Let’s use Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion as a cornerstone for this sales vocabulary guide.
If you’re not familiar with them already, they’re:
- Reciprocity
- Consistency
- Social proof
- Authority
- Liking
- Scarcity
Each of these principles has psychologically proven to persuade someone to take action. They’re notorious in sales and marketing messaging—even if brands aren’t aware they’re using them.
So, read on and take notes.
Our Guiding Example: Alternatives To Okta
I propose learning Cialdini’s deal-closing sales words and phrases in action with Zluri’s alternatives to Okta. The popular SaaS management platform, applying some of Cialdini’s principles and partnered keywords, convinces readers Zluri is a better option than Okta. I’ll be pinching a few screenshots from the article; thanks in advance Zluri team!
A Breakdown Of Cialdini’s Six Principles Of Persuasion For Sales
Before we immerse ourselves in the most powerful sales words and phrases, let’s overview the key six principles of persuasion that could help you close a sales deal. After, start peppering your blogs, sales flow, and sales teams with these magic words.
You’re likely already using a few of these guiding principles in your sales and marketing efforts. Take a look.
1. Reciprocity: giving something for free with “no expectations”
Think of sharing eBooks, podcasts, video tutorials, or other educational materials with your potential clients. These are considered valuable content that are lead magnets for your inbound content strategy. You bring value and benefits to your users, and they’re likely to return the favor in the future.
This is exactly what Zluri is doing by sharing their guide on the alternatives to Okta.
2. Consistency: people value being consistent and seeing consistency
When it comes to communicating with sales prospects, the act of consistency is a two-way street. Let’s explore both directions.
- People appreciate brand consistency. On the whole, it massively builds trust. When your brand is consistent in its mission and vision and follows through on the actions you say you’re going to take, people will naturally respect your company and trust in buying from you.
- People love to be consistent, especially in public. Implement this in your sales process by asking a lead to take a small-lift action. They’ll be eager to take a higher lift action towards your brand in the future.
3. Social proof: people listen to other people
Social proof is absolutely critical if you’re hoping to convince someone to choose your product. 88% of people trust user reviews as much as they’d trust a personal recommendation. What’s more, the average consumer reads ten online reviews before making a purchase decision. Thus, getting testimonials from your loyal customers is essential to attract new client opportunities.
Social proof should be reigning heavy throughout your sales and key pages. They could be the differentiating factor between someone choosing to use your SaaS or not.
Zluri perfectly applies the social proof technique on a crucial conversion page: Book a demo. They use badges from the popular SaaS comparison platform, G2, and mention the names of some of their most recognized users.
4. Authority: becoming a thought-leader
There’s a high chance someone has said to you: we need to create more thought-leadership content. What does this actually mean?
This type of content presents your brand as an authoritative figure within your niche. As a result, potential users have more confidence in what you say and purchase your product.
When a company knows its reputation is not authoritative enough, it’s wise to turn to more reputable figures, referred to as industry influencers, who’ll help a brand lift its credibility.
5. Liking: building influential relationships
People you like: you trust them.
Brands you like: you buy from them.
It’s relationship-building 101 and is the most common persuasion technique used among sales teams. So, get your prospects to like you.
Of course, asides from building rapport and relating to prospects, there are some sure-fire words that your sales team can use to help evoke sympathy. We’ll explore them shortly.
6. Scarcity: make people act fast
Scarcity is one of the oldest sales tricks used in books. Although people are much wiser to scarcity these days—some of the traditional sales words and tactics around this are perceived as spammy—it’s still used more subtly in marketing campaigns and by salespeople.
Scarcity can push your buyer to make a decision under the influence that they won’t be able to purchase shortly. At the same time, scarcity can imply VIP-only access or exclusivity to a product, heightening its desirability. People want what other people can’t get.
Ready to get familiar with the actual sales words and phrases to couple with each persuasion principle? I thought you’d never ask. Let’s continue.
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Reciprocity
Below are the words that boost the reciprocity principle. Remember, this is the act of giving something free now in the hope of winning a “favor” in the future.
- I’ve put together this for you: show a sales prospect you’ve gone the extra mile and put together something valuable specifically for them.
- No problem: let a prospect know that helping them is what you’re here for and not to feel bad about asking for help.
- Let me book that for you: save your prospect the time and effort of having to organize catch-ups on their end.
- Free: giving something free can be perceived as a huge benefit.
- Tailored for you: imply that you’ve taken the time to prepare a plan or sales asset tailored specifically for your prospect’s use case.
- In your case: show that you’re not just going through the motions but tailoring the conversation to the client’s problem.
- Tips: share insider information to help put your prospect in a better position when using your service or product.
- And/additionally: always give the prospect more than what they asked for. Answer a question and back it up with more info.
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Consistency
Now let’s learn sales words and phrases that boost consistency. As a reminder, consistency is essential for prospects in two ways. Firstly, people want to be seen as consistent and are likelier to do you a big favor after already performing a small one. Secondly, people like to be associated with consistent brands.
- Continuing to: be perceived as being consistent in your actions by continuing to do the same thing.
- In line with our mission/vision: stay true to your brand’s mission or vision while reminding a prospect why you’re standing for this.
- Always: remind your prospect that you’re staying consistent; always imply this is something you repeatedly do and will continue doing in the future.
- Safe: a large part of being consistent means providing safety and security. Remind a prospect that their data, actions, and conversations are protected.
- Help: consistently help your prospect with their problems and provide troubleshooting solutions.
- Do: let the prospect know the lengths you’re going to for them at all times using this active verb.
- I’m here: Reliability is an essential feature of consistency, so reminding prospects they can rely on you will work well for your professional relationships.
- You know the drill: use this light-hearted phrase to tell someone how reliable you are.
- While you’re there: let the prospect showcase their consistency while they’re in your product or already doing a “small” favor for you by asking them to do a little more.
- Would you mind: a great way to ask a favor of a potential customer and win the starting blocks for them consistently giving to your business.
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Social Proof
- Recommended by: many popular SaaS comparison websites use this phrase, most frequently on sales pages near the sign-up forms.
- Many customers: remind customers that they’re not the only ones and your business is trusted by many.
- Used by: showcase some big names in your client roster and let prospects know they’ll be among them.
- Typically used for: remind your prospects that your product is not only going to be used by them but has been used by others in the past and proved to be successful.
- Case study: sales prospects love case studies; they want to hear success stories and apply them to their own problems.
- Awarded: any award that your company or product may have won is a testament to its success, so spread the word about it.
- Proven results: let the numbers do the talking for you; proven results are a great way of quantifying social proof.
- Improved: highlight the value your product has bought others.
- Value: remind your prospects of what your product can do for them and how it can lift their everyday life.
- Rated as: just as Zluri has used in our example below, ratings are exceptionally important for those shopping around. Prospects often value third-party opinions over their own.
- Compared to: prospects always look for comparisons. They’re shopping around. So, do this work for them.
That’s enough definitions of sales words out of the way. Let’s focus on some practical examples of applying these words and phrases to help you reach your persuasion goals.
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Authority
- Customer name: you can use your customer’s first name peppered throughout your conversation to show that you’re paying attention and want to develop your working relationship further.
- Titles: titles are a great way to remind prospects of your authority. Use the title of your particular level of education or your role within the company.
- Best in the business: “Don’t worry, you’re working with the best in the business”—affirm your company is leading the way.
- Years of experience: “We’ve got XX years of experience in the area”—try to stay factual when stating how rich your background is.
- Guarantee: “We guarantee your money back if you’re not satisfied”— is a great way to affirm your authority and confidence in your product’s success rate.
- We: “We understand the goals you’re aiming for”—people are filled with confidence when they know there’s an entire team behind you.
- Take a deeper look: imply that you understand there’s more than what the prospect sees. For example, take a look at the example we pulled from Zluri’s article.
A few more words to help build your authority are:
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Liking
As a reminder, liking helps you win the affection of a sales candidate. People are more likely to buy from someone they like. So consider using the following wording to evoke people’s sympathy.
- No obligation: “You’re under no obligation to buy after the product demo”—relieve the pressure off of the buyer and put the power back in their hands.
- Please and thank you: politeness goes a long way in business.
- You: “Let’s get this done for you”—make buyers feel the salesperson is going the extra mile when closing a sales deal.
- You’re welcome: another reminder to be polite; when people say thank you, acknowledge their gratitude.
- Welcome: “Welcome to the call”—a warm welcome and a big smile will immediately help your potential customer to feel at ease.
- Amazing/fabulous: extravagant adjectives stand out from the typically used good/great and make your salesperson likable and memorable.
- I’m not sure: “I’m not sure, but let me get back to you on that.” It’s crucial always to admit if you don’t know something but reassure your buyer that you’ll find the answer for them. Honesty is the best policy.
Sales Words & Phrases For Boosting Scarcity
These are words to entice your buyer into buying more quicker. As we mentioned earlier, scarcity tactics can be easily identified as today’s buyers are a whole lot wiser.
The following sales words need little explanation, but they’re well-considered in your sales scripts and collateral.
Conclusion
That’s everything on persuasive sales words to convert your prospect much quicker. Cialdini’s principles of persuasion are powerful, don’t underestimate them, and look for ways you can thread them in your sales scripts, marketing messaging, and other materials. If you manage to implement these words successfully, you’ll soon see a significant lift in sales for your business.
Contact ReVerb to get assistance from professional content writers who know perfectly what sales words to use to convince a person to buy your product or use your services. We’ll help you create a significant buzz about your brand on the market!
