Last episode I banned 26 sales words and phrases.

But the truth is… banning the words isn't the solution.

Because the words aren't the problem.

They're the emotional "cover" salespeople use when they don't feel confident—apologies, permission-begging, softeners, and filler phrases that are designed to make the seller feel safer.

Unfortunately, they do the opposite for the buyer.

In this episode, I'll show you how to eliminate insecure language by fixing the thinking behind it—and I'll give you a simple pre-call checklist that will change how you show up on every call.

(This originally appeared in the free, weekly, Smart Calling Report email newsletter. See the current and back issues, and subscribe at http://SmartCallingReport.com)

Also referenced in this episode, the Smart Calling Sales and Prospecting Coaching App for B2B Professionals: http://Studio.com/Art

Salespeople don't struggle because they lack tactics.
They struggle because of the language they use—often without realizing what it reveals about how they're thinking.

In this episode, Art Sobczak shares 26 sales words and phrases he's banning in 2026. Not because they sound bad—but because they quietly lower status, create resistance, and sabotage confidence before the conversation ever begins.

You'll learn why phrases like "Sorry to bother you," "Just checking in," "Thoughts?" and "This is a cold call" don't just hurt response rates—they signal insecure thinking that prospects immediately pick up on.

This isn't about memorizing better scripts.
It's about thinking, preparing, and showing up like a professional—so the language fixes itself.

• Why weak, apologetic sales language is a symptom—not the real problem

• The hidden thinking behind permission-seeking and low-status phrases

• How certain "best practices" actually trigger resistance

• Why professionals don't replace phrases—they replace standards

• How to start eliminating language that no longer belongs in professional sales

Art groups the 26 banned words into clear categories, explains what each phrase reveals about your thinking, and shows how this language quietly holds salespeople back—often without them realizing it.

Subscribe to the Smart Calling Report at http://SmartCallingReport.com

Get more info on the Smart Calling Prospecting and Sales Coaching and Training app at http://Studio.com/Art

Too many salespeople celebrate getting the meeting… and then blow it with a stiff, self-serving "discovery call" that prospects secretly dread. In this episode, Art sits down with sales differentiation strategist and bestselling author Lee Salz to rethink that critical first conversation—and turn it into a client-centric consultation that buyers actually value.

Lee shares how to deliver meaningful value in the first meeting, why "discovery" language and agendas instantly signal "this is about me, not you," and how to use stories and emotion (not just logic) to move prospects from mere inconvenience to true problem—and action.

You'll also hear how top trial lawyers and doctors structure questions, build emotional engagement, and guide people to their own conclusions… and how to steal those approaches for your sales calls.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why traditional discovery meetings "must die"

• How to position the first meeting as a consultation buyers want to attend

• The difference between an inconvenience and a real problem—and how to uncover it

• How to ask emotive questions that create an "I feel that" response

• Ways to show "empathetic expertise" so prospects walk away thinking, "This person really gets me."

Grab Lee's new book, The First Meeting Differentiator, and the free first-chapter + bonuses at http://FirstMeetingBook.com.