Umm let me explain what I mean….argh what I was ringing about was….so basically we do this…..well obviously it is going to help you in this way….honestly speaking I know you will see value….100% I know we can help you! I guarantee you will not be disappointed…. We do all sorts of stuff…. Hey mate have you got time to talk?
Am I painting a picture of some examples of “filler” words, habitual words, lazy words, and unprofessional words? They are used in sales when the representative is stuck for something of value to say, is nervous, hesitating, has doubt, trying to build rapport or maybe just trying to fill in a gap in the conversation. In any case, in my 25 years in sales, I have yet to meet a sales professional who has not fallen into the trap of having some bad habits in the wordsmith department. Truth be told, my “filler word” was the word obviously (and basically sometimes made an appearance!) It’s amazing once you are made aware of your “bad habit” how often it slips out of your mouth unannounced!
So, what makes them dumb words?
The short answer is they limit your success, they are unprofessional, inauthentic, can cause mistrust, limit rapport building, could be considered condescending, and indeed, do not build credibility.
How can you fix the problem?
Be Aware – Discover what your “Umm” word or words are. If you are not sure then ask your sales coach or manager to observe you in action. I have always been on the lookout for these “delightful” habits when coaching any sales professional. In most instances, they are unaware of their Umm word because, as I said, it has become a habit.
How do you break the habit?
1. Lazy words, e.g. obviously, basically, stuff etc
Once you are aware of what yours is the first thing to do is to find a replacement that is a much better alternative. Once you have this, the best idea is to write the lazy word and its replacement on a sticky note, piece of paper or maybe even your screen saver! If you are an inbound rep than I would encourage you to have it at eye level to remind you.
2. The Umm and Argh words.
These are silence fillers and therefore not fixed by a replaceable word. The best solution here is to learn to pause and take a big breath and exhale (quietly mind you otherwise you may have more significant problems than “filler words”!) You will be surprised how taking a deep breath prevents this sound from falling out of your mouth
3. Unprofessional words, e.g. mate, matie, champ, love, lovie etc.
These words are more concerning for they do show a lack of true professionalism, naivety, (or both) because the person delivering these words is under the impression that they are building great rapport when in most cases the opposite is in fact occurring! These words are appropriate when you are on a more familiar and personal basis. In a business environment, they can come across as non- genuine and even offensive! The good news is they are the easiest to fix. By just addressing the client by their name or their title you will not only earn their respect but have a much better chance of building rapport. Over time they may want you to refer to them by a shortened version of their name or even a nickname which is fantastic, but I would still advise to stay away from terms like mate or love.
4. The big statement words.
Words like 100% or guaranteed should only be used if you are able to back it up with credible evidence. If you can’t, then you should not be using them as it is unethical and unprofessional and will only do more harm than good in the long term.
Lastly, practice, practice, practice. I say this because you have formed a nasty little habit and as with any pattern it takes time to eliminate it, i.e. about 21 days, or 504 hours!
Good luck and let me know how you go.
Have a very purposeful day.
Rachel