Let’s talk about that one phrase we all love to hate—or maybe we just use it out of habit: Please kindly advise.

If you’re in sales or trying to move a relationship forward, I’m here to tell you: stop saying it.

I know why we do it. We want to be polite, or we want to make it clear that the ball is in the other person's court (they are now responsible for taking the next action). And let’s be honest, if you’ve worked in a corporate environment here in Nigeria, you’ve picked up the habit because your managers and colleagues say it all the time.

But here is why this phrase is actually holding you back:

It’s Redundant: Grammatically, "please" and "kindly" mean the same thing. If you absolutely must use it, just pick one—but I'd suggest moving away from both.

It’s Too Corporate: Sales is about building a connection between two human beings. When you use stiff, formal jargon, you sound like a robot. You want to bring the temperature down and be conversational, or at least semiformal, to make the other person feel at ease.

What should you do instead?

Instead of using filler phrases that people often ignore, be specific and proactive. Try these alternatives:

Ask for specific feedback: I’d appreciate your thoughts on section 1-3 or Can you share your thoughts on XYZ?

Ask for the next move: What would you like for us to do next?

Lead the way: Instead of waiting for them to advise, propose the next step yourself. Say, "If we’re in agreement on this, I propose that our next step should be..."

Don’t just throw the ball into their court and hope they deal with it. Direct the conversation.

If you want to dive deeper into sales coaching or join my WhatsApp channel for more tips, send me a message at 08064662140.

Let's stop sounding like corporate machines and start sounding like people. I'll catch you guys next time!