The Power of Words in Sales

David Lowe 0:00

Words have power . Stay tuned to today's episode . We're going to talk about the power of your words , especially in sales .

Grace Lupoi 0:18

Hi guys , I'm Lupoi and and I'm here with David Lowe , the automotive sales coach , and you just mentioned that words matter . Right , and words have power , and sometimes it's not even just the words I say , it's the way I say them .

David Lowe 0:29

Right , yeah . So yeah , not just what you say , but how you say . But boy , do words have power , right , and they can be used for good and they can be used for evil , and what we say matters . So I think in sales we know that words matter . We're going to cover today some of the words that we talk about that matter . Now I want to tell you , in sales , a lot of people take words that matter and create what they call scripts , sales scripts . In fact , you've got to memorize the script .

David Lowe 0:58

Now , what's the attempt here ? To get the salesman to use the right words over and over and over . And I think that's . I think it's beneficial , it's useful , but I don't think it's ultra useful . I think there's even a better way to do it . In other words , could I say the same things in my own language , using keywords , and get better results than using a script of somebody else's language ? Let me give you an example .

David Lowe 1:24

So I was down in Florida doing some consulting at a Ford dealership and they were really into training and I think the training guy was Paul . I don't remember Paul Cummings or something like that . I think it was an Atlanta-based trainer , older white guy . Now we were down there . Half the staff was Hispanic okay , and that was our clientele , right . So it was interesting . They had these 10 closes that everybody was required to memorize and they recited them in the morning meeting , kind of like the Pledge of Allegiance thing . A little weird for me to sit through , but it was hilarious listening to different age groups and nationalities trying to speak like this trainer spoke .

David Lowe 2:10

I don't speak like that . So they said to me hey , while you're doing some consulting , you need to learn these clothes . I said , yeah , I'm not doing that , I'll use the clothes . They're fine , there's nothing wrong with them . I can't speak like that , though it's not natural and it won't sound natural . So I will reword them in my own language Like no , you can't do that . Well , I'm going to tell you something . That whole time there , I never heard one person use those , because it doesn't work when you try to use somebody else's language . Now , that said , there's some short things that you can use over and over . Maybe there's scripts that you ? Yeah , that's okay , scripts aren't bad . I'm just saying why not move from scripts to word tracks ? In other words , learn how to say things well in your own language right Now , when you do that , as Chris pointed out before the podcast . He says a lot of people do that and then they forget the key words . So it's not just rewording it in your own language , it's using the principles and the key words . Words have power .

Grace Lupoi 3:15

Right , absolutely .

David Lowe 3:17

And so they create tremendous emotional reaction , right ? So , grace , I really like you , but but all right , what's the immediate emotional reaction ?

Grace Lupoi 3:27

Something's coming .

David Lowe 3:28

So we know , right , we have these strong emotional reactions to words . People know that . By the way , Advertisers know that . Politicians know that . Heck , here's some words Tuition , forgiveness program right . What if they said tuition paid by your neighbor program , that probably wouldn't be as well accepted , but the word forgiveness ? Oh well , forgiveness , yeah , everybody wants forgiveness . Again , it's a manipulation of words , because words do matter . Now I think that words could be used to deceive like that , to make something palatable that's not palatable . That's true In sales . Words are really designed to help people feel comfortable moving forward . They're scared to death .

Grace Lupoi 4:13

That's right .

David Lowe 4:14

I don't want to make a mistake . I'm going to buy the wrong thing . I don't want to pay too much , I don't want you pushing me into doing it right . So we use words to help them feel comfortable , don't we Right ? So we've got a few that we use . Let's go over a few . Here's just some keywords that are interjected . So we have a lot of word tracks we do , and the word tracks say here's how you say this well , right , right Now , use them , even memorize them , until you can say them in your own language . Right ? And there's some key words we have in there , and the key that we're looking for is not memorization , but transformation . We'll talk about that in a second . First , give us some examples , some of those key words .

Grace Lupoi 5:05

So really the biggest one that I think for myself when teaching others is the difference from using the word and and but yeah , right yeah , so if I say the word and I'm building a bridge . Yeah , if I use the word , but like a second ago , yeah . I'm breaking that bridge , I'm tearing it down . Yeah , one of those big things that when I'm communicating with people , the words I use have great power .

David Lowe 5:22

Yeah Right , something else Hang on to that one for a second . Yeah , so if you want more for your trade ? And I said I hear what you're saying , but you're wrong , right ? So that's what you hear , right , right . So what you're saying is I understand what you're saying and let's look at the logic . So it's the word and that builds a bridge between empathy and logic . The word but says yeah , I agree with everything you're saying , but I don't right . And so it almost undoes everything that comes before . Subconsciously . People recognize that and it does build you called it a wall and and builds a bridge . Great example . And we could go through the selling process where that's really important . So it's not like point and counterpoint . Instead of trying to score on our customer , we're working together to work out a win-win agreement , right ?

Grace Lupoi 6:15

Okay , keep going . What else ? Another big one is the transition from saying our car to your new car . Psychologically that has a big difference and once again , the words I use have power .

David Lowe 6:26

They do , and so I think it was an IBM trainer came to the car business and was training . It's a dealer group that I joined years ago and they said it like this our car , your car . And I'm like , wait a minute , isn't that backwards , right ? See , by the time we get to numbers , we should have already sold the car . The question is now how do you want to pay for it ? Our car , your car . So we changed it completely here's your new car , here's your old car . And it's true , it's true , right , the way the process works outside . We want to make sure we're on the right car and sell it . So if we work out the financial package , grace , or you want to take your new blank ?

Grace Lupoi 7:08

home today .

David Lowe 7:09

All right , rock and roll . Let me show you how to pay for it now . Right , and so here's your new car . It's very important , so there's a transition . For years people weren't thinking about that . But why not transfer ownership in a comfortable way ? Right , they've already said they wanted it . They want to take it home . Help them feel comfortable . That's right . Right , keep going .

Grace Lupoi 7:30

Another great one I think of also , as you just mentioned it whole financial package .

David Lowe 7:34

Oh yeah .

Grace Lupoi 7:35

Versus numbers .

David Lowe 7:36

Yeah right .

Grace Lupoi 7:37

Words have power .

David Lowe 7:38

Yeah .

Grace Lupoi 7:39

We're not focused on one thing , not just the numbers . We can say numbers and the word whole financial package or all the details . Yeah , once again , lets that customer , that buyer feel more comfortable .

David Lowe 7:50

Let's quit being car guys , let's wheel and deal and let's start talking about working out the whole financial package .

The Power and Impact of Words

David Lowe 7:56

This goes to the principle that the market decides , we don't decide . It's a power principle . How do we help buyers hear it ? Well , we quit using car lingo . Words matter , they have power , and some of the old car lingo has negative power , makes people feel bad or starts , begins this negotiation that nobody even wants right .

David Lowe 8:22

Everybody wants to have the right car at the right price . Right , we want a win-win agreement . Everybody's happy , and so we can eliminate the words that you know that ignite negative feelings and put in a pot . That's a good one .

Grace Lupoi 8:35

What else ? I think really , looking at all these words that we shift and change is sometimes the biggest takeaway that other people have with the training Talking through these things is this communication is everything . We just had a conversation with somebody in Iowa and he said , oh my gosh , the biggest difference that we've noticed isn't even the total transition of what we're doing , the process itself , the way that we say it and how we communicate with our buyer , those small shifts that we take our car , your car numbers , whole financial package and versus but those are those small shifts that we take that make a huge difference to ourselves as a consultant , just as a person and the other person we're talking with , psychologically , subconsciously , consciously it's all these benefits and changes that it really makes that I think sometimes we overlook those things .

David Lowe 9:24

Yeah , that's a great point . So we have the four goals , not one goal . Some salespeople have one goal just sell the car . I don't know what that means . Then it has some people just sell the car , make all the money . Well , what happens if the customer doesn't like you ? So we said sell the car , make money , and have the customer go . You're awesome , I love you . And a fourth goal , of course , really important is that we feel good about what we do , that healthy pride that's right .

David Lowe 9:49

So the words we use matter not just to the customer but to us , how we feel about what we did and how we do it . And I'm going to tell you something I know that salesmen get a bad rep the shark right . I've met so many salespeople . I really believe that salesmen want to earn their pay and want honest pay for hard work , and if you do a good job you should be paid well . They work very hard , and the percentage markup in a car is so small compared to the percentage markup in everything else right , you would freak out if you see how little the average user makes on a $48,000 new car . It's not the price of the car that determines the margin , it's the manufacturer , right , and so there's not a ton of profit there . And so I think , because of the prices , customers also think that along with the high prices come high profit margins , and they're not so . I believe most salesmen want to earn the living the right way . I really truly believe that .

David Lowe 10:51

Unfortunately , most trainers have fanned the flame the opposite way .

David Lowe 10:56

You know what I mean . Let me use some words matter . Oh , I laid that guy away , Right ? Yeah , Well , I can't . So that's negative . And so I had a manager say to a salesman the other day you need to pound on those people . Oh , my gosh , I mean words matter . What the sales manager really meant was make sure you diligently follow up , because they're definitely going to buy a car . He chose his words poorly , which chose a bad salesman . I don't want to pound on my customers . I really like them .

David Lowe 11:30

So the words we use , both in selling and in coaching and in relationships , matter , don't they ? Okay ? So let's get to the bottom line . Scripts are good . They can teach you the right way to say something . I think they're powerful . Where they can be overused is the way that somebody else speaks may not be the way that you speak , and so they may come off not so genuine . They may come off scripted and not powerful . So what we said was maybe the higher level of selling is not a script but a word track . It's something that says . Here's a great way to get this point across Selling is , remember , persuading others the benefits of to take action right .

David Lowe 12:18

So we are persuading others , and so these word tracks would say here's a great To demonstrate value , to help people feel comfortable moving forward . Here's how you could say it , and within here here's some key words that really do matter and we want to target those words . But a lot of the other words really are personal , aren't they ? If I sound like somebody else , it's not going to come across . So we said that famous Zig Ziglar quote the depth of your conviction is more powerful than the height of your argument . I think something like that he said . We read it in that one .

Grace Lupoi 13:00

Hey , that's a good time .

David Lowe 13:02

Yeah , I haven't read anything he's done except that one thing . Like that's genius . I got to read more of this guy , so and if you haven't , I guess that look him up . A great salesman . But so we believe that we believe that's what's in our heart and mind will be in our customer's heart and mind . Today we talked about that heart conveyance , how your heartbeat sends out electromagnetic signal three feet out . People could feel that , and so we really do communicate with others based on how we feel about things . It's really not what you say sometimes but , as you said , how you say it . I've had salesmen say to me I said the exact same thing , dave , that you did , and I said , yeah , but I believed it . And so that's what closes the cardio , maybe not the words , but the truth behind it , the belief .

David Lowe 13:50

So we want to move from memorization to really transformation , meaning that we don't want to memorize how to say something . We want to understand what's happening , why it's happening and what to say and why to say it that way to say and why to say it that way . We want to understand that some words that we're going to say are really going to benefit and move us forward and other words may push us back , right . So we want to transform . The best way to transform might be to memorize word tracks . Say them over and over until you can make them your own right . That might be a good way for some . That's it . I have other students that hear it said and can say it back to you the same , different words , but the same . You know that I have problems writing training because every time I say something it's the same , but it's different . So , right and so when you go throughout the dealership playbook or online training platform if you guys are on our Facebook page I'm a sales coach or our YouTube channel , you'll hear us say some things over and over and you'll notice that the words aren't exact . We do use a lot of the key words , but the way we say it kind of changes . Right , and what we're really doing is we want to build salesmen that can think on their feet . Oh , I didn't memorize anything for this . You don't have to . If you know what's happening and why it's happening , you will find a way to help your buyer over that hump and feel comfortable moving to the next step .

David Lowe 15:22

So today's episode really falls short of being the episode about the power of war , this topic , I don't know . We could probably make a couple months worth of episodes on this topic and I promise we'll come back with even some more examples . Why did we do this today ? Well , we were reminded in one of our new higher classes as people were practicing watching people explode and become their own . It's really exciting when they're saying the right things in their own language . It has such power and as they begin to transform inside , their confidence rises and confidence is contagious . So we were reminded and thought , hey , now's a great time to tell everybody words have power .

David Lowe 16:07

We know that people are using words politically , social media , wise to manipulate , and boy , they sure get a lot of people to react with some really strong feelings . You know I'm not an expert , but boy , I have a strong opinion , right and uh , and words do that to people . So we want to be careful as far as up to us . We want to live at peace with all people , right , and so we want to not do anything intentionally that offends in the personal world , in the sales world , of course , we want to help our buyer feel comfortable taking that next step . Words matter and there's so much to this thing .

David Lowe 16:44

Focus this week the words you're using . Are they thoughtful ? I would still practice my own word tracks . I would take a script that I heard , sit down and write it out in my language and practice that over and over . Right , because I want to say it well and if I'm going to face the circumstance a lot , I'd like to be prepared for it Now , when it actually happens . I may not say it word for word the way I practice it . I may not say it word for word the way I practice it , but I bet you in my depth I know it and I will communicate it from my heart and my mind in a way that the buyer can understand . They might disagree with me , but they can understand and hopefully we could move forward together , right ? Any last thoughts on this ?

Grace Lupoi 17:23

That's that unconscious competence . That's what we're going for I moved forward from just the script to having it memorized , to . I use it as my foundation and I let it become me . That's that transformation , that unconscious competence that we're all after .

David Lowe 17:37

We are after that . So , salespeople , we can prepare you . We have the process and say here's the roadmap . And you know what this roadmap ? It's true , relationship and trust , values , our commitment , win-win agreement , customer for life these four things are never going to change . Our techniques and technologies constantly change and in this roadmap we know that what we do and how we do it matters .

David Lowe 18:04

And today we talked about what we say and how we say it matters , right . And so today's episode was really let's focus this week on our words . Are my words thoughtful ? Are they practiced ? Are they professional ? Is there a way for me to say what I'm already saying ? Even better , better today than yesterday , all right . So words , you say they have power . Right . Be thoughtful with the words you use , be professional , use great manners and create excited , loyal , lifetime customers . This week , right , so we'll see you next week . Thank you so much for joining . If you like us , you like the episode or you like the podcast , just like us , please , and share it . We love the notes coming in . By the way , grace said she got one the other day somebody traveling in the car , while not even in the car business , not working with us . So talk about how much it influenced them that day . Thank you for that . We appreciate that . We want to be a benefit to you and , of course , if there's any topic you want us to talk about , send that in the comments . Good selling .