Do you have to lie to become a top producer in Sales?

[freedomchaser]

Almost finished highschool. I like sales because I get paid for my effort.

I'm considering selling real estate as a residential agent.

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

I love the business aspect of sales but I won't deceive people to make money.

My goal is to make $1millon a year profit after 10-12 years in the game.

I've studied the greats and I know what to do, I'm capable of it.

F*** going out, financing cars, wearing designer shit. I want delayed gratification - the Ferrari, mansion, jet etc.

 

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[Salvador8907]

Almost finished highschool. I like sales because I get paid for my effort.

I'm considering selling real estate as a residential agent.

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

I love the business aspect of sales but I won't deceive people to make money.

My goal is to make $1millon a year profit after 10-12 years in the game.

I've studied the greats and I know what to do, I'm capable of it.

F*** going out, financing cars, wearing designer shit. I want delayed gratification - the Ferrari, mansion, jet etc.

Slow and steady wins the race.
Don't lie, but you will rake up money slowly compared to liers. But think of it this way, fast money doesn't last, so the lier gets money fast through deceiving but it won't last compared to your honest efforts.
And maybe you won't rake up money slowly! Maybe you'll make your honest income faster through strategy, networking, and personal charisma.

I wish you the best

 

[AustinS28]

Honest sales are the best sales - more referals and repeat business.

Lie enough and you'll be exposed.

 

[happybhoy]

No, you need empathy and the ability to suss out exactly what your customer wants. Selling is a game, a really fun one at that.

 

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[jon.a]

http://www.themillionairefastlane.com/download.php

 

[AndrewNC]

all sales people lie

ALL!? Have you ever met an honest salesperson before, even ONCE in your life?

 

[Kung Fu Steve]

Almost finished highschool. I like sales because I get paid for my effort.

I'm considering selling real estate as a residential agent.

Fantastic! The harder you work, the more you earn. Nice, isn't it?

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

That's just silly... but I will tell you that all black people steal and all Chinese people know the kung fu... and all white people are hicks with cowboy hats and guns.

I love the business aspect of sales but I won't deceive people to make money.

If you deceive people to earn money you are killing the goose that lays golden eggs. If you treat the goose (your clients) well, they will continue to lay golden eggs.

Pick up the Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller if you're serious about becoming an agent. Get to studying, find a reputable place to hang your license, and any time you get stuck talk to @Red .

Go get 'em, tiger.

 

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[RHL]

Hay guise I asked people who don't do sales and aren't successful about how to do sales and be successful they told me everyone lies is it tru tho?

 

[freedomchaser]

ALL!? Have you ever met an honest salesperson before, even ONCE in your life?

I think I have. I know all aren't liars. But they pretty much say if you're 100% honest, you won't get anything sold. I guess I'm surrounded by people who aren't hustlers/business minded.

Thanks @Kung Fu Steve will do!

 

[blackbrich]

No.

 

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[Denim Chicken]

I work full time in b2b sales and let me tell you if you think you can cheat or lie your way into sales, you are either looking at the wrong industry/company or have a warped perception about sales. You may be able to lie and cheat on a transactional sale selling a cell phone case on the street but if you ever want to hit million+ quota and become a top performer, your client's needs and values are what matter if you want repeat business, build a network and relationships that allow you to hit higher levels.

So the answer is never and don't let anyone let you think that and put a price on your integrity. Especially in an industry where the media and public perception is sales=sleezy, the person who is honest and transparent has an edge.

Btw, since you're young I'll give you a tip. Some industries like the car industry and transactional retail sales, you will find a higher percentage of unethical people. Especially when relationship building and repeat business is not a big factor. Look into b2b sales either in tech or medical devices.

 

[Thiago Machado]

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

Read this: http://wallstreetplayboys.com/you-dont-want-to-sell-too-bad/

Read this: http://wallstreetplayboys.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-choosing-a-career/


My goal is to make $1millon a year profit after 10-12 years in the game.

Read This: http://wallstreetplayboys.com/1-million-10-years-zero-excuses/

 

[Kung Fu Steve]

I think I have. I know all aren't liars. But they pretty much say if you're 100% honest, you won't get anything sold. I guess I'm surrounded by people who aren't hustlers/business minded.

Thanks @Kung Fu Steve will do!

Couple extra thoughts:

1.) Every single person on the planet is a salesperson. If you don't sell yourself are never going to be in a relationship, if you don't sell your friends you'll never see that movie you want to see, eat at that restaurant, do something you want to do, etc. etc.

Silly examples but it's very true. If you own a business your one and only job is sales. People like to think accountants, doctors, lawyers, etc. don't sell. It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Although they all go about selling in a different way -- they are still selling. The accountant convinces the IRS (through numbers) not to audit... the doctor convinces the patient their pills and potions will cure them... the lawyer convinces judge and jury what really happened and/or what the punishment should be...

2.) There ARE people who lie about a product or service in order to sell... but they only ever get one chance at that. If they lie one time about how a product or service performs that person will never buy from them again.

If they do that a couple of times, they build a negative reputation and it's not long before they are run out of town.

On the other hand, if you truly are there to serve the client and provide them with the best product and service honestly and ethically and go above and beyond now you have a client instead of a customer.

You sell someone a home and do an amazing job at it, next time they decide to move you can resell it, and help them find a new home. One sale turns into several. You do that for everyone you meet and all of a sudden you're hitting the million dollar mark you're after.

Reputation is everything.

 

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[Red]

... and any time you get stuck talk to @Red .

Thanks for the shout out, @Kung Fu Steve.

Hey FC, I've been pondering the best approach to come from when explaining how I view real estate.
As a residential broker that owns/operates here in the Phoenix Metro for 12+ years now, I've concluded a few things, so this might get a little long-winded....


First things first, as a real estate agent, what exactly are you selling? How you answer this question will determine what kind of agent you'll be.

Most agents will emphatically yell HOUSES!!! WE SELL HOUSES!! YEAAAAAAH!!! *insert frat bro high-fiving & optional fist pumping/chest bumps*
Unfortunately, this answer is wrong & the best mindset to have for a very short term career in the real estate industry. Why?

Any fool can find a house to buy (yay internet!). Any monkey with a real estate license can show it to them. That's not hard to do. You are not valuable because you have a lockbox key. You are the basic bitch of the real estate industry. yay.

The thing that you need to have, the "product" that you provide is your ability to guide & protect your client while simultaneously helping them sidestep potential landmines that they might incur along the process of acquiring a property. You are their advocate. You are their protector. You are the one who is not afraid to step in & go, "Buying this house is a bad idea, you can do better, let's keep looking." You are looking out for their best interest & helping them make wise decisions within the parameters of their wants & desires for a place to call home. Sometimes you're protecting them against sheisty agents or untruthful sellers. Many times you're protecting them from themselves.

People are not stupid. Buyers are not going to be walking through a house, hating the floorplan, the rooster wall paper & the shitty blue carpet when suddenly you (with your superior selling skills that no one can resist) mention the faux-wood blinds obviously hanging from the windows & go, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT, I'LL TAKE IT.


You are not selling houses. You are selling a service of trust. You are selling a service of protection & peace of mind while navigating a potentially stressful & litigious endeavor. You are protecting people's money as they attempt to accomplish a goal. You are protecting your clients pocketbooks & time because you know things like FHA won't approve a loan on a rural property that has 6 or more homes drawing from the same shared well & they didn't have to find out by being denied by the bank 4 days before closing & a thousand dollars later in inspection/appraisal fees. I can't tell you the cock-eyed looks I've received over the years as I walked with clients through homes, spotted a fatal flaw, and was like, "Don't buy this house, you can do better for your money, let's go." -seriously, they look at you like you have 2 heads. Why? Because most real estate are shitty & self-serving & when clients find someone who is honest & looking out for them, they literally don't know how to respond. Sad, huh?


Goddamn that was long. To summarize: small-minded shitty agents will lie to get the short term gain -the quick paycheck. Yes, they are the majority of agents out there. They are not, however, the big producers. The Pareto Principle absolutely applies in RE, only it's more like 90/10.

Quality agents understand that if they make their clients happy and really prioritize them & their best interest, the business will flow by way of referrals. It's no secret you really have to hustle at first. You need to study. You need to shadow agents you like & respect to learn. You need to be real about when you don't know an answer & not bullshit people ("Let me confirm that & get back to you"). There is no shame in getting people accurate information if you don't immediately have it. Never ever forget that your client comes first & always ahead of your paycheck. Even when it hurts to tell them to walk away. Always put them first & you'll grow a book of business so large that you'll need a brokerage to handle the business.

Study, be honest, be earnest, ask questions, hustle & treat people well. You'll be just fine. It's a great business.

 

[axiom]

Man, you need a serious mindset shift about sales, as well as your family.

Despite what the slow lane media would have you believe, sales is not bad. Sales is not evil. It is not deceptive, or manipulative, or machiavellian.

Some salesmen are all of these things. Bernie Madoff, Jordan Belfort, and others who deliberated DID deceive their clients to fatten their own pockets.

What the media doesn't tell you is that you can fatten your pockets AND help your clients and the world all at the same time.

Think about it: how would anyone gain access to something that would legitimately help improve their lives without somebody to pass the good word on?

Look: if you have something that you KNOW legitimately helps your target market, and you convey that fact as well as you can, you have nothing to feel guilty about. To the contrary, feel freaking ecstatic that you get to help people and cash a check at the same time.

As far as your family goes, it's time for you to grow up and detach yourself from your family -- your family that is in all likelihood deeply rooted in the slow lane mentality. This key to this life is making it for yourself, and earning what you want to earn, not what your family wants you to earn.

 

[Growth & Learn]

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

I love the business aspect of sales but I won't deceive people to make money.

My goal is to make $1millon a year profit after 10-12 years in the game.

I've studied the greats and I know what to do, I'm capable of it.

F*** going out, financing cars, wearing designer shit. I want delayed gratification - the Ferrari, mansion, jet etc.

I would surround yourself with more positive and knowledgeable if the people around you are currently telling you that all sales people lie.

Lying is a recipe for going out of business quick.

There's something called lifetime customer value. Read up on it. Understand it. Own it. It won't happen if you lie to people.

 

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[Growth & Learn]

Almost finished highschool. I like sales because I get paid for my effort.

The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

I would also ask them to cite specific examples and real dollar figures from 'honest sales people' who make no money. You'll see real quickly that they won't be able to.

 

[csalvato]

Thanks for the shout out, @Kung Fu Steve.

Hey FC, I've been pondering the best approach to come from when explaining how I view real estate.
As a residential broker that owns/operates here in the Phoenix Metro for 12+ years now, I've concluded a few things, so this might get a little long-winded....


First things first, as a real estate agent, what exactly are you selling? How you answer this question will determine what kind of agent you'll be.

Most agents will emphatically yell HOUSES!!! WE SELL HOUSES!! YEAAAAAAH!!! *insert frat bro high-fiving & optional fist pumping/chest bumps*
Unfortunately, this answer is wrong & the best mindset to have for a very short term career in the real estate industry. Why?

Any fool can find a house to buy (yay internet!). Any monkey with a real estate license can show it to them. That's not hard to do. You are not valuable because you have a lockbox key. You are the basic bitch of the real estate industry. yay.

The thing that you need to have, the "product" that you provide is your ability to guide & protect your client while simultaneously helping them sidestep potential landmines that they might incur along the process of acquiring a property. You are their advocate. You are their protector. You are the one who is not afraid to step in & go, "Buying this house is a bad idea, you can do better, let's keep looking." You are looking out for their best interest & helping them make wise decisions within the parameters of their wants & desires for a place to call home. Sometimes you're protecting them against sheisty agents or untruthful sellers. Many times you're protecting them from themselves.

People are not stupid. Buyers are not going to be walking through a house, hating the floorplan, the rooster wall paper & the shitty blue carpet when suddenly you (with your superior selling skills that no one can resist) mention the faux-wood blinds obviously hanging from the windows & go, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT, I'LL TAKE IT.


You are not selling houses. You are selling a service of trust. You are selling a service of protection & peace of mind while navigating a potentially stressful & litigious endeavor. You are protecting people's money as they attempt to accomplish a goal. You are protecting your clients pocketbooks & time because you know things like FHA won't approve a loan on a rural property that has 6 or more homes drawing from the same shared well & they didn't have to find out by being denied by the bank 4 days before closing & a thousand dollars later in inspection/appraisal fees. I can't tell you the cock-eyed looks I've received over the years as I walked with clients through homes, spotted a fatal flaw, and was like, "Don't buy this house, you can do better for your money, let's go." -seriously, they look at you like you have 2 heads. Why? Because most real estate are shitty & self-serving & when clients find someone who is honest & looking out for them, they literally don't know how to respond. Sad, huh?


Goddamn that was long. To summarize: small-minded shitty agents will lie to get the short term gain -the quick paycheck. Yes, they are the majority of agents out there. They are not, however, the big producers. The Pareto Principle absolutely applies in RE, only it's more like 90/10.

Quality agents understand that if they make their clients happy and really prioritize them & their best interest, the business will flow by way of referrals. It's no secret you really have to hustle at first. You need to study. You need to shadow agents you like & respect to learn. You need to be real about when you don't know an answer & not bullshit people ("Let me confirm that & get back to you"). There is no shame in getting people accurate information if you don't immediately have it. Never ever forget that your client comes first & always ahead of your paycheck. Even when it hurts to tell them to walk away. Always put them first & you'll grow a book of business so large that you'll need a brokerage to handle the business.

Study, be honest, be earnest, ask questions, hustle & treat people well. You'll be just fine. It's a great business.

God damn @Red that was beautiful

 

[freedomchaser]

Wow @Red . You just changed my whole perception of selling homes. Thanks for the helpful insight, I'll definitely use your post as a reference.

Thanks again @Kung Fu Steve .

Everyone else thanks as well. This post gave me the push I needed to cement what I want to do with my future!

 

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[MooreMillions]

Almost finished highschool. I like sales because I get paid for my effort.

I'm considering selling real estate as a residential agent.

My family and friends are against it, they say all sales people lie. The ones that are honest make no money etc. is this true?

I love the business aspect of sales but I won't deceive people to make money.

My goal is to make $1millon a year profit after 10-12 years in the game.

I've studied the greats and I know what to do, I'm capable of it.

F*** going out, financing cars, wearing designer shit. I want delayed gratification - the Ferrari, mansion, jet etc.

The short answer is no.

For this to remain true throughout your career, keep this advice in mind.

It is best to sell what you love. That can be more than one thing. When you sell what you love, psychologically, you tend to be more willing to know your product/service inside and out, backwards and forwards, top to bottom, and you are a first responder to any industry changes.

Selling is not to see who can talk the smoothest. Many misconstrue this. Hell, I misconstrued this, early on in my sales career. You have to find the PAIN. You identify the pain of your client, you go from salesman to consultant to advisor. And how do you find pain? LISTENING! You need to be listening more than you are talking. For me, and for many of my contemporaries, this is the hardest part to master. It is natural to feel compelled to be talking, but their need to be pregnant...almost uncomfortable pauses, in your presentation. This is especially important in real estate.

High dollar sales needs a different approach than high volume sales, due to the fact that if you don't close that customer, it will be a while before you get repeat business. This holds true in real estate. People buy houses every day, but the same client does not, as the norm. So integrity is key.

The day of the used car salesman ideology being sustainably successful is the way of the dinosaur. The customer has the internet and is getting smarter by the keystroke into the search engine.

Now, in the ultimate act of hypocrisy, pull up Glengary Glen Ross, Wall Street, Boiler Room, The Firm, and The Devil's Advocate and watch the art of persuasion.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Btw, it's possible just know it's very difficult to make $1mil as a RE agent esp residential. The large majority of RE agents do not make much. If you want to go into sales where you are rewarded heavily for your talents, never have to worry about job security because the demand is so high, and where there is consistently quotas in the millions, go into B2B. Right now, tech is big. I know you're young but the ones where you make a lot of money you will need a degree.

Tech usually goes SDR (Sales dev rep or business dev rep) > Account Executive and after 2 years you are guaranteed low six figures (if you're consistent). 5 years+ it's not unheard of to be $250+ and enterprise level sales people will easily make more than that. It is arguable that if you love your job, and you have a good book of clients and don't work many hours, it is somewhat fastlane. You can work in sales for 5 years, save very aggressively and buy property. Be creative.

 

[Red]

You just changed my whole perception of selling homes.

Good. We have too many agents that have more ego than integrity & their clients suffer. The industry suffers. Take care of people. The income will follow as a byproduct. Then you decide how you want to ramp it up from there.

Don't sell houses. Take care of people. Be an advocate.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

the rooster wall paper & the shitty blue carpet

I see you included our most recent experience.

small-minded shitty agents

Smoking baby! (Re: Fastlane Summit, Circa 2014!)

 

[Red]

Also, for clarification sake, what I do in real estate isn't "fastlane" -I'm acutely aware that I trade my time/skill set in direct exchange for money. At one time I thought of recruiting agents & blowing the brokerage up, but upon really really thinking it over, decided that this approach wasn't want I really wanted.

This job allows me the freedom to work on my scalable/fastlane endeavors. It provides me freedom to travel. It provides me with a good income (honestly, might be a little too comfortable.... lost my sense of urgency with some things in the background -working on that currently). I also see the fraud/bullshit that goes on every day in this industry & truly feel like people need me to be in real estate. This might sound a bit arrogant, but it's not spoken in that manner. People need someone in their corner who is truly on their side -no personal agenda, no hidden motivation other than their best interest, no bullshit. Everyone has an agenda of their own in this day & age & it's really become hard to trust people. Your favorite fitness blogger gets paid for spot promotion. Your favorite beauty blogger takes money in exchange for product mentions/usage on camera -who the F*ck can you trust? Just about no one, unfortunately.

That's why I do this. I would want someone I could trust whole-heartedly. And I feel like it's so hard to find. That's who I aim to be for my clients. Because everyone needs an advocate.

 

[JAJT]

People who have never sold anything have a very funny idea as to what sales people do.

I was in business to business and business to consumer sales for over 10 years and the shit I've heard in that time from friends and family and strangers is mind blowing. Even within the companies I worked for! The general public has a very, very negative view of salespeople.

The reality is that shitty salespeople don't last very long in professional environments. However they DO thrive in entry-level bullshit. The problem is, most people don't deal with professionals, they deal with bullshit. And by bullshit I mean one-off "I will never see from or hear from this customer again" kinds of businesses. Telemarketing, door to door, retail, and generally anything where names and contact information don't matter.

Real sales people are like mini entrepreneurs - all they care about is providing value to the customer. They say no to sales that don't fit. They research questions from clients if they don't know the answer. They are the first to admit they were wrong if it comes to that. And very often they will lose money from their own pockets to make a situation right for their clients.

Sales is the best department to work for if you are at a good company offering a good product or service.

 

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[gdboijason]

ALL!? Have you ever met an honest salesperson before, even ONCE in your life?

I think you just found yourself a "need."

 

[bryan forsythe]

If you are selling you're doing it wrong.
Simple.
Selling is when they are trying to get a way.
If they wanna go, let 'em.
Think about the last time you bought something so fast, you it was like your money
grew fingers and paid itself. That is the customer you want.
Now what made you feel that way? Value proposition + opportunity=Instant Acquisition Pursuit.
So what you have to do is focus on providing unquestioned value. Lie to you and what happens?
You are done with 'em right? So lying just makes more work for you.
Lying is not selling. Lying is just lying.

 

[bryan forsythe]

Dude, I'm not even in Real Estate, and I wanna buy something from you..AWESOME!!!

 

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[Thiago Machado]

Got 5 Minutes?

Saw your thread again and remembered that what you're thinking of is "transactional selling".

What all of us are trying to explain to you is that good salespeople do "consultative selling".

 

[W4RHRSE]

Really?!? You have to lie to sell? Wow! Good thing I didn't know that.

I was a car salesman and made some amazing sales. Some benefitted me more, some my customer more. But I always left the decision to them. If I'd recommend something I would explain why.

Honest business will ALWAYS help in the long run.

Lie and B.S. a customer and you will move one unit... Be honest and nice, and that person will be sending family and friends to you.