Words That Sell for You

What if some expert told you the secret behind making or losing a sale is the words you choose? Now what if a hard-nosed sales rep who depends on the right words to close the sale told you the same thing? You’d probably listen to at least one of them, so listen up. According to experts and salespeople who close a high percentage of prospects, particular words can make a big difference.

Let’s start here: Words are powerful. With carefully selected words, you can grab your listeners’ attention, inspire them, awe them, and even motivate them to buy. However, you need to choose your words carefully and use them subtly.

Susan Moratelli, a vice president and senior industry specialist for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a diversified financial services company, knows this well. That’s why she carefully crafts her presentations using examples that showcase her knowledge, expertise, and the way her company does business.

“I believe the words you choose to use when you meet with a prospect can actually encourage your prospect to buy,” says Moratelli. “What I sell is an intangible commodity. Customers can go anywhere to get money and learn how to manage and track it. People in my industry usually make decisions because of a gut feeling, and that’s why it’s so important to set yourself apart with what you say.”

What sets Moratelli apart are the words she uses and her willingness to talk about her prospects’ needs, not her company’s products or services. She skillfully crafts presentations that highlight her expertise and show that she understands her prospects’ situations.

“During my first appointment, I am absolutely not selling,” she says. “I don’t even mention a product or service unless the prospect has a question about one. I think prospects appreciate that.

“They don’t care about what I’m trying to push, so I approach it differently,” she continues. “I position myself to show them that I understand their company, industry, and what they are trying to accomplish.”

Since Moratelli and her team typically call on clients who conduct complex deposit-driven banking, it’s also important that they know and understand the language specific to that industry. Aside from using industry terms, Moratelli tells us that it’s not always the words you choose, it’s the way you use those words.

“I try to make it simple,” she says. “I basically tell prospects that I can save them time and money, and I don’t get very specific unless the prospect wants me to get to that level of conversation.”

Moratelli focuses on why it’s a good business decision to work with her, but she also stresses that, as a salesperson, you must have confidence in your company, as well as in your expertise. “It’s important to believe in what you sell,” she says. “If you don’t, that will come across to your customers no matter what you are saying.”

Marketing expert Steve Cone agrees. “People buy from people,” says Cone, chief marketing officer of Epsilon, a leading provider of data-driven marketing technologies and author of Powerlines: Words That Sell Brands, Grip Fans, and Sometimes Change History (Bloomberg Press, 2008).

“They don’t buy from buildings, they don’t buy from institutions, and they don’t buy from stock photo images that now permeate sales and advertising. You are selling a personality and an attitude, which is yourself, of course, but also the firm that you represent.”

The Power of the Word

There are many word techniques you can use to get your message across and, most importantly, remembered. For example, use metaphors to create a picture or explain a complex topic. Metaphors can create hard-hitting imagery that helps your prospects “get the picture.” For example, saying, “The competitor is a hungry shark,” paints a visual picture in the prospect’s mind. Important: Use terms your prospects will understand; speak their language. If your prospect doesn’t play tennis, he or she won’t understand a tennis metaphor. You need to know your prospects and what makes them tick. Then create a list of metaphors that they will understand.

Another word of advice: Don’t fill your presentation or conversation with empty phrases or words. For example, anyone can say that his or her product or service is “amazing,” “outstanding,” and “remarkable.” However, using too many superlatives can ultimately destroy credibility. Instead, demonstrate through compelling stories and examples that your product or service is remarkable, and make the listener think, “This is outstanding.”

Using “powerlines,” a marketing term that Cone describes as compelling, memorable, and artful and unique brand promises, is one way to sell yourself, your product, and your company. Powerlines are different for three major reasons, explains Cone: They tell a compelling story that has a lasting impact, they are credible, and they hold the power of sound.

“The brain is wired to seek out the unusual phrase that describes something it should be aware of,” says Cone. “It ignores phrases that seem ordinary and unimportant.”

Cone has some simple rules that he says must be followed in order to make what you say memorable. These rules are meant for advertising and marketing, but you can translate most to sales. Here are a few that you can adapt:

“If you are different, say so and say how,” says Cone. “Find two or three elements that make you or your product stand apart, and talk about those.”

Remember that less is more. “Don’t try to cram everything into one presentation or one slide,” says Cone. “Cut out anything that doesn’t add to what you are trying to say. Every word must be worth saying.”

There also has to be real news in what you say. “Whatever you put on paper, online, or even speak to has to be credible,” explains Cone. “You can’t overreach and say your whole life depends upon it.”

Cone says to be original and have a compelling reason for people to respond to your words. Answer the following questions: What will the product or service do specifically for this prospect? Why would someone need or want my product or service right now? Use specifics, suggests Cone.

“Don’t be vague when you can create a picture in the prospect’s mind using specific examples,” he says. For instance, instead of saying, “Our service can increase productivity in a short time,” say, “Our service increased XYZ’s productivity by 75 percent in 32 days.”

Entertain prospective clients. Create visual or sensory excitement in the materials that you provide and the way you speak.

“Life is serious enough,” says Cone. “People learn more by being entertained. Make people smile, because if they smile, they’ll remember. You’ve got to personalize the process. That alone will give you a leg up on all the competitors.”

Don’t be afraid to use a little attitude or edge when you present your product or service, adds Cone. Edge works especially well if you represent a premium product or a product or service that’s first in its category.

Sound and the repetition of a distinctive sound also play a huge role in helping the prospect remember what you say. “Sound trumps sight by a wide margin in forcing the brain to remember something,” Cone explains. “Inflection, tempo, and rhyme are three major elements of sound that make the brain pay attention.”

But before you begin your next presentation sounding like Dr. Seuss, consider these marketing elements and translate them into the sales world. For example, use inflection in your voice to emphasize the benefits to the customer, or slow your rate of speaking right before getting to your main point.

Finally, once you determine what sets you and your product apart, state it at every customer touch point, says Cone. If your company has a great tagline that supports your unique selling proposition, use it in your presentation and on your Website, print it on your business card, and weave it into your presentations.