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Fast Tip Friday: Watch Your Language

Sep 23, 2022 7:15:00 AM

 

Hey, I've got kind of an offbeat topic to talk to you about today. Real quickly, I want to bring up this idea of what we call, "wishy-washy" language. In business development, we all sometimes are so excited about having a business conversation with someone. They've expressed some interest that feels like they're the right person with the right need for your product or service. And they showed some real interest. You get all excited that you kind of let your defenses down and you don't have your best, what I'll call radar working, and you miss the fact that you've been given a lot of information, but not a lot of commitment.

So, what I think we've really got to do is remind you all that a lot of sales are won or lost when you buy into the value incorrectly, of wishy-washy language. There's a shortlist of words that if you hear them, are probably going to just put you on the buyers bus and leave you in the mode of having to follow up and chase and get some confusion that you missed fixing while you were there.

So, here's the list. Maybe, probably, should, could, might, that looks good, that's better than what we have now, we're probably going to do something, I'm really impressed with what you have.

All of those words are nice words to hear, but they don't indicate any type of commitment being made. Don't allow yourself to get sucked into the world of wishy-washy language. When you hear those words, just ask for a simple timeout and ask the person on the other side of the conversation, "when you said you would or you might or you probably, could you please define what you're telling me with that language?" You've got to get clarity and concise commitment to next steps. Otherwise, the wishy washy language will get you out of the business conversation back in your car or off the phone, but no further along in getting a commitment or a no than you were before you got there.

Don't let the excitement of possibility, or the addiction to hope, become the way you operate as a business development professional. Wishy-washy language does nothing but cloud the picture, confuse you, get them off the hook, and leave you with nothing more than a bag of frustration and the usefulness of hope and potential in your pipeline.

So, ask for clarity, be the one that stops the conversation, and get the truth before the lack of truth gets you. Thanks again for tuning in. Have a great day. Have a great weekend. Go out and make money.