3 Seemingly Scary Sales Words Reps Shouldn‘t Fear Saying

In the world of sales, words are our most powerful tool. The right phrase at the right time can build trust, uncover crucial information, and ultimately convince a prospect to buy.

But for many reps, there are certain words and expressions that feel uncomfortable or even downright scary to say. Whether it‘s admitting a lack of knowledge, handing control of the conversation over to the customer, or trying to convince them to take a leap of faith, sales professionals often shy away from particular phrases out of fear of losing credibility or jeopardizing the deal.

However, research shows that embracing the discomfort of these "scary" words can actually enhance your relatability, trustworthiness and problem-solving prowess in the eyes of potential customers. In this post, we‘ll dive into three sales phrases starting with the letter "T" that reps frequently avoid, but shouldn‘t – and how wielding them strategically can help you close more deals.

"I don‘t know" or "I don‘t understand"

When a prospect poses a question that you don‘t have a ready answer for, it‘s human nature to want to save face by stumbling through a vague response or glossing over it entirely. After all, aren‘t sales reps supposed to be knowledgeable experts on their product or service? Isn‘t admitting that you "don‘t know" tantamount to incompetence?

Not necessarily. Studies show that 39% of potential sales are lost due to reps providing inaccurate or incomplete information. Pretending to know something you don‘t – and giving the prospect details that later turn out to be wrong – is far more damaging to your credibility than owning up to a temporary knowledge gap.

In fact, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who demonstrate intellectual humility – acknowledging the limits of their knowledge – are seen as more trustworthy and likable than those who pretend to know it all.

So how can you communicate "I don‘t know" to a prospect without losing face? Try a response like this:

"You know, that‘s a great question, and I want to make sure I give you completely accurate information. Let me double check on that and get back to you by end-of-day with a clear answer."

This type of reply demonstrates several trust-building characteristics:

• Honesty: You‘re transparently admitting that you don‘t have the answer at your fingertips, rather than trying to bluff your way through.
• Diligence: You‘re committed to finding the right information to thoroughly address their question.
• Reliability: You‘re giving them a clear timeline for when they can expect a complete response.

As sales expert Jeff Hoffman puts it, "The most powerful words in sales are ‘I don‘t know.‘ Admitting that you don‘t know something builds trust. Committing to finding the answer builds credibility."

"Tell me more about that"

Another phrase that sometimes trips up reps is inviting the prospect to go deeper on a topic they‘ve raised. Some worry that this will derail their carefully planned demo or pitch, or make them appear less authoritative.

But in reality, encouraging a buyer to expand on their situation is one of the most valuable techniques a sales professional can employ. A 2020 HubSpot survey found that 69% of buyers want sales reps to listen to their needs, while 61% say they want reps to provide relevant information to help them navigate the decision-making process.

Prompting a prospect to "tell you more" allows you to:

• Demonstrate active listening: You‘re showing that you‘re fully engaged with what they‘re saying and eager to understand their perspective.
• Gather valuable context: Getting them to share more about their challenges, goals and hesitations gives you crucial intel to shape a relevant pitch.
• Build rapport: Expressing genuine curiosity about their situation helps forge a human connection.
• Uncover hidden needs: Often, a surface-level pain point is a symptom of a larger underlying issue your solution could address. Inviting them to elaborate may bring these deeper needs to light.

For example, consider the following exchange:

Prospect: We‘ve been struggling to get high-quality leads lately.

Rep: Tell me more about that. What have you tried so far, and where do you feel things are falling short? I‘d love to understand what "high-quality" means to you and your team.

Prospect: Well, we‘ve been doing a lot of paid social campaigns, but the leads we‘re getting are often pretty unqualified. They‘re not the right company size or industry, or they‘re not ready to buy. For us, a high-quality lead is a decision-maker at a mid-market B2B company who has intent to purchase within the next 3 months.

Rep: That‘s really helpful context. It sounds like you need a way to better target your ideal customer profile and reach them when they‘re actively considering solutions. Our ABM platform is designed to do exactly that – can I show you how it‘s helped other B2B companies like yours improve lead quality by 45% on average?

By asking the prospect to expand on their lead gen challenges, the rep gathered crucial information to tailor their pitch and hone in on the most relevant benefits. The customer feels heard and understood, and the rep can frame their offering as the perfect solution to the prospect‘s specific needs.

"Trust me"

This last one is a bit of a head-scratcher. As sales reps, isn‘t building trust with potential customers our ultimate goal? Why would we shy away from telling them to trust us?

The issue is that trust – like respect – is something that must be earned, not demanded. When a rep explicitly says "trust me," it can actually have the opposite of the intended effect.

Think about the situations where you typically hear that phrase. Often, it‘s when someone is trying to convince you of something that seems dubious or risky – "Trust me, this investment opportunity is totally legit!" Or it‘s used as a Band-Aid for a lack of concrete evidence or preparation – "I don‘t have the exact numbers in front of me, but trust me, our results are impressive."

As a result, many buyers have developed a knee-jerk skepticism to being told to "just trust me." A 2022 Edelman survey found that 58% of consumers believe that "most of the time, companies are trying to mislead people by saying things they know are untrue or gross exaggerations."

So if you want to build genuine trust with a potential customer, it‘s better to show than tell. When a prospect expresses concerns or reservations, don‘t just assure them with an empty "trust me" – prove your trustworthiness with specific examples, empathy and expertise.

For example:

• "I totally understand your hesitation around the timeline. Here‘s what we‘ve done with [similar client] to make sure we deliver on schedule while meeting all your requirements. Let‘s map out some key milestones to keep things on track."
• "You‘re absolutely right to carefully consider data security – it‘s a huge concern for many of our clients in [prospect‘s industry]. We‘ve invested heavily in state-of-the-art encryption and access controls, which I‘m happy to walk through in detail. And I can share how we‘ve helped [company] achieve ISO 27001 compliance and pass their rigorous security audits."
• "I appreciate you sharing your budget constraints. While I can‘t give you an exact quote until we nail down the scope, I want to make sure we design a package that maximizes value for your spend. Based on what you‘ve shared, I‘d estimate you‘d fall into the $X – $Y range, which is in line with what [peer company] invests for similar results. Let‘s dig into your top priorities and see how we can align the solution to deliver the best possible ROI."

The common thread in all these responses is that the rep leads with empathy, validates the prospect‘s concerns, and then follows up with relevant proof points. They‘re not demanding trust, but rather demonstrating understanding and expertise to organically cultivate trust.

As sales legend Zig Ziglar put it, "If people like you they‘ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they‘ll do business with you."

Embrace the Power of Discomfort

The words we use in sales conversations have immense power – power to build relationships, uncover opportunities, and convince buyers to take a chance on us. But wielding that power often requires leaning into a bit of discomfort.

By embracing phrases like "I don‘t know," "tell me more," and demonstrating trustworthiness rather than demanding it, reps can unlock levels of authenticity, understanding and credibility that are essential for sales success.

Consider these statistics:

• 65% of buyers say they‘re likely to dismiss a seller in the first interaction if they don‘t receive relevant information
• 40% of customers say "trustworthy" is one of the top characteristics they value in sales reps
• Reps who practice active listening and engage in 2-way conversations with prospects have 127% higher close rates than those who deliver generic, one-size-fits-all pitches

The data is clear: Embracing a bit of vulnerability and prioritizing the buyer‘s needs above your own comfort level pays dividends.

So next time you‘re tempted to gloss over a knowledge gap, redirect a meandering conversation back to your script, or assure a skeptical prospect with an unconvincing "trust me" – pause. Bite the bullet and admit what you don‘t know. Invite them to share more about their situation. Prove your reliability and expertise with concrete examples.

It may feel scary in the moment, but it‘s the path to deeper trust, better solutions, and ultimately, more closed deals. As author and sales philosopher Bob Burg said, "All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust."

Discomfort is temporary – but the payoff of authenticity and trust is priceless.