When you are selling to the C-Suite and you approach a senior executive, it is important to show a practiced and confident facility with their issues. If you do not show this confidence and experience, it will be very difficult for them to put themselves and their organization in your hands.
The language you use during your conversation plays a very important role in this. If you repeatedly infuse your language with words such as ‘right’, ‘like’, ‘um’, and ‘you know’, it will sound like you lack confidence or experience and/or are too regularly seeking their endorsement. Doing so will substantially undermine the CXO’s interest in sponsoring you or your solution.
Simply rehearsing and taking these phrases out of your speech will make a big difference in your delivery when selling to the C-Suite. You will sound more confident, present, and energized by the subject you are discussing, and thereby establish your authority.