Small business owner unknowingly sabotage their pitch.

A recent LinkedIn post by Jen Blandos (in which she said “It’s not what you say, it’s about how they feel after hearing it.”) really got me thinking about how small business owners unknowingly sabotage their pitch with seemingly polite phrases. These words sound harmless – even professional – but quietly signal uncertainty. Small changes can make them sound instantly more authoritative.

Think about phrases like this:

1/ "Just following up..." → feels like pressure ↳ Try: "Thought you'd find this insight helpful."
2/ "I think we can help..." → sounds uncertain ↳ Try: "Here's exactly how we solve this challenge."
3/ "Our prices are negotiable..." → creates doubt about value ↳ Try: "Our investment is designed to deliver [specific outcome]."
4/ "We'd love to work with you..." → feels needy ↳ Try: "Here's what we've accomplished for similar clients."
5/ "Sorry to interrupt..." → makes them guard up ↳ Try: "Quick question that could save you [specific benefit]."
6/ "I hope you don't mind me reaching out..." → sounds uncertain ↳ Try: "I noticed your recent expansion and wanted to share something relevant."
7/ "I don't want to waste your time..." → plants doubt ↳ Try: "Here's why this is worth 10 minutes of your day."

I'm guilty of this as well... I will change my ways!!