True But Trite Phrases to Delete
Standing in the airport today on the way to another keynote (story of my life today: standing in airport lines), I overheard this one-sided conversation between salesperson and client. How do I know he was in sales? Read ahead for the give-away phrases:
Trite:
“Let me share with you….”
Translate it: “Here comes the sales pitch. Let’s stop the dialogue. I talk and you listen for the next little while.”
Better:
“Let me mention a few things that might makes sense in light of what you’ve told me:”
Translate it: “I’ve been listening. Now, let me see if we have a match to your needs. If not, please stop me to add more information.”
Trite:
“If I could reduce your cost by 25% and increase productivity by 50%, would you be interested?”
Translate it: “Are you a moron?”
Better:
“With a little information from you about your specific operation there, I think I could suggest several ways to cut costs—maybe by as much as 25 percent, based on our results with similar clients in your industry. May I ask you a couple of questions to see if this makes sense for you?
Trite:
“Would you agree that…”
Translate it: “You’re on trial here. You must give me either a yes or a yes.”
Better:
“I’ve tossed out what I think is a flexible solution. Does this sound workable to you?”
If the words just seem to roll off your tongue (like that last phrase just did), chances are the phrase is tried and trite––a real turn-off for a buyer.


