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The right words begin the building of trust
In every culture, certain words have connotations the dictionary definition doesn’t cover. In America, there are many terms that have implied sexual meanings. Soft sell sales and marketing people will avoid using them as they undermine your efforts to develop trust. The chapter I enjoyed in this hard sell sales trainer’s book talked about words that have baggage attached to them. For instance, he said to ask people to "approve this agreement" instead of "sign here" because most Americans were told by their parents to never sign anything. Although this is not as big an issue when you have worked together to actually provide exactly what your prospect wants, it’s still important to think about your vocabulary and replace words that might be a turn off subconsciously.
The following are a few terms to help you develop your soft sell sales and marketing sensitivity:
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Hit the target |
Speak to the Heart |
Judith Sherven brought my attention to the violent |
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Pitch |
Presentation |
Pitch sounds like a circus barker. "Presentation" sounds professional. |
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"If you’re unhappy with …," |
"If you’re not completely satisfied and delighted with …," |
Judith & Jim told the members of the Soft Sell Marketers Association to state their guarantees in a manner that sets readers up to expect a very positive experience with their material. |
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blast |
broadcast |
These terms describe mailing out to the members of your mailing list the same message at once. Blast connotates war and violence.
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close |
reach an agreement |
Reaching an agreement indicates working together. A soft sell salesperson seeks to help customers buy when it’s right for the customers based on their needs and wants. |
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Close |
open the relationship |
I owe thanks to Judith & Jim for this one. From a soft sell sales and marketing viewpoint, the customer deciding to buy opens a long term relationship. |
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Drive traffic |
Attract visitors |
The term "drive" means pressure, control and manipulation. "Attract" says that we want to make it appealing and inviting to come visit. |
I’d like to tell you that I always use the "better" phrases. Frankly, I have decades of conditioning from the old school approach to sales and marketing. Nineteen years after I first realized "I fear that …" was telling my subconscious to be afraid, I still hear myself using this phrase from my childhood. Now, though, I’ll catch myself and change what I’m saying on the fly.
Make the effort to choose more powerfully attractive words in your soft sell marketing copy and in your soft sell sales meetings with prospects and customers. You will find that gradually your attitude starts to shift. You will be more open, more interested in your prospects because your terms tell your subconscious that is how you view your business. The rewards for soft sell sales and marketing go beyond mere commissions and profits to person-to-person connections. This elevates your business to a level that is fun, fulfilling, and mutually rewarding.
Please comment and share expressions you have learned to change to uplift your business.
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