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Kenichi Ohmae, a renowned Japanese management scholar and internationally famous corporate strategist, explains "the way" in his works with simple language, even plain words that are easy to understand yet highly rewarding. He conveys seemingly profound management theories in a down-to-earth manner, stripping away much of the technical jargon, allowing more people to appreciate the wisdom of experts.

Many salespeople have a misconception that throwing around "jargon" in front of customers can showcase their professionalism and thus "intimidate" customers into signing. That's not the case; in fact, many salespeople scare customers away precisely because they use too much jargon.

Professionalism is there, but the customer runs away

I once interviewed a CEO in the cosmetics industry, Mr. Wang, who told me he had fired a salesperson, Xiao Li, who seemed "very professional." This surprised me. Generally, salespeople with a certain level of professionalism are highly sought after by companies, especially since the entry barrier for sales positions is still low, leading to varying quality among sales staff. Therefore, salespeople who are truly knowledgeable about the product and industry are rare, and I didn't understand how Mr. Wang could make such a decision.

Mr. Wang explained:

"This Xiao Li isn't actually professional, but he likes to treat customers with a professional attitude. He would casually explain the product's ingredients and manufacturing process to customers. Think about it: if I mention an amino acid derivative, you'd be confused. He would even say chemical names like sodium pyrrolidone carboxylate as moisturizing ingredients to customers. If it's about moisturizing, just say moisturizing. Why force technical terms and throw in jargon? Is he showing off his own sophistication or the product's? The result? A customer was completely baffled after listening to him and later sent me a WeChat message saying, 'I really don't understand your product well; it feels very high-end, but I hope we can cooperate in the future.'"

High-end and professional, but the customer ran away.

According to Mr. Wang, Xiao Li had been at the company for over six months without closing a single deal, and he even scared away several potential customers. Xiao Li had his own sales theory system, almost impenetrable, and Mr. Wang tried several times to "enlighten" him but couldn't.

Xiao Li once told Mr. Wang that using "jargon" was to gain customer trust. How can you expect customers to believe you if you don't appear professional about the product? You have to be impressive and professional to "awe" customers, earn their respect, and not be looked down upon, so that signing becomes possible.

Mr. Wang said, "A truly professional salesperson doesn't necessarily speak jargon all the time. They not only know everything about the product but also explain it in language the customer can understand. Otherwise, pretending to be professional will not only harm the company's interests but also affect your own development."

Many salespeople are well-dressed, polite, and enthusiastic, but in the end, customers just don't sign. The reason lies in the product introduction stage.

As a salesperson, it's appropriate to show professionalism, but it doesn't mean you should use 'jargon' that customers can't understand. If it's just to show off your professional knowledge, that's a sign of low emotional intelligence.

Some might say, how could customers interested in such products not understand? It's precisely because they understand that if I speak professionally, they'll see me as an expert and trust me.

There are two misunderstandings here:

  • First, professionalism isn't built on technical terms; using jargon doesn't represent your expertise. On the contrary, being able to explain a professional product in simple language is a true sign of professionalism.
  • Second, due to a lack of sufficient market information and comprehensive product knowledge, most consumers don't know much about related products. Therefore, if jargon increases customer confusion, it can affect their purchasing decisions.

Salespeople who are more 'down-to-earth' get customers to sign

Japanese insurance sales champion Kazuko Shibata places great emphasis on using vivid, easy-to-understand language with customers, avoiding "jargon."

For example, when customers ask how much insurance is appropriate, she suggests using six times their annual income as the benchmark. Those who can afford a monthly premium of 20,000 yen usually plan to pay only 10,000 yen per month.

Kazuko Shibata realized that 10,000 yen is a conservative figure for them. If she could make customers realize the value of paying higher premiums, she could close larger policies.

So, she used small daily expenses to make comparisons for customers.

"The increased cost averages only a few yuan per day. What does that mean? It's just the cost of a few fewer cigarettes. Moreover, smoking harms your health, while investing in insurance benefits you greatly. If you eat out one less meal a month, the extra premium is covered."

After hearing this, customers felt it made sense; the extra money had little impact on their lives, so they agreed to sign.

If the language used in sales presentations is very down-to-earth, it quickly builds good communication with customers. If you overuse 'jargon' about the product, it creates distance, reduces communication efficiency, and greatly lowers the chance of closing the deal.

Kazuko Shibata chose simple, everyday examples that customers could relate to, making them more receptive and bringing her closer to her sales goals.

As she herself said: "For customers, they aren't very clear about insurance methods, amounts, etc. Immature salespeople like to show complex insurance details and use jargon to demonstrate their professionalism, leaving customers to make choices in a fog. Successful salespeople, on the other hand, subtly offer suggestions that customers can easily accept. This way, they help customers out and also make them think you're very skilled."

All sales language should be based on what the customer can 'understand.' A professional salesperson is not one who flaunts 'jargon' but one who truly integrates professionalism throughout the sales process, making it simple and effortless.

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