Direct answer: Six filler phrases quietly wreck credibility on sales calls: "Hey, how are you doing?", "kind of," "dude," "does that make sense?", "I assume," and "awesome." Cut them and prospects take you more seriously in the first thirty seconds.
Every salesperson fights overused words and phrases. Early in my own career, "I'm not going to lie" and "right?" made it hard for anyone to take me seriously. After coaching more than 100 salespeople, most of them under 25, I've watched new patterns show up alongside the old ones. My team and I sat down to list every phrase worth cutting, came up with more than 40, and narrowed it to the six that are genuine deal-breakers on a call with a prospect.
"Hey! How Are You Doing?" Wastes the Opening
With no existing relationship, "how are you doing" is fluff. It adds zero value and often drags the conversation off track. Some prospects enjoy the small talk. Others find it too familiar too fast and shut the conversation down. There's no version of a cold call where this phrase earns its place. The same goes for "how's the weather there."
"Kind Of" Signals Uncertainty You Don't Want
Your product either does something or it doesn't. "Kind of" tells the prospect you're not sure, which makes you sound less confident and your product less capable. Be direct: "yes, it does that" or "no, it does not." If you genuinely don't know, say so: "I need to confirm we can solve that. Do you mind if I find out for you?" Watch for "basically" and "like" doing the same damage.
"Dude" Costs You Credibility You Can't See Losing
Building rapport matters, but "dude" is too informal for a business call. A prospect who uses casual language themselves probably won't hold it against you. A prospect who doesn't will instantly rate you as less professional. The risk only runs one direction, so it's not worth using. "Man" and "bro" carry the same risk.
"Does That Make Sense?" Can Sound Condescending
This phrase can come across as talking down to the buyer, and it can make you sound unsure of your own explanation. Try "Does what I explained fit the solution you're looking for?" or "Is there anything I missed that you'd like me to cover?" Watch for "you know?" and "got it?" doing the same thing.
"I Assume" and "Awesome" Round Out the List
Stop assuming you know a prospect's business unless you've actually confirmed it. Fifty customers in the same industry doesn't guarantee the fifty-first runs things the same way. Ask instead of assuming. And "awesome" has become filler with almost no meaning left in it. When something describes everything, it describes nothing. Younger reps especially risk sounding less serious by leaning on it.
Cleaning up your word choices is hard work, but it raises the odds your message actually lands with the person on the other end of the call. Start by cutting these six, then ask a coworker to flag the ones you don't notice yourself.
Want your team's call language sharpened in a live session?
See The Sales BootcampFrequently Asked Questions
Why is "How are you doing?" a bad way to open a cold call?
With no existing relationship, it's fluff. It adds no value, and it either drags the conversation off track or makes the prospect feel like the call is too familiar too fast.
What should I say instead of "Does that make sense?"
Try "Does what I explained fit the solution you're looking for?" It checks understanding without sounding like you're talking down to the buyer.
Why does saying "kind of" hurt a sales conversation?
Your product either does something or it doesn't. "Kind of" injects uncertainty into a prospect's confidence in your solution and makes you sound less sure of yourself.