Salespeople lie

Salespeople lie

Publicly they use words indicating that they are 'customer focused' and 'buyer centric'

Behind closed doors it's all 'new logos' and 'smashing targets'

Using 'tactical empathy' to pretend they care

The walk doesn't match the talk

How can it?

The sales process hasn't changed

Designed for different times

When 'greed is good' was a rallying call


OK I'm wrong to tar all with the same brush

Indeed if you are you reading this you are most likely one of the good 'uns

(The bad 'uns avoid what I say and think I'm some kind of goody two shoes idealistic muppet)

Yet the pushy stuff goes on

It damages the reputation of salespeople

It affects those who don't like this approach and are right not to like it because it doesn't work

There is a better way

That's why I wrote Ethical Selling

It sets out the ETHICAL Model for what works better toda

Works because its is what the customer wants and its best practice

Works because it creates win-win-win scenarios

(Customer/company/conscience)

Elements involved are

🔶 Empathetic Communication:

- Engaging in active dialogue to understand customer needs and wants

🔶 Transparency and Integrity:

- Operating with honesty and clarity, providing accurate information

🔶 Holistic Value-Centric Approach:

- Prioritising a way of working that focuses on customer value and desired outcomes

🔶 Informed Decision-Making:

- Ensuring customers can make decisions with the right information, respecting their autonomy

🔶 Collaborative Relationship Building:

- Thinking like a partner to build deeper and long-lasting customer relationships

🔶 Adaptive Negotiation:

- Approaching negotiations ethically and using flexibility to for win-win outcomes.

🔶 Learning and Growth:

- Embracing continuous learning and developing a growth mindset to stay informed and improve

Plenty to consider

Designed to concentrate on the 'how' of ethical selling

It can be used to refine the appropriate techniques and tactics

It has been used by the Institute of Ethical Selling as it's core for orientation and certification

Salespeople will continue to lie

Not all though

Ultimately those that don't will win

Customers will gravitate towards the good 'uns

Their choice

So there is a choice salespeople need to make