Negative Words Can Effect Sales

Did you ever hear the phrase: One word might not make a sale, but it can break a sale?

It’s true. Little words such as “small,” “just,” and “only” can rub your prospective customers the wrong way.

Imagine you are giving an estimate on doing some painting in a $300,000 home in the valley-you walk around the downstairs with the homeowners, and then you say, “Okay, what about those small bedrooms upstairs.” Small? The homeowners think to themselves… Whether you know it or not, that could be insulting. Nobody really wants to think of his or her rooms as ‘small,’ especially in a six-figure home. You must choose words wisely when dealing with a prospect, otherwise a sale could be lost.

I worked at a technical college in the admissions department for several years, and this rule was drilled into my head. I would ask someone what he or she does for a living, and they would tell me they work the register at a gas station. I could say, “That’s it?” Or, “So you are just a cashier…” Or, “So, do you do anything else, or just that?” My job was to get them to realize they needed an education, but I had to get them to say it themselves, not insult them. Those three phrases I just mentioned may not sound terrible in this article, but when speaking to someone in person, they can hurt. This can be used in the construction business as well. “That’s it” or “just a so-and-so…” need to be removed from your sales vocabulary. Now. Little adverbs and adjectives can do more harm than good.

If you are not getting as much work as you think you should, and feel confident when you are leaving an estimate- never to get a call back, it could be those little words ruining it for you. Try to work some more positive words into your sales pitch, and even your casual conversation when dealing with clients.

One more example. After you are done gathering the information you need from the client and say, “Oh, that’s all?” The clients may look at each other thinking that means the job may not be as big as they thought. Then, you lay down a figure, and they are shocked. You seemed to downgrade the job by referring to it as, “That’s it?” You may have done much larger jobs and to you, it’s small. But to the client, having their whole house repainted is a big job. You gave them the perception that it was a minor job, and the perception did not match the real price.

It sounds trite and nitpicky, but watching what you say to customers, can over time up your work, and your income! “Just” like that!