“Let me block some time on your calendar”.

That is one phrase that has always bothered me. Let us do a small experiment. Imagine the words below:

• Calm

• Harsh

• Soft

• Blunder

• Disastrous

• Beautiful

• Mesmerising

• Horrific

Notice how you uttered each of these words in your mind with the very meaning they might carry. Calm for instance. You totally uttered it ‘calmly’.

When reading Disastrous you read it in a not-so-soothing tone.

You see each word evokes very different emotions. That is the nature of adjectives.

And people in sales should know this better than anyone, when you literally are the wind that carries the tide (your product).

Now read this again: “Let me block some time on your calendar”.

Block by it’s very meaning sounds like it is stopping the flow of something. It sounds edgy, subconsciously evoking the emotion that you have the power over your recipient’s calendar by being able to block her calendar.

Now read this: “Let me reserve some time on your calendar”.

Do you see the difference? Reserve is more neutral and soothing.

Ever called into a restaurant and told them: “Please block a table for two”?

Why do you think the staff on the call tells you: “Mam, let me reserve a table for two at 6PM”?

The very choice of words for the same intention evokes very different emotions in your recipients’ minds.

Words are powerful. All sales revolves around it:

You are either talking or writing emails.

Think of all your sales narratives that you could change to share the same message:

Words are powerful. All sales revolves around it: you are either talking or writing emails. Words are literally your currency, your bread-and-butter. You might as well spend time re-reading your mails and revisiting your recorded calls to learn and be better on the next mail, on the next call, and crush the quota!