Language is real power – the single most powerful tool salespeople can use to increase their sales. In fact, language is the only tool a salesperson has, insists Suzette Haden Elgin, Ph.D., a retired professor of linguistics and author of a series of books called The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense (Prentice Hall, Business and Professional Division, 1990, paperback) that teach you how to use language to get what you want.

By understanding the fundamentals of linguistics you can learn how to talk to prospects, listen to their concerns and understand the nuances behind their words so that closing the sale is not a mystery but a foregone conclusion,” says linguistics expert and author Suzette Haden Elgin “Language is not just words. It is the way you dress, and the way you move and the tone of your voice,” Elgin stresses. The way you dress, for example, sends a message to other people about how you perceive yourself and how you want others to perceive you. Elgin defines linguistics as the science of language. It involves the analysis, description and use of human languages.

One example of a practical application of linguistics is in using language to affect the outcome of a jury trial. “Any competent linguist can help a lawyer structure the questions to witnesses, and, by default, to the jury, in such a way that, before the trial even begins, the verdict is a foregone conclusion,” says Elgin. For sales professionals, Elgin has advice for using the power and knowledge of linguistics to structure sales calls to your best advantage. It’s not only what you say and how you say it, but also your understanding the messages you receive from prospects and customers, that turns linguistic power into selling power. Use Presuppositions Always talk as if the sale has already been made. Saying something like, “Now, I know you’re not going to be able to turn this down!” is the wrong way to assume a sale. “That’s bullying,” says Elgin, “and it’s death to a sale.” To make presuppositions work for you, simply speak from the point of view that the sale is an automatic conclusion and avoid saying anything that will provoke outright resistance. For example, if you say to someone, “After you’ve installed our product you will immediately notice…” and complete the sentence with an innocuous statement, the word “after” presupposes that the prospect is going to buy. If you’re making a really cold call and you don’t know how receptive the person is, make a statement that is one step more removed. By saying, “After our product has been used by your firm…” you’ve taken the individual totally out of it. You can remove it one step further by saying, “People who have used our product notice that…” With presuppositions, be careful not to give orders.

When you tell people what to do, they resist. Instead, use presuppositions so that you never sound as if you’re telling someone what to do. You’re leading, directing and suggesting. Use phrases that begin with such words as after, when and once. Assert Non-Controversial Claims During a sales call, avoid saying anything that invites your prospect to challenge you. Structure your presentation so it doesn’t invite controversy. For example, let’s say you sell paint. Compare the statement “This paint reduces glare” with “After this paint is used, people notice much less glare.” The first statement invites challenge, while the second emphasizes what other people think and who’s going to argue with people who aren’t even around to argue back? Match Sensory Modes People process information using their sensory systems: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste, etc. When we express ourselves, we use language that reflects one of those behavior modes. Some examples are “I don’t feel right about this.” (touch mode); “This just sounds great to me!” (hearing mode); “I really like the way this looks.” (sight mode). Prospects who hear you matching their preferred Sensory Modes are more likely to trust you and to listen to what you say.

Salespeople should pay close attention to their customers’ preferred Sensory Mode and then match it. “It’s easy to do,” says Elgin, “and works enormously well.” Elgin also cautions against a technique that many salespeople have been trained to use. “Don’t confuse matching Sensory Mode with echoing,” she says. “Many salespeople let the prospect talk and then reply, `So you’re saying…’ and then restate what the prospect has just finished saying. People hate that. I’m sure they’re thinking, `If I wanted a parrot, I’d buy a parrot.’ This technique came out of non-directive therapy and has no place in sales,” she concludes. Cold Call In Computer Mode In addition to the Sensory Modes, there is also Computer Mode. “Computer Mode is one of the things that salespeople really need to know because it is the most neutral way to talk. It is a neutral kind of communication and a cold call always ought to start neutrally,” states Elgin. Computer Mode removes the “I-You” from language. Keeping the “you” out of your initial presentation makes everything appear hypothetical and is less likely to provoke. Salespeople often hear statements like, “Why should I take the time to talk to you?” The best way to respond to this and other initial objections is with a two or three sentence computer response that validates your prospect’s statement. For example, to the “Why should I take the time to talk with you?” statement, you would say back a 15-word response that acknowledges that time is valuable, especially theirs, and that your product can save them time.

Make a list of the most frequent objections prospects raise when you initally call them and prepare a concise Computer Mode response for each one. You’re much less likely to annoy the prospect if you initially approach them in Computer Mode until you know more about what they’re like, what kind of mood they’re in, etc., and can reliably match their Sensory Mode. Watch Body Language Being aware of your prospect’s body langugage, especially voice intonation, is critical to an effective sales call. It can help you recognize when your prospect is getting bored, anxious, tense, or whatever, so you can respond accordingly. “Everyone has a baseline intonation, or baseline melody, of their voice. It is the most natural rate of speech, natural pitch, natural level of loudness. When people are relaxed, that’s what you hear. Deviation from the baseline means `Pay attention, something’s happening,’ ” says Elgin. A sudden change in speech pattern – talking louder, faster, etc. – indicates that something has changed. Usually it means someone is lying, because most people’s voice pitch rises when they lie. If there isn’t an obvious change in the external environment, something is going on internally.

The skilled Arab businessman will spend anywhere from five minutes to two hours in casual conversation with a prospect or client to find the baseline, and then will do business – and not until,” she says. The way to determine your prospect’s baseline is to engage him in innocuous conversation. For example, if you have an appointment with your prospect, call him up and say you lost the directions to his office. Listen carefully to your prospect’s voice quality while he’s talking about something non-threatening and is, therefore, more relaxed. Be aware of other changes in body language. For example, dilation of the pupils indicates interest – either positive or negative. This is why so many Middle Eastern businesspeople wear dark glasses. The minute you spot a change in your prospect’s body language, adjust your sales pitch to respond to it.

Never Lie Lying is a sign of laziness and incompetence, insists Elgin. You can always find something true to say. If you must bend the truth, however, do it in person because you’re far more likely to get away with it. “The intonation of the voice is the most powerful part of body language. And, of course, that’s the only thing that comes across on the telephone. In person, there are a lot of distractions, such as the smile on your face. It’s much easier to spot if somebody’s lying if you’re talking to them on the phone and you don’t have all these other things competing,” she explains.

The Metaphor

You can sell people almost anything with a carefully placed metaphor. Salespeople need to learn the power of metaphors because they can quickly and positively capture a prospect’s imagination. Before you make your sales call, have a concrete idea of what metaphors will be effective. If your prospect is a baseball fan, using phrases like “the bases are loaded,” “top of the ninth” and “home run” would be appropriate. If you sell cars, compare car “xyz” to skiing in deep powder. Instantly you’ve created an image that this car almost floats over the road, yet has enormous power and forward thrust. Metaphors are an example of “deep structure.” Explains Elgin, “The words that we say are the surface structure, the meaning is the deep structure.” Metaphors, presuppositions, non-controversial claims, and the other linguistics advice Elgin suggests for salespeople are all examples of using the surface structure of language to say what you really mean (deep structure) so that you have more control over your presentation and over your prospect’s decision. The results are obvious – more prospects who become customers.