In this video, we provide a cold call example with a salesperson who is lying about previous communications in order to open and warm up the call. Even though most salespeople would probably not do this on a cold call, this does create an opportunity to discuss how selling is not lying and manipulation.

 

Selling is not about tricks, games, and manipulation

The product or service you sell offers value in some way or another. With that, it helps the people who buy from you. And there are people out there who need the help you have to offer. And that is why selling is not lying and manipulation.

Instead of trying to sell to people who do not need what you sell and trying to trick them and talk them into buying what you sell, focus more on finding the prospects who need what you sell and communicating in the clearest and most optimum way when you find them.

 

Understandable for salespeople to feel like they need to trick prospects

It is actually understandable for salespeople to feel like they need to trick prospects because most salespeople use a product selling approach. This involves talking primarily about the product they sell and the company they work for. This approach will make the salesperson look like a salesperson who is trying to sell something and that can lead to an elevated level of guardedness, objection, rejection, and resistance. Operating in this environment day in and day out could definitely make someone feel like they have to deceive in order to succeed.

Another problem with a product selling approach is that, since the salesperson will usually talk more about the product than the prospect, they are more likely to try to sell to prospects who do not need or fit well with the product or service being sold. This will also make someone feel like they will need to get sneaky and manipulative in order to close any of their sales.

 

How to eliminate the need to trick sales prospects

All of those dynamics can be completely changed, and it can be clearer that selling is not lying and manipulation by using a more consultative selling approach. Instead of talking primarily about your product and company, focus more on the improvements your product can deliver to the prospect and the problems you can help to solve, minimize, and avoid.

And to identify if the prospect has the problems your product can help with, all you have to do is have an optimum set of probing questions to ask. This will also help us to make conversations more about the prospect than the product. When you identify the prospect might have a problem or pain point you can help with, you can then introduce your product, service, or company as a solution to the prospect’s needs.

We can share examples of customers we have helped to educate the prospect on what we do and what we have to offer. This can help to build interest and credibility.

These small changes will have a big impact and show you that selling is not lying and manipulation by helping in three different ways.

Decrease Sounding Like A Salesperson
By talking less about the product and more about the prospect, you will decrease how much you sound like a salesperson who is trying to sell something and will look more like a consultant, advisor, or business representative. This will immediately decrease guardedness, objections, rejection, and resistance, decreasing the feeling that you need to trick prospects into talking with you.

Talking to Prospects Who Fit Better
When you make your conversations more about the prospect, you are going to learn more about them and be better able to separate good prospects from bad. This means you will spend less time talking to prospects who do not need what you sell, and this will decrease the feeling that you need to trick prospects into wanting and buying your product or service.

Have More Confidence
If you use a more consultative selling approach, you will probably have more clarity about the problems your product or service can help solve. This can help you be more aware that there are prospects out there who need your help with the product you sell. When you operate with this awareness, you will have more confidence in what you sell and see that there is no reason to trick prospects into talking with you and buying what you sell.