Choose Words Carefully To Create Value

By Joe Crisara - www.ContractorSelling.Com

Words generate images and images translate into actions. So salespeople need to be especially careful to talk in ways that create value, not reduce it. Many words common to sales and selling situations place fearful negative images in a client’s mind. This issue is so important to the art of selling that the experience of hundreds of thousands of salespeople confirms that there are certain words and phrases that must be dropped or changed in the successful salesperson’s lexicon.

The first of these are two of the most common words in any salesman’s vocabulary–sell and sold. Experts suggest that these words remind people of high-pressured sales tactics that turn them off. Client’s can envision the salesman bragging about having just ’sold’ them something. Suggested replacements are three less offensive phrases, helped them acquire, helped them to own and got them involved. These are phrases that suggest a helpful salesperson and a receptive customer who are working together through the same process.

Contract or agreement is another institutional-sounding word that today’s sales professional can do without. These words conjure up the kind of mental image of courts and lawyers. The very places and people you need to get OUT of a contract. Plus anyone who sells for a living has a deep desire to stay as far away from the legal system as they can. Here again there are softer suggestions that create a more pleasant ambiance. Try replacing contract or agreement with a phrase like paperwork.

Another good example are two other harsh-sounding words–cost and price. Try investment or value. It’s not a high price, just a high value investment. The idea as you’ve probably guessed by now, is to verbally package and take the edge off the harsh sounding words or phrases and to soften them up to they’re more palatable for the customer.

Here’s another good example. How many times have you been asked to sign something? Remember the feeling you got in that moment when you had the pen in your hand that was hovering just above the page? It sounded ominous when a salesman asked you to sign on the dotted line, didn’t it? It was as if you were signing something away or giving something up. A better way ties in with the concept of getting the customer involved and helping them to think they’re involved in the process. Ask them in a friendly manner to okay it or okay the paperwork. The term is a lot less formal and draws the prospect into thinking they’re part of the whole sales procedure.

On the front line of good selling techniques, the words you use and how you choose them, can be the difference between sounding like your solutions are generously priced or if you are a rip-off. Choose your words carefully and make your higher investment services create the value that they bring to your customer.

About the author: Joe Crisara is CEO of www.ContractorSelling.com a website that helps sales professionals present their solutions to create high value that result in more income, better service and higher closing rates.

You can go to the site and receive Joe’s FREE SECRET sales tip of the week. Of you can contact Joe by emailing him at joe@contractorselling.com