Prospects will say that they make their purchasing decisions entirely based on fact and logic—to achieve their work goals, to improve ROI, or to increase efficiency. But the truth is, as important as logic is, emotion also plays a big role in what we buy. Emotions are powerful and they’re the undercurrent of most decisions.

Prospects feel many emotions during the buyer’s journey. They feel frustrated at how inefficient or unproductive things are. They feel fearful that they’ll fail for some reason or another. They feel hopeful that they can fix the situation through the purchase of a certain product or service. They often feel guilt, value, belonging, trust, competition, leadership, and instant gratification as well.

Great sales people not only try to appeal to the logical mind during sales calls but also try to use the emotions that prospects feel while making purchasing decisions to their advantage. They purposely try to evoke these emotions to make sales.

There are some words and phrases sales people use in order to appeal to the emotions felt during that moment. Choose your words carefully and you’ll be able to increase your chances of closing the sale.

1. You           

This simple little pronoun can make a world of difference for the success of a sale. That’s because sales people who pepper the word “you” during sales calls show prospects that they are the center of the presentation. That their needs, desires, and challenges are the most important priorities that the sales people care about. Buyers don’t want reps to go on and on about themselves, their products, or their organizations. They want to know how those products can help them.

2. Talking With    

When setting yourself up for selling over the phone, practise your words. It’s best to ask if you’re “talking with Suzie” rather than “speaking to Suzie.” This is because “talking with” someone implies a back and forth—an actual conversation. No one wants to feel like they’re being talked at and given a sales pitch. They want a two-way dialogue.

3. Thank You

Directly and explicitly thanking a prospect for his time will make him feel friendlier towards you and make him more likely to help you again, rather than just saying that you appreciate his time. In addition, a thank-you note after the sales call can also work to strengthen the relationship.

4. Guarantee

When you use the word “guarantee” you can really put prospects at ease. Buyers are inherently distrusting of sales people and they also fear making the wrong decision and succumbing buyer’s regret. Besides boosting your credibility to establish trust, guaranteeing a product or service can help your buyers relax and take the chance to buy.

5. Imagine

Listing off the features of a product or service to your buyers will likely just bore them. Instead, you can elicit many emotions by using the word “imagine.” Get your prospects to imagine what they could accomplish with your product or service.

6. Value

When you mention value, you can get the prospect to picture all of the things he’ll gain from buying your product—more time, more productivity, more efficiency. But if you mention price, you’re just reminding him of what he’s going to lose—money. People naturally fear and hesitate when it comes to losses. Make them feel hopeful instead of fearful.

7. New

Out with the old, and in with the new. Using the word “new” in your sales presentations can help you close more deals by tuning into your prospects’ desire for novelties. However, people also respond favourably to familiar, established information as well. So make sure to balance the power of new with the need for familiarity by also stressing your long-standing relationship with the buyer, your long company history, or your well-known brand for best results.