In the minds of most people, sales has a very negative connotation. When people think of sales they think of a manipulative and dishonest used car salesman. They assume that the salesperson is out simply to earn a commission and that he or she doesn’t care what they have to say to the customer to get the sale. Unfortunately, this stereotype exists for a reason- this used to be the situation in a sales environment. It is just as unfortunate that some salespeople still perpetuate this stereotype today.
Unsurprisingly, the salespeople maintain this negative attitude often don’t perform as well as they could in their roles. Not only can the customer see the salesperson’s true intentions easily, but it also affects how the salesperson approaches customers. Someone with this philosophy would enter every sales situation looking for what they can get out of the interaction. He or she is always looking to get the most out of the customer while giving as little as possible. Like I said before, the customer will see right through this, and will consequently not want to work with that salesperson. This is also not a Biblical attitude of humility and service.
A much better (and likely more productive) way to approach sales is from an attitude of service. Customers like someone who genuinely wants to help them achieve their goals. Customers will respond more positively to you, and the sales process will become much more enjoyable. This unselfish approach will make you feel like you’re having an impact rather than just using people. And just a side note, this principle is pretty good for all of life, not just sales.
testacr22
Rachel, I dig it! Attitude of servitude is the way to go – in sales as well as life in general.
The only greasy salesman I’ve ever experienced were car salesman. I get the vibe that used car sales is an industry that is slow to the sales strategy ethical shift.