A mastery of using the right phrases within an effective sales pitch can create dialogue, discussion, and engagement with your client. Just as easily, ineffective phrases can take it in the wrong direction.

It should be the goal of every salesperson to ditch the traditional pitch over the phone or in appointments, and instead create a connection that leads to a collaborative conversation. So how is that done? What are the right and wrong words to say?

Best Phrases

Tell me More – You’re steering the conversation, but letting the client talk so you can listen.

That’s true, but – You’re agreeing with them, but also showing how you can make a difference.

The difference is – This shows you clearly understand both sides, but can add context and comparison.

What this means is – It’s a chance to highlight your benefits and differentiate your product.

Imagine yourself – Create space in the conversation for the client to make an emotional connection.

What is important to you? – The more you know about the client and the problem, the better.

The value here – Clients want to know what they can get or gain and why it’s worthwhile.

Worst Phrases

You’re making a mistake – It doesn’t build trust or credibility to tell people they are wrong.

Honestly, I think – This implies that everything you said previously wasn’t the truth.

Let me talk to my manager – It shows you don’t have the authority and aren’t the person to talk to.

How can I help you? – You should know this already. You should know the problem and how to solve it.

Is this a good time? – It only gives away control of the conversation from what you want to say.

Obviously – This can feel both condescending and negative at once, plus make people stop listening.

Maybe – It can show you’re not sure of yourself or confident in what you’re saying or selling. 

People love working with, and for, successful business leaders. Are you one of those great leaders?

Many aspire to be successful in business and their careers, but the truly great are separated by core competencies and behaviors that set them apart in an upper echelon in their industries. And all of those great business leaders must continually refine their competencies. Here are six traits that business experts commonly agree set great leaders apart.

The art of persistence. The ability to build thick skin and never quit, even when discouraged, allows the most successful business leaders to continue to grow and develop over time. Successful leaders do not tolerate being stagnant, because they are never satisfied.

Do not be afraid of failure. Many of the greatest business leaders failed at something before they succeeded at something else. Before he invented the Model T, Henry Ford came up with something called the Quadricycle. “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently,” [said Ford.

An eye for building talented teams. Nearly all business experts agree the best leaders have an extraordinary eye for talent. The top leaders understand how to build and cultivate highly committed and engaged teams of talent through inspiration and influence. 

Strategic perspective. Some will simply refer to it as “vision,” but successful business starts with ideas.  Great leaders think big and have a [clear view and understanding of market, economic and social trends, as well as the ability to translate it into business decisions. “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds,” said Mark Twain.

The power of passion. The top business leaders all share the trait that they are simply passionate about what they do. You can’t be a great leader without it. “You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you’re not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out,” said Steve Jobs.

Willingness to take risks. Google, Yahoo and Facebook all started in dorm rooms. The top business leaders are willing to take risks that fall outside of their comfort zones for unrealized potential. They are fearless. “You don’t learn to walk by following rules,” said Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. “You learn by doing, and by falling over.”

Every business would love to know exactly what their customers think about their products and services. Short of a crystal ball, that’s no easy task.

Customer surveys are one of the most proven ways to quickly gather data on your customers. It’s critical to know exactly what your best customers think, giving your business the position and opportunity to keep them happy and cultivate them into brand advocates. Follow these five tactics below to create effective and proven customer surveys that turn into a reliable source of customer information.

Keep it simple and short. When was the last time you spent more than 30 seconds taking a survey? Exactly. Keep the questions simple, short and easy to understand. Brevity is important for the survey. Don’t turn off otherwise willing customers.

Be specific and clear. A great survey is specific and clear. Ask about specific concepts, services and products to provide easily identifiable results you can use. Be clear about what you’re asking about and avoid general questions that cover different areas.

Avoid leading questions. Reliable and accurate results will come from questions that are neutral with no assumptions. Avoid questions that lead respondents toward a certain answer, as well as those that use assumed facts, bias or preferences. They can really mess with your results.

Think about your end goal. You might only have one opportunity to gain honest opinions from your customers. You must cut non-critical questions from your surveys. Use only questions that have a specific purpose and a reason for inclusion that provides important results.

Importance of timing. Many studies suggest that survey open and click-through rates are historically higher on different days and at different times. Take heed of this research and keep close track of your result ratios to find the best timing for your surveys. Also think about the [timing of your survey in terms of when the product or service was consumed.

Offer incentives. Want people to do something for you? Give them something in return. Offer incentives like a discount, account credit or free giveaway for their time. Research suggests that incentives can increase survey results by up to 20 percent.

Success in business, and every business deal, starts with building relationships. The starting point for all relationships is conversation.

You probably know quite a few business people who are schmoozers, talkers, and just naturally seem to network. They seem to have mastered small talk, creating conversations and connecting with others. If none of this comes naturally to you, know that you’re not alone. Here’s a field guide to seven ways to create business small talk.

The personal introduction. If nothing else, tell people who you are and what you do, but expand slightly with a bit more information as a hook into small talk. If others become engaged wanting to know more, it leads to conversation.

Be observant and spontaneous.  It’s unnatural to come across as over-prepared or rehearsed. Observe what people might be wearing (such as a watch or jewelry) or the surroundings and use it as a spark. Simply put, be in the moment!

Always have stories ready. One of the best ice-breakers (other than a polar bear) is a great story. Have a couple ready. Others might be nervous or unsure, and you can kick things off by making them feel comfortable.

Local connections. Take advantage of local connections to create commonalities. Everyone has an opinion of a local bar or restaurant and which are best and worst. It’s an instant conversation starter.

Sports, sports, sports. Based on where people are from or live, ask if they follow a team. Get them chatting about their favorite sport or team. Almost everyone plays fantasy football these days.

Shared interests. Sometimes you might know enough about the person to know their hobbies or interests. Otherwise, you can go to Facebook or LinkedIn to figure it out. Ask questions to find out (“Are you a runner?”) and bring out shared passions.

Mutual acquaintances. If you have time before meeting someone for the first time, go online to find out who you both know. If not, subtly explore shared background, locations or industries in small talk. A natural way to ease into conversation is a shared context.