9 ridiculous sales lines you should never use

A few months ago I wrote a post called “12 Cheesy Sales Lines to Avoid.” That post got a lot of views and generated some great discussion, including a few comments from people who thought there was nothing wrong with using some of the statements or questions.

Here are nine more sales lines, statements and questions that are still used in today’s sales world. Hopefully, you don’t use them.

1. “No one walks.”

This phrase is frequently uttered by sales managers in commission-heavy environments (especially retail) and is designed to motivate the sales team to close as many deals as they can that particular day. But it seldom works because the salespeople know they can’t close every deal.

2. “Buyers are liars.”

Although it’s a fact that many buyers will mislead you, it’s usually a result of being manipulated by a salesperson. If we — the salesperson — behave in an ethical and professional manner it is less likely our prospect will overtly lie to us.

3. “If I can do that, will you buy today or sign right now?”

I know this question is intended to gain agreement but it is tired, outdated and overused. Do you really think a smart buyer or corporate decision maker is going to agree to a ridiculous demand like this? Smart decision makers will say, “Let me think about it and get back to you.”

4. “The price is equivalent to the price of cup of coffee every day.”

People are not stupid and see through this tactic before the words leave your mouth. It is much more effective to discuss the return-on-investment (ROI) in terms that resonate with each prospect or customer. Trying to minimize the cost of ownership seldom achieves this goal.

5. “Hi, how are you?”