10 Things NOT to Say in Sales Calls (And what TO say instead): Sales calls are like first impressions— You only get one shot. In just 30 minutes, you need to: ✅ Build trust ✅ Understand your prospect’s needs ✅ Position your solution But too often, reps say the wrong thing and instantly kill the deal. Here are 10 things NOT to say on a sales call: (And what to say instead) 1/ “What’s your budget?” ↳ Why: It makes it all about the price, not the value ↳ Instead: “What outcomes are you hoping to achieve?” 2/ “Are you the decision-maker?” ↳ Why: Comes off as dismissive to other stakeholders ↳ Instead: “Who else should be involved in this conversation?” 3/ “We’re the best in the market.” ↳ Why: Empty sales fluff that prospects tune out ↳ Instead: “Here’s how we’ve helped companies like yours succeed.” 4/ “When can you sign?” ↳ Why: Feels pushy and ignores readiness ↳ Instead: “What’s your ideal timeline for moving forward?” 5/ “Let me know if you’re interested.” ↳ Why: Puts the follow-up responsibility on the prospect ↳ Instead: “I’ll follow up next week—does that work for you?” 6/ “You’re wrong about that.” ↳ Why: Creates friction and shuts down conversation ↳ Instead: “I see where you’re coming from—can I offer a different perspective?” 7/ “That’s not possible.” ↳ Why: Kills the conversation and trust instantly ↳ Instead: “Here’s what we can do, and how it aligns with your needs.” 8/ “What’s stopping you from buying today?” ↳ Why: Feels aggressive and puts the prospect on the defensive ↳ Instead: “Is there anything holding you back that we haven’t covered?” 9/ “Our product has tons of features.” ↳ Why: Overwhelms prospects with irrelevant info ↳ Instead: “Here’s the feature that solves your specific challenge.” 10/ “I’ll wait for your response.” ↳ Why: Makes the sales process passive ↳ Instead: “I’ll check in [day/time]—will that work for you?” 💡 Remember: Sales is about connection, not just closing. It’s about understanding, not hard selling. P.S. Join 25,000 other sales pros who read my newsletter: salesdaily.co — ♻ Repost this to help your network close more deals. ➕ Follow me for more sales tips, frameworks, and tools. | 108 comments on LinkedIn