12 Bad Sales Phrases to Avoid in Your Sales Process

If you’re in sales, there are certain phrases you should avoid using if you want to make the sale. I know this from personal experience. There was a time when I was working as a salesperson and I would use all of the wrong phrases. Thankfully, I learned what not to say and my sales increased dramatically. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you 5 bad sales phrases that you should avoid using if you want to close more deals!

Bad Sales Phrases to Avoid and Why

There are a few phrases that salespeople often use that can come across as bad or insincere. 

While these phrases may be intended to build rapport or convey a sense of urgency, they often have the opposite effect, coming across as pushy or sales-y.

If you’re looking to build genuine relationships with your clients, it’s best to avoid using these bad sales phrases.

These aren’t salesy or overly technical terms. These are words that people use in everyday conversations.

BUT, they can absolutely kill your sales deals.

Why?

According to Gong, which compiled data from over 500,000 B2B sales calls, the use of certain words can vary in effectiveness.

These words may put your company at the center of attention, but it’s important to focus on the benefits to the prospect. By doing so, you’re more likely to close the sale.

But there are other, less obvious, reasons as to why using certain words in sales conversations can lower your chances at winning the deal.

Sales is deceptively simple: get as many people to buy your product as possible.

People don’t always have the same interests, and what might be interesting to some people may not be to others. That’s just the way life is.

Not only that, but a customer will often hang on to your every word as they try to understand your product or service.

If customers misunderstand what you’re saying, it could result in lost sales or disappointed potential customers.

To avoid any miscommunications, avoid saying certain phrases.

In no certain terms, our top ten list of words that salespeople should avoid using are:

Sales is all about persuasion. And, as with any form of persuasion, the language you use matters.Some words are simply off-putting to customers and can instantly turn them off your product or service. Others are overused and just make you sound like every other salesperson out there.

Here are 10 words and phrases to avoid in sales, along with some alternatives that will help you close more deals:

1. Maybe

If you are trying to sell something, it’s always a good idea to be confident.

When you don’t have the answer to a question, be honest and admit that. Then, find someone who can help.

Instead of just agreeing, offer specific answers to their questions.

2: Seriously

If you want to emphasize a point, avoid using words like “seriously.” This kind of language implies that you weren’t serious in the first place.

Don’t qualify your language and just speak clearly. This will improve your sales message and help you get to the point.

3. Discount

While discounts are an easy way to entice people to buy, it’s important to remember that if you offer too many, you’ll devalue your product.

Thank you for your interest in our products and services. As a valued customer, we appreciate your loyalty and are happy to offer you a discount on your next purchase.

4. Hope

Don’t rely on hope. Your prospect knows this too.

When a potential client is receptive, they don’t want to hear your hopes and dreams, they want to see your proof of success. If you tell them you have their best interest in mind, you come off as less of a competent expert and more of a hopeful dreamer.

5. Ridiculously

Adverbs, like “ridiculously,” often come across as insincere hyperbole.

In a world without liars, these qualifications would be acceptable.

But consumers are so jaded after years of being bombarded with sales pitches that they’ve become immune to them. They simply ignore anything you say after using one.

6. Guarantee

Making promises you can’t keep is a bad idea, but there are a few exceptions.

A word like “guarantee” sounds awkward and insincere. It’s often used by sales reps who haven’t prepared well, and the audience knows it.

7. Honestly

It’s time we stopped using “honestly”. It’s become such a cliche that it’s lost its meaning.

Either you’ll convince your prospects that you aren’t being entirely honest, or they will simply interpret it as a meaningless phrase.

Saying that you’re going to be honest with your client suggests that you may have made a mistake in your pitch.

Focus on the benefits of your product. Don’t try to qualify your statements. This will help you build rapport with your prospect.

8. Contract

Contracts are a pain. It probably has to do with all the bad experiences you’ve had with phone or internet providers.

Instead of saying “yes”, say “agreed”. It’s less painful and you won’t feel sick to your stomach.

9. Obviously

Don’t say the obvious. It’ll just sound stupid.

If you point out the obvious, it may give the impression that you are questioning the intelligence of your prospect. Whether this is your intention or not, it can be interpreted this way.

This is a word that is only ever spoken by buyers, never by salespeople.

10. Cheap

People like to spend money, but don’t like to spend a lot of money on anything that they deem to be “expensive.”

Use caution when using the word “cheap.” It may unintentionally lead your potential buyer to believe that you offer a lower quality product than your competitors.

Value is important to most people, especially when it comes to their hard-earned money. No one wants to feel like they overpaid or could have gotten a better deal elsewhere. When you use the word cheap, it gives off the impression that you either don’t offer value or are trying to compensate for something. Instead of using cheap, try words like affordable or reasonably priced. This will give your potential customers confidence that they are getting their money’s worth.

11. I Will Try

If you give yourself permission to lose, then you’ll lose. This phrase doesn’t say “I will win for you”, and everybody knows it.

Your credibility is shot from this point on.

For Example 

Your initial explanation of your product/service was not clear. It primed your leads to imagine all the benefits they would receive from using your product/service without showing them.

12. Show You How 

You’re trying to paint a picture of all the benefits that the prospect will get from your product. How it really works is secondary.

Instead, concentrate on the importance of your product features.

Eliminating Bad Sales Words From Your Sales Cycle

Most customers today are turned off by sales language that is overly enthusiastic or exaggerated. They prefer salespeople who are genuine and authentic.

If you’re still trying to approach customers with fake sales pitches and meaningless qualifications, they won’t fall for your tricks. Be truthful, honest, and focused on benefits in your sales process to increase your close-won rates.

Don’t let yourself get discouraged when you’re trying to close a deal. Be honest, open, and focused on the importance in your sales process, and you’ll improve your chances of success.

As a high-performing sales professional, you know how important it is to stay on top of your deals. You can update and manage your pipelines on the go, so you can spend less time doing tedious administrative work and more time closing more business.

How would you describe a bad salesperson?

Conclusion

If you want to close more deals, avoid using these 12 bad sales phrases. By doing so, you’ll come across as more professional and knowledgeable, and increase your chances of making the sale!

Need Help Automating Your Sales Prospecting Process?

LeadFuze gives you all the data you need to find ideal leads, including full contact information.

Go through a variety of filters to zero in on the leads you want to reach. This is crazy specific, but you could find all the people that match the following: 

• A company in the Financial Services or Banking industry
• Who have more than 10 employees
• That spend money on Adwords
• Who use Hubspot
• Who currently have job openings for marketing help
• With the role of HR Manager
• That has only been in this role for less than 1 year