When people think of sales, they always think of that pushy car salesman or the person on the phone that seems devious and relentless. We think of a salesperson as someone who will do anything to get a buyer to make a purchase, even if that purchase does not make sense for them. However, the days of “caveat emptor” are fading away and “caveat venditor” is coming to fruition.
- Buyers now expect that salespeople are untrustworthy. Because of this, the seller is forced to go the extra mile to show buyers that they are transparent and have the best interest of the buyer at heart. Simply trying to convince a buyer to make a purchase rarely works these days. Buyers are skeptical and not so naive. The best salespeople have success when they are able to “sell the idea of a product,” but they LISTEN to the wants of the customer so they understand how to best address the needs of the buyer.
2. Transparency. Transparency. Transparency. When sellers are transparent with buyers, it makes buyers a lot more likely to consider a purchase. Transparency builds a trust relationship that can keep buyers coming back for more. When sellers force buyers into an unwise purchase, buyers are unlikely to ever buy from that company again. Transparency with customers builds sustainable relationships that keeps a business alive.
3. Myth of the moneygrubber: you must be greedy in sales. Most people think that the best salespeople are greedy, and will do anything to make a profit. They are not authentic and become scripted. However, the best salespeople are the ones who are caring, not careless. Listening is one of the most important aspects of selling. Even if a salesperson is unable to sell a product because it is not the best fit for the buyer, a salesperson who listens can turn the attention of a buyer to another product that may be more suitable. A salesperson who listens will admit when the product is not the best fit. This honesty and directness is something to encourage in the business world, especially from an ethical point of view. Honesty beats deception in the long haul.
EVERYONE is a salesperson. We sell ideas, products, and understandings in our everyday lives. Learning to be transparent, direct, honest, and to be attentive listeners in our lives helps us to do the same when we sell to others. Sales is changing in for the better; we move forward now.
testacr22
I agree with many of your points in this post. Being honest/transparent is definitely one of the best traits a salesperson can have nowadays. Another thing you mentioned which is very important is being a good listener. One of the worst things can can happen during the sales process is the salesperson doing a majority of the talking and failing to be receptive or listen to what the customer is telling them. Great post!