer as they know you are
not putting in the time to ask open-ended investigative questions and build a
solid solution for their situation.
If you remove these questions from your vocabulary, you will
be surprised how the quality of your sales call and management of the sales
process improves to deliver sales results.
You may also be interested in reading - How Not to Ruin Your Sales Career
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