The Words That Are Costing You Sales | Sales Closing Basics

You can spend 45 minutes building an incredible sales conversation.

You ask the right questions.

You understand the prospect's problem.

You demonstrate your solution.

You build trust.

Everything seems to be moving in the right direction.

Then you say one thing that completely changes the conversation.

“Are you serious?”

“I disagree.”

“That's impossible.”

“We can't do that.”

Suddenly, the person who was engaged and excited starts pulling back.

And sometimes, you don't even realize what happened.

Your words changed the direction of the conversation.

In this episode of the Just Keep Reaching Podcast, I'm breaking down the words and phrases salespeople need to be careful with during the closing process.

Because selling isn't just about knowing what to say.

It's also about understanding what your words communicate to the person sitting across from you.

Your confidence.

Your belief in your product.

Your willingness to solve problems.

And whether you're actually listening to what the prospect needs.

The Words That Can Kill Your Close

There are certain phrases I hear salespeople use that immediately concern me.

Not because a single word automatically loses a deal.

But because of the way that language can affect the conversation.

Think about someone questioning your offer and you responding with:

“Are you serious?”

What does that communicate?

Maybe you're frustrated.

Maybe you're surprised.

Maybe you think the question is ridiculous.

But what does the prospect hear?

They might feel embarrassed for asking.

They might become defensive.

Or they might stop being honest about their concerns.

And once that happens, the sales conversation becomes a lot harder.

The goal isn't to win an argument.

The goal is to understand the person, solve the problem, and help them make a confident decision.

In This Episode, We Get Into:

• The words and phrases that can create resistance during a sales conversation

• Why your language matters when moving toward the close

• How negative responses can weaken trust and buyer confidence

• Why you should avoid making prospects feel challenged or embarrassed

• How to acknowledge concerns without automatically agreeing

• Why comparing yourself to competitors can distract from your value

• The problem with describing your offer as simply a "good deal"

• Why you should focus on outcomes instead of competitive pricing

• How to replace reactive language with confident communication

• Why resourcefulness matters when helping prospects solve problems

• How to maintain positive momentum without pressuring someone

• Why sales training and repetition are essential

• How understanding your prospect's deeper motivation improves closing

• The importance of following a documented sales process

• How the Just Keep Reaching sales process helps you move toward a clear decision

Stop Creating Resistance With Your Words

Here's something I want you to think about.

Your prospect brings up a concern.

Maybe they're questioning the price.

Maybe they don't fully understand the solution.

Maybe they're comparing your offer to another company.

And your immediate response is:

“No, that's not right.”

Or:

“I disagree.”

What happens next?

Now the prospect may feel like they need to defend their position.

Instead of working together to understand the concern, the two of you are moving toward an argument.

That's not where you want to be.

You want to keep the conversation productive.

So instead of automatically disagreeing, slow down and understand what they're actually saying.

You could say:

“I understand where you're coming from. Can I ask what led you to that conclusion?”

Or:

“That's a fair question. Let me walk you through how this works.”

You're not surrendering your position.

You're not pretending the prospect is always right.

You're keeping the communication open so you can actually solve the problem.

And that's what great salespeople do.

Stop Selling Your Product Against the Competition

Another phrase I want you to pay attention to is:

“We have a competitive offer.”

Why would you want to position your product or service that way?

Think about what you're communicating.

You're inviting the prospect to evaluate you primarily against somebody else's pricing.

Now the conversation can become about who's cheaper instead of who can actually solve their problem.

I'm much more interested in understanding what the prospect needs and demonstrating why the solution I'm recommending makes sense for their situation.

What are they trying to accomplish?

What's currently preventing them from getting there?

What does that problem cost them?

What would solving it actually mean for their business or life?

And can your product, service, or program genuinely deliver the solution?

That's where the value conversation needs to happen.

Competitors exist.

And sometimes comparing options is absolutely appropriate.

But you don't want the entire value of your offer reduced to whether someone else charges a little less.

Your job is to help the prospect understand what they're getting and whether it's worth the investment.

Stop Calling It a "Good Deal"

Here's another one.

“This is a good deal.”

Okay.

What makes it good?

What's the value?

What problem does it solve?

What outcome should the customer reasonably expect?

And why is that worth what you're asking them to invest?

Simply calling something a good deal doesn't establish its value.

Neither does calling it an amazing deal.

You need to demonstrate why the offer matters to the person you're speaking with.

Because different people value different things.

A business owner might be interested in getting 10 hours back every week.

A sales manager might need a better closing process.

A coach might want to consistently generate new clients.

An entrepreneur might need systems that allow the company to grow without everything depending on them.

Those are real problems.

And when you can connect your solution to a real problem, you're communicating value.

Don't just tell somebody it's a great offer. Help them understand why it's the right solution for them.

Don't Make "Impossible" Your First Answer

I also talk about something that applies beyond sales.

Resourcefulness.

How often do people immediately respond to an unfamiliar request with:

“We can't do that.”

“That's impossible.”

“No way.”

“We won't.”

Sometimes there are legitimate reasons why something can't be done.

That's reality.

But I believe too many people make that decision before they've actually explored the possibilities.

They hear something unfamiliar and immediately shut it down.

I don't like operating that way.

I'd rather ask:

“What would it take to make this happen?”

Is there another approach?

Is there a different solution?

Can we adjust the process?

Is there another way to solve the underlying problem?

That's the mindset I want salespeople and leaders to develop.

Be resourceful.

Be creative.

Think through the problem.

And when something genuinely isn't possible, be honest about that too.

Because your credibility matters more than saying yes to something you can't deliver.

Positive Language Builds Momentum

There's a reason I'm constantly emphasizing confidence during the close.

People want to feel confident about the decisions they're making.

And your communication affects that.

Compare these responses:

“We can't do that.”

Versus:

“Here's what we can do.”

“I disagree.”

Versus:

“I see what you're saying. Let me explain how I'm looking at it.”

“That's impossible.”

Versus:

“Let me look at what's possible within what we offer.”

The second responses keep the conversation open.

They demonstrate a willingness to help.

They allow you to be confident without becoming confrontational.

And they give the prospect a clearer path forward.

I'm a big believer in language like:

“Absolutely.”

“Got it.”

“Sure can.”

“That's right.”

“Let's go ahead and get you started.”

But those phrases need to be genuine and appropriate to the situation.

The point isn't to agree with everything someone says.

The point is to communicate with confidence, clarity, and a solution-focused mindset.

The Sales Process Still Matters

Here's where this connects to everything else I teach.

You can't rely on positive language alone to close a deal.

You still need to understand the person you're speaking with.

You need to know what they want.

And more importantly, why they want it.

Not the surface-level answer.

The deeper reason.

What's their current situation?

What have they already tried?

What barriers are preventing them from moving forward?

What's the real problem they need solved?

And does your product or service actually address that problem?

That's why I believe so strongly in following a consistent sales process.

You should know where you are in the conversation.

You should understand what information you still need.

And you should know when the prospect has enough clarity and confidence to make a decision.

When you have a process, you're not constantly guessing what to say next.

You're listening.

You're guiding.

You're solving problems.

And you're communicating in a way that helps the conversation move forward.

The Sales Closing Lesson

Here's what I want you to remember.

Words matter.

Your tone matters.

Your confidence matters.

And the way you respond when someone challenges your offer matters.

You don't need to argue with prospects.

You don't need to criticize their questions.

You don't need to describe your product as a competitive deal just because you're afraid to communicate its value.

And you don't need to immediately shut down every unfamiliar request.

Understand the concern.

Ask better questions.

Communicate the value.

Explore solutions.

Be truthful about what you can deliver.

And when your prospect understands the offer, trusts the process, and is ready to make a decision, ask for the sale.

Because great salespeople don't just memorize closing lines.

They develop the judgment to know what to say, what not to say, and when to say it.

Train your communication.

Practice the process.

Keep improving your skills.

And Just Keep Reaching.

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Just Keep Reaching Podcast

Sales Closing Basics — Words to Never Use During the Close

Episode Action Step

Before your next five sales calls, pay attention to the language you're using.

Write down any phrases that may sound defensive, dismissive, negative, or uncertain.

Practice replacing them with responses that are confident, truthful, and focused on solving the prospect's problem.

Then review whether those changes improve the quality of your conversations.

Joe Rosner 
www.justkeepreaching.com