---
title: "Attention! In 2018 Business Visits, These Six Phrases Are Wrong the Moment You Say Them!"
description: "In store visits, especially those by frontline salespeople, failing to control and optimize sales behavior and language, and lacking deliberate practice over years, can halve a salesperson's growth rate. The mistakes salespeople make in speech are not limited to the six phrases mentioned here, but these six are more insidious in their logic. The first: 'Boss! How's business lately?' Many salespeople like to start their routine visits with this phrase..."
author: "黄润霖"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2018-01-14"
language: "en"
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# Attention! In 2018 Business Visits, These Six Phrases Are Wrong the Moment You Say Them!

> In store visits, especially those by frontline salespeople, failing to control and optimize sales behavior and language, and lacking deliberate practice over years, can halve a salesperson's growth rate. The mistakes salespeople make in speech are not limited to the six phrases mentioned here, but these six are more insidious in their logic. The first: 'Boss! How's business lately?' Many salespeople like to start their routine visits with this phrase...

In store visits, especially those by frontline salespeople, failing to control and optimize sales behavior and language, and lacking deliberate practice over years, can halve a salesperson's growth rate.
The mistakes salespeople make in speech are not limited to the six phrases mentioned in this article, but these six are more insidious in their logic.
**First: "Boss! How's business lately?"**
Many salespeople like to start their routine visits with this phrase, thinking that this kind of small talk can bring them closer to the store owner. But the biggest problem with this phrase in terms of logic and phrasing is that it's a summary-type question, equivalent to the speaker asking and answering themselves. No matter how the other party responds, it feels redundant and can easily lead the conversation into an awkward situation. In practice, if a salesperson asks this, the store owner either responds with a blank expression and a perfunctory "Not bad," or simply ignores them.
In fact, whether it's a visit to a familiar customer or a cold call, this is not the best opening line. For familiar customers, asking this shows you didn't do your homework before entering the store, didn't study the store's inventory and sales data, and are just going through the motions—disrespecting both them and yourself. For a cold call, asking about business right away can be inappropriate if you're not familiar enough.
For opening lines, if it's a familiar customer, it's better to chat about topics outside business than to use such a clumsy opener, or you could go straight to the point: "Boss Zhao, last month your new product order was short by 20,000, and I lost my bonus because of it. I'm not leaving until I get a free lunch from you today!" For a first visit to a new customer, instead of asking about business, it's better to go into the store and ask for a glass of water in a humble manner, which gives you more time and opportunity to sit down and chat with the target customer.
**Second: "You can't put other people's products in our display area!"**
For certain exclusive or dedicated display areas, salespeople often find that distributors have placed other brands' products in their display space. Salespeople from strong brands may directly point out that the distributor shouldn't do this or that; those from weak brands tend to turn a blind eye. It's important to note that unless it's a direct operation, the distributor has the final say on how the display area is arranged.
Even if the manufacturer provides some decoration subsidies, compared to annual rents of hundreds of thousands in some places, it's a drop in the bucket. If other products are placed in your brand's display area, it's either because your product category is less competitive than other brands in that store's region, or because the salesperson hasn't consistently maintained the category during routine visits.
When competitors appear in your brand's display area, the salesperson should never accuse the distributor: "You can't put other brands' products in our display area!" The wisest response is to "do" rather than "say." In my early days leading salespeople in betel nut distribution, we provided store counters and shelves, and we often saw other brands' betel nuts placed on them. Betel nuts are a product with a high rate of impulse purchases, and the brands placed at the front are more likely to be bought. Also, since betel nuts are FMCG, they're usually displayed at street-facing stores and counters, so the products inevitably get dusty.
Some smart salespeople, every time they enter a small store, first thing they do is grab a cloth, chat with the owner, and wipe the dust off each pack of betel nuts on the shelf. As they wipe, they subtly rearrange the order. Before leaving, they remind the owner: "The cleaner the product, the better it sells. Remember to wipe the dust often!"
**Third: "Don't tell anyone, but this month I'll apply for some special policies for you. Just help me complete the task!"**
End-of-month and end-of-year stock pressure is a nightmare for many salespeople and distributors. In my early days in regional sales, on the last day of the month or year, my phone never stopped for 24 hours, and it was hot against my ear from constant calls about stock pressure and task completion. Having dinner before 9 PM was a luxury. Some salespeople, to complete tasks, often use special policies and verbal promises to exchange for sales. I want to say that using special policies to exchange for sales is at least immature in business thinking.
First, there's no wall that doesn't leak. Favoring some over others not only makes distributors who complete tasks voluntarily feel cheated, but also makes those who enjoy special policies think, "This guy can always get special policies, so he probably does the same for other distributors. Good thing I held out, or I'd be at a disadvantage."
Second, the "promotion dependency" where no promotion means no sales, and sales only happen with promotion, often forms under such conditions. For distributors who won't stock up without policies, using special policies to exchange for sales is like drinking poison to quench thirst. The pit only gets deeper, and the distributor drifts further from the manufacturer.
In fact, for brands with healthy market sales, for those distributors who stubbornly refuse to stock without policies, it might be better to just ignore them for two months, give no policies, reduce visits, and apply external pressure to make them reflect. If they fail to complete tasks for three consecutive months, many distributors know what that means. For brands in the early stages, if a few distributors use their sales volume as leverage, it's even more reason not to give them policies. Instead, those who complete tasks voluntarily should get more resources and policies, using model examples to drive progress.
**Fourth: "I'll come back to visit you another day (next time)!"**
Many salespeople, when leaving a store, out of politeness, use this phrase to say goodbye. It seems polite but is actually fraught with hidden dangers. Salespeople should think: when you say this, and the distributor hears it, how much do you both take it to heart? Some might say it's just a polite phrase, and whether you come next time depends on timing.
So putting this in the list of ten wrong phrases might seem too nitpicky. But I need to remind salespeople: if this phrase is used as a polite remark between friends, it's fine. The problem is when it's used as a closing line in a business visit, it's somewhat a commercial commitment. In a sales visit, what does the distributor remember most? The first words, the last words, and the response to what's most important to them.
As the last thing you say when leaving, a vague "visit another day" leaves the distributor with an impression: either "Don't take this guy seriously; he's just saying it," or "Who knows when he'll pop up again; he doesn't have anything important anyway."
That's why many companies now implement SOP for store visits—to eliminate unplanned visits, constrain salesperson behavior, and keep distributors informed. So the standard usage should be: "Boss Zhao, my next visit will be around [date] to [date]. I'll call ahead to confirm. I'll also give you a definite answer on the expense reimbursement you mentioned. I'll be going now, sorry to disturb you!"
In business visits, besides the four phrases above that easily annoy distributors, there are also the so-called "three shows of strength and three shows of weakness," totaling six phrases, which are traps salespeople set for themselves.
The "three shows of strength" refer to salespeople from strong brands who, to achieve sales targets or other goals, use severe warning language to force distributors to comply.
Similarly, the "three shows of weakness" refer to salespeople from weak brands or SMEs who, to complete sales tasks, adopt a low posture to seek cooperation and support from distributors.
**Fifth (one of the "three shows of weakness"): "Your special price application should be supported, but it's all my damn leader's fault for refusing to approve it..."**
Anyone who has been in sales should be familiar with this phrase. In daily sales management, you often encounter distributors who, to meet certain targets, bargain for special prices or resources beyond policy. What's more troublesome is that those who dare to ask are usually distributors with large market share or who think they're doing well.
For salespeople from big companies, they might be able to brush off the distributor with one sentence. But for many from SMEs, they might see hope of completing tasks, and if they don't agree, the distributor might give up; if they agree, the company leader won't approve and might even chew them out.
These "smart" salespeople either don't report the distributor's special request to the company, or when they do, they downplay it to avoid being scolded. When they next meet the distributor to address the issue, they first beat around the bush, expressing how firmly they stand with the distributor, and that the special price application failed because of a leader who doesn't understand the local market and is clueless.
These salespeople naively think that by firmly supporting the distributor and shifting blame to the leader, the distributor will at least blame the leader, even if not consider them as one of their own. They think the leader won't meet the distributor for half a year, and even if they do, they won't discuss such topics. So they fool both sides and offend no one.
Salespeople with this mindset make two fundamental mistakes: First, in the regional market, you are the company, and the company is you. It's not wrong to side with the distributor on certain issues, but it's wrong to oppose the company. The result is that the distributor not only has complaints about the company but also thinks you're a fence-sitter with no standing in the company.
Remember, in dealings with distributors, without the company, you're nothing. Don't believe distributors' nonsense like, "If you ever leave the company, we brothers still have plenty of cooperation opportunities." Second, remember that walls have ears. The result of fooling both sides is that people either think you're unreliable or have questionable character. Remember, you might be the last to know what's said between the distributor and the leader.
The right approach is to fully communicate with the distributor why the special price is needed. Reason with them and calculate the numbers (unfortunately, many salespeople lack this basic skill), and appeal to emotions and build relationships (which is a communication skill). Let the distributor see your focus, professionalism, and attitude, and that you're serious about applying for the special price.
**Sixth (one of the "three shows of weakness"): "Brother Zhao, can you help me this month to finish the task? Next month, you can order as much as you want!"**
When sales tasks seem impossible to complete at month-end, many "smart" salespeople start scheming. Amid waves of stock pressure, they creatively invent the so-called "wave-style stock pressure." That is, pressure stock one month, then ease off the next, creating obvious peaks and valleys in the distributor's ordering curve. They justify it as giving the distributor a month of stock and more time to sell and clear inventory.
This seems like a reasonable, humane compromise that respects local market conditions. And for the company, they're not in the category of failing to complete tasks consecutively, so they won't face severe punishment. Salespeople can coast until year-end when accounts are settled. "Going through the motions," such salespeople, to some extent, have reached the end of their sales career in a company or even the industry.
Don't treat anyone as a fool, especially in front of distributors who've been in business for years. When you say this, do you think the distributor will appreciate you and let them order as much as they want next month? As a weak company and weak salesperson, what they remember first is that this month they're helping you finish the task.
First, the task is yours, not the distributor's. They're doing you a favor, so you reciprocate. The result is that many distributors think these tasks aren't theirs but forced on them, so it gets harder to pressure them over time. I've even seen smug distributors at dinner parties toasting salespeople with, "If you don't drink this bottle, my sales task this month definitely won't be completed."
Second, once you start the so-called "wave-style stock pressure," don't you think the distributor knows your entire region is having trouble stocking? Distributors have seen more stocking methods than you've encountered. Such easing-off stocking also shows you're running out of tricks.
Remember, distributors are people, and they're merchants. They're more willing to help those who are valuable to them, not those who say, "After me, the deluge." Even if they do "help" you finish the task this month, it's definitely for their own interests and purposes, like a gap in fast-moving inventory or a sure-win project starting supply. Don't think they completed the task because of "ordering as much as they want next month." Their motivation for stocking this month might have nothing to do with what you said.
For a problem market already in trouble, what should be done? Personally, I think the right approach is to be open with the company, seek help and support from superiors, and present a concrete plan for a three-to-six-month market adjustment period. Even if the company has no resources or time, at least they'll see you're working hard, not coasting. Leaders aren't fools; everyone has a scale to weigh you.
Remember, don't doubt anything you do with a clear conscience, because you don't know how the meaningful things you do now will repay you in the future.
As for those distributors who like to use sales volume to force drinks at dinner, you can confidently and laughingly tell them: "It's fine, Brother Zhao. If you don't make money from our products, you don't have to order a single cent next month."
Whether to stock your products and whether they make money—every distributor has a scale in their heart, and that scale won't change because you drink or not. You also need to make those smug distributors understand: **Every distributor boss deserves respect, but everyone, including salespeople, should be treated equally.**
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