Tricky Shortcuts

Replace one small but powerful word: Swap "but" for "and." Why? The word “but” negates everything that came before it, creating a sense of conflict and defensiveness. On the other hand, “and” fosters collaboration and keeps ideas flowing naturally. Here’s how to do it:

Before: “That’s a great idea, but we don’t have time for it now.”
After: “That’s a great idea, and let’s see if we can prioritize it later.”

Before: “You did great in that meeting, but you need to improve in XYZ.”
After: “You did great in that meeting, and here’s a tip to make it even better.”

This simple shift, inspired by improvisational comedy, can make your conversations more positive, engaging, and productive. Give it a try in your next call or pitch—you’ll notice the difference. One word, huge impact.

Want to stand out and get noticed? Leave a professional, friendly voice message.Here’s why: Many people ignore unknown calls, but a thoughtful voicemail builds trust and shows you’re serious about helping—not just selling. Pro Tip: Speak calmly and positively, and keep it concise. Here’s a go-to script:

"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company]. I noticed you reached out about [specific problem or ad] recently. Just wanted to see if we can help! I’m available today at [Your Number]."

Skip the follow-up email after your first message—it can feel pushy. Instead, call again the next day and follow up strategically. It’s simple: Your voice is your first impression. Make it count.

Stuck in a conversation where you don’t have enough info to answer? Deflect with a great question instead of giving an uncertain response. Here’s how: If a prospect asks something that requires more details or commitment than you can offer, ask a question to shift the focus and gather more info.

Prospect: “If I could get this in blue, would you buy it today?”
You: “How long would it take to get a blue one delivered?”

By asking a question, you’ve avoided committing while gathering useful information that could influence the deal. It’s a smart way to keep control and make more informed decisions as you go. Pro Tip: Use questions to keep the conversation focused on what you need to know before making any commitments.

Overall Rule - I avoid talking in first person! (i.e. I)
The prospects or customers doesn't care about you, they care about themselves. Talk about their pain points or their results they achieve with your help instead of what you (i.e. I) can do for them.

Number 2 - Avoid the word “They”
Secondly, don't talk about “they“. The word “they“ suggest distance and that you're isolating yourself from somebody else. For example, if you're talking about a competitor, say “one of our competitors“, don't say “they“. Same goes for customers or clients.

Number 3 - Avoid the word “Honest” or “Honestly”
This word activates a big red flag and the customer understands exactly the opposite. That you might not be honest and a liar. That goes for everything you're going to say, as well as everything you said before.

Overall Rule - Number 4 - Avoid the phrase “Trust me”
Just like honestly or honest, you should never tell them to trust you. Trust is something you build. If you suggest that they have to trust you, the exact opposite happens. It is the same red flag as in the previous point.

Number 5 - Avoid the word “Cheap”
I never use that word cheap. Sentences like “We're cheap“, “We're the cheapest out there“ . “We're cheaper than the competition“ just triggers sales resistance and purchase aversion. Nobody wants to buy anything that's cheap because cheap is always associated with poor quality. Use instead “we have good value for money”, “our customers like our pricing” or “our pricing is competitive and of the best in the market“.

Number 6 - Avoid the phrase “Low Cost”
It's basically the same as with the word cheap. In addition, most people have traveled at least once with a so called "low-cost airline". they know that the "small price" is only calculated for the basic transportation and all additional services have to be paid extra, so that the total price is not much lower than with other airlines.

Number 7 - Avoid the word “New”
“New“ is a word that I avoid in sales conversations. If you are offering new services, customers can be scared to use your product or service because anything new suggests it is unproven. Most prospects or customers are not sure if they want to invest in something which is unproven. It's better to use phrases like "product expansion", "product update" or " product innovations” that our customers have asking for".

Number 8 - Avoid the word “Obviously”
It's a word most people say without really thinking about it. It is much easier to identify a problem and its logic solution (which is obvious then) if you can look at the problem unemotionally and from an external position. Your customers cannot do this because they are sitting in the middle of the problem. If you now present “obvious” solutions, the customer only hears "I'm stupid" because someone outside recognizes it and he does not. It is best to delete the word completely from your vocabulary.

Number 9 - Avoid the word “Maybe”
Most prospects or customers don't like the word “maybe“ because it's too vague. Most salespeople use the word to increase interest and curiosity before making a commitment. But customers want a quick commitment. They want action. They want a positive direction forward. By using the word „maybe“ they're thinking, “well, is it a yes or a no”? and a vague answer is just as bad as a “no” for a person who is looking for a solution.

Overall Rule - Number 10 - Avoid the word “No”
Don't use the word “No”, under no circumstances. Since our earliest childhood we have associated purely negative feelings with the word. In addition, the word stands for a final decision with no chance of further negotiations. Instead of saying ”no“, repeat back the question you heard to make sure it's correct. This gives you time to think about a good response. You can offer instead an alternative pricing, additional services or the promise to take this back to speak with my boss and see what he can come up with.

Number 11 - Avoid the word “Sorry”
It's a word most people say without really thinking about it. We automatically apologize when we make a mistake, an error or when someone correct us on something. Which makes a lot of sense when we are maybe speaking with our significant other or our children, but a “sorry“ has no place in a meeting or customer conversation. There's nothing to be sorry about if you made a mistake or missed something. You could say something instead, like, “…you raise a good point“ or, “oh, I missed that“, but the word “sorry“, puts you in a position where you are inferior and not a equal partners trying to come up with a solution together. At least I the eye of your prospect.

Number 12 - Avoid the phrase “It’s easy” or “that’s easy”
Now this one's a little bit tricky but you should try to avoid this phrase as much as possible. Most sales professionals will say that part of the value of their product or service is that ”it is easy to use”. That's great but what might be easy to you might not be easy to somebody else. You lose all your credibility if you talk about how easy your solution is, the customer takes a look at it start asking questions because it's just not as easy as you said it is. It's better to use phrases like " user friendly", "trendy" or " innovative handling”.