5 Phrases That Affects Your Ability to Close Sales, According to Sales Director

As a salesperson, you might let one of these phrases slip from time to time to seem smart or important, but clients can see right through them — undermining the trust you're developing and impacting your ability to close. Every word you say to a clients is an opportunity to weaken your credibility, so top salespeople choose their words carefully.

Below are the top 5 phrases that undermine your credibility.

1. "Trust me."

Did you know that when someone says "Trust me" in sales, it often means the opposite? It brings to mind those old-school salespeople from infomercials selling products late at night. It's kind of sneaky and can make you seem insincere or shady.

In sales, building trust quickly is crucial. You want to show that you're reliable, helpful, and someone the customer can count on. If a customer already trusts you, you shouldn't have to say "Trust me" because they'll already believe in what you're saying.

When you do say "Trust me," it can feel like you're talking down to the customer or avoiding their question. It makes them wonder if you're hiding something. So, it's best to avoid using this phrase in sales situations.

2. "To be honest ..."

Saying "To be honest" might make you sound trustworthy but saying it has additional problems as well.

Your clients will think, “Wait ? So they weren't being honest in the first 25 minutes of the call?”

Honesty should be a given in any sales conversation. It's not something that needs to be called out. When you clarify that now you're telling the truth, you throw all of your other conversations into a suspicious light.

3. "Hmm ... I think we can do that."

There's always a definitive yes or no answer to the question, “Can you do this?” There's no room for “probably or maybe” in sales.

It's okay to be uncertain — although you want to try to have all your bases covered as far as potential requests and objections go — but you can‘t glide over a prospect’s question and leave it unanswered.

If you don't know the answer to a question from a potential client, avoid sounding unhelpful or clueless by simply saying "I don't know, maybe." Instead, show that you value their question by saying something like "That's a great question!"

Then, reassure them that you'll find the answer quickly and provide additional information if needed. It's better to admit you don't know than to give a wrong answer, which can harm your credibility.

Waiting a bit for the correct answer is preferable to providing misinformation.

4. "Any industry jargon or acronyms."

As a salesperson, you’re immersed in your own industry. You’re familiar with all the lingo and inside language. But remember that it might not be the same for your clients as they might be foreign to it.

Don’t get focused on what you know and assume that your client is on the same page. You should explain these concepts in a simple way so they would understand it easily. Using jargon might make you feel smart, but it’s just going to confuse your client.

Always aim to avoid words and phrases that will confuse your clients. Keeping it simple and easy to understand is the best.

5. "We don't normally do this, but ..."

You might think that you‘re impressing your clients with this one. You might want them to think that it makes them feel special — like you’re telling them, “I like you more than our other prospects.”

But clients can see through this trick even if its not. They will immediately think, “How many people have they said this to?” . They’re not going to feel special because you‘re claiming they’re getting special treatment — they're going to roll their eyes out.

Conclusion

The phrases mentioned here share common themes: they're all cheap tactics and indicate a lack of belief in your sales skills and what you're offering.

They suggest a certain insecurity, revealing that you rely on tricks instead of building genuine trust in sales interactions. This approach undermines your credibility, making you appear untrustworthy or ineffective.

To avoid this, steer clear of these phrases. Instead, demonstrate genuine confidence in your abilities and what you're offering. Communicate directly, empathetically, and assertively to position yourself as a valuable, trustworthy resource that prospects will want to buy from.

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