Announcement: My newest book, The Sales Fixer arrives in January 2026.

Why Did It Hit So Hard and Why Did the Language Suddenly Change

By Phil Whitebloom, Founder of BeenThere Consulting Services

What Happened Next Surprised Me

Something curious has happened since I published the first Sales and the F-Bomb story. It received the highest readership of anything I have ever posted. It sparked weeks of comments and conversations in coaching meetings, networking groups, and private messages. The shock value in the title was the spark that drew people in, but what happened next was the real surprise.

Since that story went out, I have heard almost no bad language on sales calls. I have noticed a sharp decline in the use of the F-Bomb in meetings, conversations, and coaching sessions. It is as if the dial was turned down everywhere at once. And I am not nearly arrogant enough to believe that my blog single handedly changed the vocabulary of the business world. I am also not naïve enough to ignore that something shifted.

If you never saw the original story or want to review it again, you can read it here: https://beentherecs.com/sales-and-the-f-bomb/

So I Want to Hear from You

If one or more of these questions speaks to you, I would love to hear your thoughts. You can reply in the comments or send me an email at phil@beentherecs.com.

Why did it draw so much engagement?

Why did the conversation last so long?

Why did the use of profanity drop off so quickly afterward?

What do you believe happened?

There is something to learn here about communication, leadership, and personal standards. And I believe that your answers will tell us a great deal about selling.

The Curiosity Worth Exploring

I coach a lot of seasoned professionals. I sit on many sales calls. I am in enough rooms to see trends as they form. When something spikes, I notice it. When something disappears, I notice it even more.

The sudden reduction in profanity has been impossible to miss. It has shown up in client meetings. It has shown up in weekly coaching calls. It has shown up in networking conversations. Even the casual side comments that people normally let slip have almost vanished.

I even had someone tell me they caught themselves mid-sentence and chose a different word. That story is bigger than the profanity. It is about the habit underneath it.

I am not claiming credit. I am acknowledging the pattern. And patterns always tell a story.

The Real Message Behind Part 1

Part 1 was not about profanity. It was about the habits that become invisible. Salespeople fall into patterns without realizing how they sound until someone holds up a mirror. The language is not the issue. The presence of an unchecked habit is the issue.

Sales leaders tell me every week that one of their biggest frustrations is when a salesperson is unaware of the impact of their words. They are not aware of how their tone lands. They are not aware of how their message is received. They are not aware of the signals they send.

The F-Bomb was the perfect example. It was dramatic, fast, emotional, and easy to relate to. It carried enough weight to break through the noise.

Maybe that is why it worked.

Professionalism Still Has No Second Place

There is no second place when it comes to professionalism. Not everything goes as expected. Not everything goes as desired. Sometimes something blindsides us. Sometimes we discover that someone made a mistake that should never have happened. These moments test every salesperson, every leader, and every business.

Professionalism is not perfection. It is consistency.

The way we respond is what determines the outcome.

Professionalism gives us the best chance to turn a bad situation into a winning situation. Even if the specific situation cannot be recovered, professionalism is always remembered. The person on the other side sees it. They feel it. They judge us by it.

When the next opportunity comes along, the memory of how we handled the last one becomes the deciding factor. Professionalism earns trust even when the result was not ideal. It creates confidence that we will show up the right way when it matters most.

In selling, that is everything.

Professionalism is always a winning strategy.

Professionalism never works against you. It only works for you. It protects your reputation, strengthens trust, and positions you as the person people want to work with when the next opportunity arrives. In sales, that is the edge that separates those who get one shot from those who get every shot.

A Simple Takeaway

Sales improves whenever self-awareness improves. A single moment of recognition can shift a habit and change a result.

Why Hire Phil to Fix Your Sales

If this story tells us anything, it is that small shifts in awareness can change everything in selling. Professionalism, communication, and consistency are not minor details. They are the difference between trust and uncertainty, between credibility and confusion, and between a stalled pipeline and a healthy one.

This is the work I do every day. I help sales teams raise their standards, sharpen their skills, and create immediate traction. Companies bring me in when they want clarity, accountability, and a plan that gets results right now. If you want your team to communicate with confidence, elevate their professionalism, and show up ready to win, I would be glad to help.

Good selling begins with how you show up. Great selling begins when you raise the bar and never lower it again. If this resonated with you, tell me which part stood out.

Reach out using these platforms:

📩phil@beentherecs.com

🌐www.beentherecs.com

📱Or scan this QR Code:

Have a topic you want me to cover next?

Email me at phil@beentherecs.com. I read every note.

Unlock the Secrets to Closing More Sales with “Handling Objections: Clues for Closing the Sale” by Phil Whitebloom

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Here’s what others are saying:

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Listen to The BeenThere/SoldThat Podcast

Join Brianna Hendley of Achievant Business Coaching and Phil Whitebloom as they discuss practical strategies to enhance your sales and business skills. Get ready to achieve your goals and dreams! Listen here.

More from BeenThere SoldThat

Want to know what programs you can participate in to grow your sales and business? Go to https://BeenThereSoldThat.com and see what programs are available.