“Wait… What Does That Actually Mean?”
Why Not Fully Understanding Your Own Sales Language Is Costing You Sales
Let’s start with a confession most salespeople won’t make out loud.
Have you ever nodded along while using a term like:
- “Proprietary blend”
- “Absorption rate”
- “Implementation timeline”
- “Lifecycle”
- “ROI”
- “Synergy”
- “Platform”
- “Protocol”
…and secretly thought:
“I kind of know what that means… but not enough to explain it.”
If so, good news.
You’re not alone.
You’re not incompetent.
You’re not unprofessional.
You’re human.
But in SELLability, vague understanding = vague certainty. And vague certainty is something prospects can feel immediately, even if they can’t explain why.
The Hidden Problem Isn’t Vocabulary. It’s Confidence Leakage.
Most salespeople think the issue is:
“I don’t know the definition well enough.”
But SELLability teaches something deeper:
If you don’t fully understand your own words, you can’t control the conversation.
When you use terminology you don’t totally grasp:
- Your tone changes
- You speed up
- You over-explain
- You avoid questions
- You hope the prospect doesn’t ask for clarification
Prospects feel that.
Not consciously, but emotionally.
And uncertainty transfers.
SELLability Rule: You Can’t Build Certainty on Borrowed Words
Borrowed words are phrases you repeat because:
- You’ve heard top performers say them
- They’re in the script
- Marketing uses them
- “That’s just how we say it here”
But here’s the problem:
If the words don’t belong to you, neither does the certainty.
And in SELLability, certainty isn’t optional, it’s foundational.
Why Prospects Ask “Confusing” Questions (Hint: It’s Not Them)
Ever had a prospect ask:
- “Can you explain that?”
- “What does that really mean?”
- “How is that different from…?”
- “So how does that work, exactly?”
It’s tempting to think:
“They’re overthinking this.”
But SELLability reframes this completely:
Questions aren’t objections. They’re signals of incomplete understanding.
And when you don’t fully understand the concept either, the conversation stalls.
Not because the product is weak.
Not because the prospect is difficult.
But because certainty hit a wall.
This Is a Communication Issue, Not a Knowledge Issue
SELLability separates:
- Knowing a term
- Owning a concept
You don’t need to sound technical.
You don’t need to sound impressive.
You need to sound clear.
High-performing sales professionals can:
- Explain complex ideas simply
- Use analogies naturally
- Adjust explanations on the fly
- Stay relaxed when questioned
Why?
Because they understand the concept, not just the words.
The “Explain It to a 12-Year-Old” Test
Here’s a powerful self-check.
Pick one term you use often when selling your product or service.
Now ask yourself:
“Could I explain this clearly to a 12-year-old without using the same word?”
If the answer is no, that’s your work area.
And that’s great news.
Because improving this skill:
- Increases confidence
- Improves communication
- Reduces objections
- Raises closing ratios
All without changing your product.
Why This Impacts Control (More Than You Think)
Control comes from clarity.
When you don’t fully understand a concept:
- You let the prospect lead the conversation
- You avoid certain questions
- You rush to safer talking points
- You lose flow
But when you do understand it:
- You slow down naturally
- You guide the discussion
- You welcome questions
- You stay in control
Same product.
Different outcome.
The Big Shift
Stop asking:
“Do I sound smart enough?”
Start asking:
“Do I understand this well enough to explain it calmly, clearly, and simply?”
That shift alone separates average salespeople from professionals.
Final SELLability Thought
If there are words or concepts in your sales process that you don’t totally understand, don’t hide from that.
That’s not a weakness.
That’s your next leverage point.
Because in SELLability:
- Understanding creates certainty
- Certainty creates confidence
- Confidence creates control
- And control creates sales
When the words are yours,
the certainty is yours.
And prospects can feel the difference.
