Okay, I get it. Times are tough. You can’t pass by a television, radio or newspaper without this sentiment being pounded into your skull.
This makes me wonder – Have these “tough times” contributed to the dishonesty of some sales executives?
Unfortunately, I have to say yes.
Much to my dismay, I have gone head to head with sales people who choose to lie in order to get an account. I think we can all appreciate “creative positioning”, but outright lying is another thing. There are 3 issues that come to mind dealing with this sad and flawed approach:
- If you have to fib in order to get an account, you will always know that is why you have it. You will always wonder if you actually could have landed the account without the aid of your falsehood.
- Karma – Hey, this is a big one! Trust me, it will hunt you down and bite you in the butt.
- You WILL get caught. Lies have a way of exposing themselves and when they do – you will lose credibility.
I decided to write about this subject because of the horror stories recanted to me while on my sales journeys. I have personally experienced a few situations in which I had to combat another salesperson’s lie. It was annoying and in the end I did get the account for this reason. I think that this speaks to a sales person’s skill level.
If you are good at your craft, you can be honest and still win the account. Be confident in your abilities and rely on your knowledge to help pull you through.
DO NOT resort to trash talking your competition. It does not work. It makes you look insecure.
Look at it this way, there are probably several companies that offer the same services that you do and do the job as good or better. But remember this: “People do business with people.” It is with your skills and personality that will win them over. Show your confidence and make friends with your competition, you may learn something.
