Phrases That Repel Clients

Do you ever get tired of people telling you what you “should” do or what you “must” try?
It’s become a popular tactic on social media, and if you’re anything like me, it’s off-putting and repelling.
I worked with a client recently who didn’t understand why people stopped interacting with her on Facebook. When we reviewed her posts and messages, I discovered a common theme. She was starting out by telling people what they “must” do. Many people have a natural polarity response and when you phrase your pitch as “You must,” they respond with, “Oh, no I don’t!”
People are more open to interacting with you when they feel you respect their boundaries and their judgment about making good decisions for themselves.
It’s your job to build rapport along with creating curiosity about your product/service before you jump into your sales pitch. Starting out by telling people how unique and one of a kind your product/service is and how they “need” it rarely works as a sales technique.
This week’s Savvy Sales Tip: Beware of telling clients what they “must” do. Instead, build rapport, create curiosity, and ask permission before giving someone your sales pitch whether you're face to face, on email or over social media.
Here are a few phrases which may repel clients:
“You must.”
“You need to.”
“You should.”
“You’ve got to.”
Using these phrases may turn people off and come across as pushy. No one likes a pushy salesperson.
Instead, here’s a possible language suggestion for you to try: “This product may be a good fit for you because…(insert a valid reason relevant to the person you’re targeting). Is this something you’d be interested in learning more about?”
When you phrase your approach this way, your client has the option of saying, “Yes, I’d like to know more” or “No, not interested.” By being respectful of their answer, you keep the rapport and the relationship intact.
Wishing you continued success in your business this week.
To receive additional sales tips and resources: Click Here