The Language Bullet
Got 10 minutes? That’s all it takes to sharpen your practice! In this episode of the Bissett Bullet podcast, Martin Bissett delivers two actionable insights to help you grow your firm without the overwhelm.
In this episode of The Bissett Bullet, I reveal simple yet powerful turns of phrase that will help you ask for what you need, secure commitments, and confidently navigate tricky conversations.
Part 1: The Power of Language
Using the right words at the right time can transform your communication. You’ll learn to ask for something without feeling awkward, get commitment without pressure, and open conversations that lead to action. These subtle shifts in language can make a big difference in how others respond to you.
Part 2: Real-World Phrases That Work
This section will give you practical solutions if you struggle with client negotiations, team requests, or handling difficult conversations. I’ll share three game-changing phrases to help you set clear next steps with potential clients, defuse tense client situations, and respond effectively to unreasonable team requests. These strategies will help you stay in control and keep conversations moving in the right direction.
Want to grow your firm without feeling overwhelmed? Get daily, bite-sized, actionable advice—easy to implement and budget-friendly. This is The Bissett Bullet with Martin Bissett.
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Ready to grow your firm with practical, no-nonsense advice? The Bissett Bullet podcast gives you bite-sized insights you can implement today.
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4impactdata is an AI-powered platform that helps firms move beyond historical reporting by delivering clear, actionable next steps for your advisory team so that you can provide more value to clients without the guesswork of dashboards. To book a conversation or demo, or to join the 10X Advisory Cohort with resources from Martin, along with 10% off your first year’s subscription, visit 4impactdata.com
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ProNation is a global community for accountants and bookkeepers that gives you peer-to-peer support, expert guidance, and proven strategies to run a more profitable, efficient, and impactful firm. Led by Will Farnell, Lucy Cohen, and Martin Bissett, it helps practices of all sizes grow with confidence and better serve their clients.
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In association with CPA Trendlines
Transcript
If I asked you if you thought that I could improve the language and the tones of phrases you used when you're talking to your clients and your prospects and your team and do it in 10 minutes, would you believe me?
Speaker A:Well, let's find out.
Speaker A:This is the Bissett Bullet.
Speaker A:Want to grow your firm without the overwhelmed?
Speaker A:Get daily bite sized, actionable advice, easy to implement and budget friendly.
Speaker A:This is the Bissett Bullets podcast with Martin Bissett.
Speaker A:So if you've heard episodes prior to this one, then you'll know that we do this show in two main parts.
Speaker A:The first part, I give you the theory or framework on the subject we're talking about.
Speaker A:Then we go to a word from our sponsor, and then we give you the practical application of where it actually works in reality for you to go and try for yourself.
Speaker A:So let's start with that theory.
Speaker A:I want to talk to you today about the language you use with your prospects, clients and team.
Speaker A:And I'm going to use a phrase myself called tops, meaning turns of phrases.
Speaker A:The turn of phrase that you use to ask for something and not offend anybody or feel uncomfortable.
Speaker A:The turn of phrase that you use to get commitment from someone.
Speaker A:The turn of phrase that you get that opens up a conversation, you get the general idea.
Speaker A:So let's, for example, look at when you are dealing with a prospective client.
Speaker A:Now, in accountancy, my experience is, is that accountants who are not used to having to win work proactively, they're used to referral work that comes in.
Speaker A:So can you help me?
Speaker A:Well, sure, yeah.
Speaker A:That's not a sale as such.
Speaker A:That's more of a pull mechanism.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:This is when you have to actually put yourself forward and say, we are a superior option to your existing accountant.
Speaker A:And here's why.
Speaker A:That's where most professionals who've not been trained in the sales and marketing dark arts find themselves out of their depth, out of their comfort levels or comfort zone.
Speaker A:So when it comes to having a conversation with a prospective client and it comes to deciding what happens next, the conversation's over.
Speaker A:It's time to set some next steps.
Speaker A:That's when I find the language deserts the professional.
Speaker A:And the accountant goes, well, I'll leave the car with you and you come back to me when you're ready.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:Or we go, well, how would you like to best proceed next?
Speaker A:And all of the good impression that you've created up to that point, all of the authority that you've conveyed up to that point gets lost when you don't know how to use a tone of phrase to just tidy up the end of the conversation nicely.
Speaker A:And it cannot just be in that situation.
Speaker A:It can be, for example, when you're trying to resolve a concern with a client, a client's not happy with you or your firm.
Speaker A:Somebody dropped the ball somewhere.
Speaker A:No one meant to, but it happened.
Speaker A:Now you've got an irate client.
Speaker A:Now what do we do?
Speaker A:What do we say?
Speaker A:What tone of phrase do we use to decelerate the process, to calm everybody down, to get things back under control?
Speaker A:Because generally we don't have that in our armory.
Speaker A:And it could even be with a team member.
Speaker A:Team member asks for something unreasonable.
Speaker A:A team member wants to do something that they're not qualified to do.
Speaker A:What turn of phrase do we use?
Speaker A:So I find that professionals who are the most successful are ones who have these ready turns of phrases available to them that's there, memorized, almost rehearsed, and they can just hit them off the shelf and go, there we go.
Speaker A:I don't have to think about what to say.
Speaker A:Here's what I say in that situation.
Speaker A:So I'm going to get for you three turns of phrases ready in those scenarios that we're going to do right after we've heard from our sponsors, which this week are these two.
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Speaker A:Okay, part two.
Speaker A:So I gave you three scenarios in part one and now we're going to give you a turn of phrase for each that hopefully you will either find that you can use directly or you can use your own version of it and Never get stuck in these situations again.
Speaker A:So scenario number one, you're talking to a potential client.
Speaker A:You're trying to make sure there's a connection, that we don't lose control here between this meeting and the next action.
Speaker A:So we need some form of connecting phrase, something we can say that gives them the control so they don't feel pressurized in any way, but it allows you to be able to have the knowledge and the comfort of knowing that you are in control of all of this.
Speaker A:So you've met with the prospect, you found out their needs, you've asked good questions, you have found a reason to work together.
Speaker A:There is a commercial justification for writing a proposal for them now, but you need to come back and talk to them about this.
Speaker A:Or it could even be that you've had the proposal presented to them and they've chosen not to make a decision that day and they're trying to defer you.
Speaker A:And you need a phrase to make sure that we don't lose control there either.
Speaker A:Here's the phrase I recommend, or your version of it.
Speaker A:That's fine.
Speaker A:What would you like to see happen next and in what timescale?
Speaker A:That one again.
Speaker A:What would you like to see happen next and in what timescale?
Speaker A:So that first part, what you want to see happen next, gives them the control to suggest there is going to be something that happens next and then to further clarify it when.
Speaker A:So you are walking away from that meeting saying, don't worry, guys, you need some more time to think about this, take it.
Speaker A:But I've come away with what's going to happen next, hopefully another meeting and when it's going to happen.
Speaker A:So I'm not chasing you, feeling like I'm pestering you, and it puts me back in control.
Speaker A:Okay, so what you want to see happen next and in what timescale is the phrase for that first scenario, for that second scenario where we have an irate client, we've made a mistake, something needs to be done about it.
Speaker A:Now, what I find is in practices, they tend to argue points.
Speaker A:Well, it's not exactly true.
Speaker A:I think you'll find that you actually phoned us on the Thursday, not the Wednesday.
Speaker A:Clients don't need to hear that.
Speaker A:That just winds them up even more.
Speaker A:We need to defuse the situation.
Speaker A:So here's what we do.
Speaker A:I understand the situation now.
Speaker A:What needs to happen to make you happy or so what do we need to do immediately now to make you happy?
Speaker A:Or what do you want to see happen now that gives you the comfort you need Take your pick of any of those or use your own.
Speaker A:But that's the phraseology.
Speaker A:What needs to happen to make you happy, to make you comfortable, to put this right, to correct our error.
Speaker A:Yeah, what needs to happen, too?
Speaker A:And you would think that this is quite basic and say, really, Martin, you're doing a podcast as to how we should speak.
Speaker A:Yeah, I am.
Speaker A:Because when I'm in your offices and I say something and say, well, perhaps you should say this, the response I get from you guys is, could you say that again, please?
Speaker A:Do you have a script with that written?
Speaker A:And you have a checklist where we can say, can you write like that?
Speaker A:So I assume that this isn't obvious and therefore I'm providing it for you.
Speaker A:And then our third and final scenario, we have a team member asking for something inappropriate.
Speaker A:Maybe it's a day off for the funeral of their pet hamster.
Speaker A:Maybe it's a promotion that they've done nothing to earn.
Speaker A:Okay, the way we deal with that one, the phrase I find has worked over and over again in practices is simply, do you feel that's an appropriate thing to ask for at this point?
Speaker A:Do you feel that that's an appropriate thing to ask for at this point?
Speaker A:So we're asking them three questions in one.
Speaker A:You know, do they approve of what they're saying?
Speaker A:Have they thought it through?
Speaker A:Have they decided it's the appropriate thing to do?
Speaker A:And now, really, right now, in the middle of tax season, really right now, when we know we've got staff absences, really, right now, when we just lost a major client, and it puts the team member on the back foot and makes them have to think about justifying what it is they're asking for and creating a justification for you, which they will struggle to do because they want to thought about it.
Speaker A:So that phrase is, do you feel that's an appropriate thing to ask for at this point, or at this point in time, or at this juncture or today?
Speaker A:You use it as you see fit.
Speaker A:This Bullet podcast is designed to give you some quick solutions quickly done.
Speaker A:So we want you to go away with easy to implement things and not spend a huge amount of time listening to us.
Speaker A:So on that basis, I'm going to recommend those three pieces of effective language to you.
Speaker A:And I will see you on the next Bullet.
Speaker A:Bye for now.
Speaker A:Sa.
