I recently heard sales guru Tom Hopkins describe 7 words that strike fear into the hearts of customers and realized how common those words were in my own sales copy (I’ve replaced many of them immediately with very good results). .
I couldn’t believe how much it was affecting my overall small business marketing strategy.
Knowing that their inside sales system was flawed was humbling but refreshing because I knew there was hope for improvement.
Here are the seven words that strike fear into the hearts of your small business customers and the phraseology you should replace them with.
#one) cost – how much will this item “cost”, this item “costs” X, the cost of this service is X.
Replacement – Total inversion. Your “total investment” today will be X.
The word “cost” has a negative connotation. That “cost” him dearly.”
When you say the word “cost” your client associates it with a negative. Thus, you are actually making the “investing” process more cumbersome and less likely to succeed. On the other hand, replacing “cost” with the phrase “total investment” creates a “warm and fussy” feeling with your customers. People like to “invest” in things, especially themselves, and this is a good way to remind them that their purchase is actually an “investment.”
#2) Price – the “price” today is X, the “price” has been discounted, that is a high “price” to pay.
Replacement – Total inversion. Today’s “total investment” is X. Your total investment is X.
Again, like the word “cost,” the word “price” causes fear and reminds people of sacrifice or loss. “Full investment,” on the other hand, is a positive term that people like to hear.
#3) Initial payment – your down payment today would be X.
Replacement – initial investment. Your initial investment for this piece of furniture would be X. The small initial investment is X.
Again, reversal is a positive term that will decrease your clients’ resistance to price.
#4) Monthly payment – Your monthly payment is X.
Replacement – Monthly investment. Your monthly investment for the appliances will be X. The small monthly investment is only X.
People are used to the term monthly investment. Whether they invest monthly in a savings account, a Christmas club, or a credit union, an investment is a positive term that adds value to the transaction.
#5) contract – Sign this contract on the dotted line. Let me draw up a contract.
Replacement – Paperwork Prayed Agreement. Great, let’s go over the paperwork. Why don’t you start filling out the agreement and I’ll get us a cup of coffee?
No one wants to sign a “contract.” Cellular companies could learn a thing or two from this. How many times have you burned to sign a contract. Completing the paperwork or agreement is much less threatening than signing a contract and puts your client at ease.
#6) To buy – Would you like to buy this today? We only have two left, you’d better buy it while you can.
Replacement – Own. You could have this today for a small monthly investment of just X. I think having a policy like this would give you peace of mind… do you think so too?
People don’t like to buy things, especially expensive things. But they love to have things, especially expensive things. Ownership makes people proud. Check out the Green Bay Packers football franchise. It is owned by the owners of the shares. Nobody has anything to say about the team, but everyone “owns” a part of the team. Why do you think their games have been selling for years? Pride of “ownership”. Help your client invest to own.
#7) Sell Prayed Exhausted – We have sold many of these. These are selling very well.
Replacement – Acquire Prayed Involve. People like to get involved in (purchase) a life insurance policy for the protection and security it offers their family.
Nobody wants to be sold, but everyone wants to own things. When you say that “we have sold many of these” the first thing that people think is… “it’s fine, but they won’t sell me, if I want to I’ll buy it”. You are now a “salesperson” trying to sell them something, not someone trying to help them make the right decision.
The key is in the phraseology used. Professional salespeople practice and rehearse just like an actor would. They use the right wording to push the emotional buttons of the customers closer to the closing of the sale.
Remember, people buy on emotion. The better you are at guiding the emotional experience through the sales process, the more successful you will be.
