Some common phrases in sales actually make potential customers cringe OR they simply cut your chances of communicating effectively. This PDF is for Birmingham sales people, MDs, managers, sales managers, directors and business owners committed to successful selling. Tom Mallens A-Player Sales Team Development in Birmingham and the Midlands Coaching. Consulting. Training >>> People. Processes. Plans Tel: +44 (0)121 222 5590

1. Whether it is time for a touch-point call or you’re visiting a new prospect for the first time,
incorporating one or more of these phrases into your approach could be a deal killer. From
giving your prospect an easy way to put things off to using too much jargon or lingo, it’s time
to strike these words and phrases from your selling vocabulary.
1. “Are you the decision maker?”
In today’s organizational structures, there is often more than one decision maker, so this
question sounds terribly dated to most prospects. Even worse, this question could give a
prospect an easy out, simply by claiming they can’t make the decision or don’t have the
power to buy. A better question to ask would be “How does your organization make buying
decisions,” and then listen to the response.
2. Filler words “Like, um, ah, you know, but, basically”
These verbal crutches are conversation killers and they are insidious because you may not
even realize you are using them. Throwing in too many fillers, from “you know” to “um” and
even “honestly” may be preventing your buyer from hearing your actual message.
Incorporating pauses into your speech instead of falling back on fillers will make you sound
more professional and informed, which may help your prospect to listen more closely.
3. Acronyms and Lingo
You have in-house and industry lingo that you use with your team, but that jargon may not
be familiar to your client. Peppering your conversation with this type of language or
overusing acronyms may cause your buyer to stop paying attention at all. You even risk
embarrassing your client if they don’t understand the terminology you are using. Use

2. acronyms or lingo with caution and be sure that your prospect understands what you are
talking about.
4. Weird Jokes or Ice-breakers
An odd or even inappropriate ice breaker can derail the conversation entirely. Even if you
don’t turn the prospect off completely with a weird joke or comment, it does not add
anything to the conversation and only makes you memorable in an unfortunate way. Keep
things professional by offering polite, non-controversial small talk to break the ice instead of
relying on an oddball question or joke that could fall flat.
5. Starting your conversation with, “How are you?”
The conversation can go one of two ways when you ask this open-ended question:
● “Fine, thanks.”
● “Awful! My car broke down, my kids are sick and my dog died yesterday.”
Neither of these answers moves the conversation forward in any way. This question is also
very general and not tailored to your prospect at all. Instead of starting with this dead-end
query, fall back on your notes and ask a more specific question – from how they did on the
golf course last weekend to what they thought of the speaker at the recent conference you
both attended. Both approaches are true conversation starters and far more productive than
“How are you?”
6. “What will it take to earn your business?”
This open-ended question sounds dated and may trigger more of a response or request
than you are used to dealing with. It also seems like an approach used by a used car
salesperson or door-to-door seller – incorporating this phrase into your own sales
vocabulary may not get you the results you want.
You’re already committed to earning their business, so instead, probe about what is most
important to them. The reason to buy can be many things—solving a problem, or having the
fastest, best or newest thing it can be—it can even be purely aesthetic. ​Learning “why”
someone is motivated to buy​ is far more important than asking them to declare what would
make them buy.

3. 7. “Don’t you want to save money?”
This question sounds quite confrontational and you run the risk of putting the prospect off
entirely. You’ll basically be putting the client on the defensive and forcing them to either buy
or admit that they actually are not interested in saving money for their company. And
honestly, doesn’t everyone want to save money?
8. “Is price the only thing holding you back?”
This phrase puts you in a situation where you are almost begging the customer to ask for a
discount. By asking this question, you are essentially admitting that you may have to give a
discount to close the sale and that you have the power and flexibility to do so. It also implies
that the buyer has more negotiating room than you may actually be able to offer.
If the prospect seems reluctant to make a decision, ask them where they are on a scale of 1
to 10; 10 being ready to buy and 1 being ‘not interested.’ Then, based on their answer, ask
them what they need to move them closer to 10.
9. Interjecting Inspirational Quotes or other extraneous language.
● ​“You know you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
● “It’s not about having the right opportunities. It’s about handling the opportunities
right.”
● “Take risks. If you win, you’ll be happy; if you lose, you’ll be wise.”
If you’re falling back on clichés, you’ve run out of anything constructive to say. Inspirational
quotes may motivate you and even look great on an Instagram post, but aren’t relevant in
the selling process. Instead, make sure you’ve really teased out the needs of your prospect
and how your product or service can solve those needs— in your own words.
Effective selling is about finding out what buyers want and need, and determining whether
you can fill that need or solve their problems. Avoid turning off a prospect or wasting their
time with idle chatter to help ensure that they’ll take your calls, and that you can have
productive conversations that move your relationship forward.

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