Trust-Based Language for Prospecting

You must speak 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 language! 🗣️ When I first started as an SE, I thought I had to prove I knew my stuff by dropping as many technical terms as possible: “Distributed cloud-native architecture with AI-powered anomaly detection and parallelized compute.” 🤮 I thought that was how you earned trust. In reality? I was losing them. As soon as I used words they didn’t understand, I watched their eyes glaze over. They’d nod politely, but I had lost their attention, and worse, their trust. Here’s the thing: When a prospect hears something they don’t understand, they won’t ask for clarification. They’ll just mentally check out — and from that moment, your demo is dead in the water. Once I realized this, everything changed: ✅ I mirrored their language (if they said “test case,” I said “test case”). ✅ I explained complex concepts in simple terms, no jargon required. ✅ I focused on the why and impact, not the buzzwords. The truth is: 👉 Parroting technical jargon is not mastery. 👉 Making the complex feel simple, that’s mastery. If you want to be trusted, speak so your audience can follow you every step of the way. Quick tips to avoid the jargon trap: ✅ Listen for how the prospect talks, match their terms. ✅ Run your explanations through the “could I explain this to my mom?” filter. ✅ Less is more. Focus on what matters to them, not what sounds impressive. Your job isn’t to sound smart. Your job is to make them feel smart and excited to work with you. #ducklife #salesengineering #presales

A few words nearly cost me a deal. I thought I was being polite. Friendly. Respectful of their time. But what I said came across as vague, uncertain—and maybe even a little desperate. I had emailed a prospect with: “Just checking in to see if you had any thoughts…” Nothing. No reply. Later, on a call, they told me: “We weren’t quite sure what you were asking for—it felt more like a gentle nudge than a clear next step. In the meantime, we connected with another partner.” That moment stuck with me and changed everything. Since then, I’ve become much more intentional about the language I use and how even small changes can have a big impact. Am I perfect? Definitely not. But I’ve learned that the right words can shift how we’re perceived and how effectively we connect. Here are a few common phrases that may be quietly working against us—and what to say instead: 🔴 “Just checking in / Circling back…” ✅ Try: “I wanted to follow up with something that might support what you're working on.” 💬 Example: “You mentioned [pain point]—I found [insight/case study] that might help as you navigate [challenge].” 💡 Why it works: You’re bringing something to the table—not just asking for attention. 🔴 “Would you be open to…?” ✅ Try: “Could I ask for your help with…?” 💬 Example: “Could I ask for your help in connecting with a few of your peers in other divisions?” 💡 Why it works: It’s confident, respectful, and moves the conversation forward. 🔴 “Feel free to…” ✅ Try: “Here’s my availability—let’s find a time that works for you.” 💬 Example: “Would next Tuesday or Thursday work for a quick touch base?” 💡 Why it works: You’re making it easier to say yes—and showing you're serious. These changes are subtle—but powerful. Words matter. In sales, they can build trust… or create distance. The good news? With a few thoughtful swaps, you can shift from chasing to leading. Ring my bell 🔔 to make sure you see my posts

I was at Starbucks in an airport. Packed. Long line. Only two baristas. After I ordered I said, “Busy day?” She shrugged. “Eh.” So I tried again. “Normal day?” She smiled. “Exactly. Every day all day.” Then I added, “There’s no way I could keep up with all these orders.” And she lit up. That’s called eliciting. I learned it from Chris Voss. You’re not making small talk. You’re not interrogating. You’re making a thoughtful guess about how someone feels. First guess? Miss. Second guess? Hit. And when you hit, they think: “Finally. Somebody gets me.” Same thing happens in sales. Prospect: “I don’t think a tool can handle our commission rules.“ Typical seller: “I understand how you feel. Many people felt the same way. But what they found was that our platform is flexible enough to manage any rules.” Prospect hears: pitch and pull away. Better elicitation: “So you’ve got layers of exceptions, different rates for roles, territories, and special spiffs stacked on top.” Now they lean in: “Exactly. That’s our mess.” Or they correct you. Either way, you’ve opened the door. Because trust doesn’t start with a pitch. It starts when someone thinks: “Finally. Somebody who gets me.” Trust before transaction.

Are you being lazy when building trust on sales calls? Just following the same call script for every prospect and hoping it’ll work out? – I used to be so eager to close deals that I'd jump straight into the pitch. Features, benefits, pricing, and so on. Just a mechanical process where the prospect was almost an afterthought. This made prospects feel distant, uninterested, or even defensive. That's when it hit me: Trust isn't given. It's built from the very first conversation. Here are 3 steps I developed to build trust with prospects 1️ - Address Concerns Upfront Don't wait for objections to arise - bring them into the conversation early. "Many companies worry about the time it takes to train their team. Let's discuss how we can make this seamless for you." This shows that you're eager to learn about their needs and not just chasing a sale. 2️ - Ditch the Transactional Talk Avoid sounding like a sleazy salesperson reading from a script. Be present and listen more than you speak. Instead of saying, "Our solution offers XYZ features," try, "Tell me about the challenges your team is facing." This turns the call into a two-way dialogue rather than a one-sided pitch. 3️ - Be Genuine and Transparent Share real stories, admit when you don't have all the answers, and be honest about what you can and can't do. "I want to make sure we're the right fit for you. If we're not, I'll point you in the right direction." Authenticity fosters trust, and trust leads to lasting business relationships. By focusing on authentic communication and addressing concerns head-on, your sales conversations will become more meaningful and effective. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this How do you build trust with your prospects? ------ Did you enjoy this post? If so, repost to your network 🔁 and Follow Stephen Steers - https://zurl.co/Ntow for daily sales tactics just like this! #saleswithstephen #superpowerstorytelling

Cold emails that feel personal get powerful responses (here's an example). One of my AE coaching clients was getting frustrated with a high potential prospect's radio silence so we rolled up our sleeves together to see if we could change that. We looked at their LinkedIn bio & found they live by "the golden rule." My client sent an email subject line "The Golden Rule." In the body of the email they called out that they noticed the prospect lived by the golden rule, those values were important to them too, & their intention was to build a partnership centered around it. The prospect responded with a long email on why they hadn't got back but that they actually had planned to. Then the prospect went a step further and called my client. Investing the time to research prospects & speak their language is the downpayment we make to earn trust, meetings, & partnerships. Prospects recognize the thoughtfulness & effort & reward it. Especially if you keep it up in follow ups. Happy Selling & Happy Living, Chris #techsales #outbound #prospecting #sellmore

“I don’t take sales calls.” 🦗🦗 Honestly, I probably would say the same thing. People aren’t dodging you — they’re dodging the 38 other reps who treated them like a number. Because no one wants to be prospected. But everyone wants to feel understood. So how do you go from “another cold call” to “someone I actually want to talk to”? Here’s what’s worked for me: 1. Use your first touch to earn a second one. That means your message can’t sound like everyone else’s. Drop the pitch. Lead with a relevant insight or ask a question that actually sparks curiosity. 2. Give before you ask. Send a link to a resource they’d care about. Mention something helpful that has zero strings attached. The goal? Show up with value before you ask for time. 3. Stop treating discovery like an interrogation. Make it feel like a conversation, not a qualification checklist. Prospects can feel when you’re rushing to get to your pitch. 4. Ditch the “just checking in” language. Follow up with new energy: — “This made me think of you…” — “Curious if this is still on your radar…” — “If timing’s off, I’ll revisit — but wanted to put this on your map.” 5. Play the long game. Not everyone is ready right now. That doesn’t mean they won’t be soon. Stay helpful. Stay visible. Stay human. You don’t build trust with a new friend by giving them a cold call pitch… think about it! Understand what’s relevant in your prospects life/priorities! #SalesDevelopment #SDRTips #ColdCalling #ProspectingWithPurpose

Would you trust someone who says, “Trust me”? I still remember, I was on a call with a tough prospect who asked "Will it work?". In my eagerness, I blurted out: “Trust me, our solution works perfectly!” The prospect paused, gave a polite “Sure, send me the details”… and stopped answering. That was my first lesson in how words can make or break a deal. I learned the hard way that every word you say can either build credibility or tear it down. Top salespeople understand this. They sweat the small details. They don’t let careless words undermine their hard work. Here are 6 phrases you should eliminate from your vocabulary if you want to close more deals and earn genuine trust: 1. Trust me It sounds like a shortcut, but it translates to: “I have no real proof. Just take my word for it.” If you’ve earned their trust, you don’t need to say this. 2. To be honest... This one’s sneaky. It implies you weren’t honest before. Trust should be a given. “Hmm… I think we can do that.” Waffling weakens your credibility. If you don’t know the answer, acknowledge it: “That’s a great question. Let me check and get back to you. ” Confidence isn’t knowing everything—it’s owning the gaps. 3. Are you the decision-maker? Rude. If they’re not, you’ve alienated them. Instead, build relationships and ask, “Who else is typically involved in decisions like this?” 4. Industry jargon or acronyms. You might sound smart, but prospects will just feel confused. Speak simply—clarity wins over complexity. For example: Replace “Our USP lies in delivering high ROI through KPI-driven methodologies” with “We help you achieve measurable business results quickly and efficiently.” 5. We don’t normally do this, but… It’s not charming. It’s manipulative. Instead, focus on delivering value, not “special treatment.” For instance: Avoid “I’m bending the rules here,” and opt for “Here’s a tailored approach that’s worked well for similar clients.” Why do these phrases matter? Because sales is about trust—and trust is built through words, actions, and confidence. Top reps don’t use tricks or gimmicks. They speak clearly, listen closely, and stay empathetic. Every interaction shows prospects that they’re reliable partners, not smooth-talking salespeople. Have you ever caught yourself saying any of these? Share your story in the comments—we’ve all been there, and we can all learn from it! 💡 P.S. If you’d like my list of Top 50 Power Words to positively influence customers in sales, comment Ÿes in the comment box and my team will instantly share your complimentary copy. All the Best.

The one thing that changed the way I prospect forever. When I first started in sales, I thought prospecting was all about reaching as many people as possible. But over time, I realized quality beats quantity every time. Here’s the one change that transformed my approach: personalization. 🎯 Here’s how personalization changed my prospecting results: 1. Research Over Cold Calls Instead of cold calling with a generic pitch, I started researching each prospect. I’d look up their company, industry challenges, and recent news. This prep work made my approach feel personal and relevant. 2. Tailored Messaging By understanding a prospect’s specific challenges, I could craft messages that spoke directly to their needs. Instead of talking about my product, I talked about their problem—and how I could solve it. 3. Building Relationships, Not Just Pipelines Personalization helped me build trust and rapport from the start. Clients appreciated that I took the time to understand their situation, and that effort turned into long-term relationships. 4. Better Conversion Rates The result? My success rate skyrocketed. When you connect with people on a genuine level, they’re far more likely to engage and move forward in the sales process. 💡 Takeaway: Invest time in understanding your prospect before you reach out. Personalized messages create more value, and that value builds trust—and trust drives sales. #SalesTips #Prospecting #SalesSuccess #RelationshipBuilding