Why Selling Doesn't Work

[thinkandgrowrich]

Everyone hates being sold to.

I don't know about you, but when I go to a store and a salesperson approaches me I immediately try to find a way out of the situation.

A sigh followed by a thought in my head that says "Shit, man. Leave me alone" is usually my gut reaction.

Whenever I receive a cold call or a cold email and feel as though someone is trying to sell something to me, I'm out.

I don't want to spend any time speaking to a greedy bastard who just wants to take money from me.

However, there is an exception to when I actually do want to listen.

And that's when I need information, when I need to be educated before I make a decision.

When I need information I go out of my way to talk to a salesperson and ask him as many questions as I can. Gathering this information allows me to make the best possible decision and it gives me full CONTROL over the situation.

The salesperson is not in CONTROL, I AM.

This is kinda how I view sales, my objective is not to sell, it's to educate.

It's to educate potential prospects and clients from a position of authority, because I'M the EXPERT here. I know that my product or service will benefit them, but I'm not going to try to sell them on it, I'm merely going to educate them on how and why it will benefit their lives.

There is nobody out there in the world who does not want their life to get better, our job is to inform them on how they can do it.

 

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[Spicymemer45]

Everyone hates being sold to.

I don't know about you, but when I go to a store and a salesperson approaches me I immediately try to find a way out of the situation.

A sigh followed by a thought in my head that says "Shit, man. Leave me alone" is usually my gut reaction.

Whenever I receive a cold call or a cold email and feel as though someone is trying to sell something to me, I'm out.

I don't want to spend any time speaking to a greedy bastard who just wants to take money from me.

However, there is an exception to when I actually do want to listen.

And that's when I need information, when I need to be educated before I make a decision.

When I need information I go out of my way to talk to a salesperson and ask him as many questions as I can. Gathering this information allows me to make the best possible decision and it gives me full CONTROL over the situation.

The salesperson is not in CONTROL, I AM.

This is kinda how I view sales, my objective is not to sell, it's to educate.

It's to educate potential prospects and clients from a position of authority, because I'M the EXPERT here. I know that my product or service will benefit them, but I'm not going to try to sell them on it, I'm merely going to educate them on how and why it will benefit their lives.

There is nobody out there in the world who does not want their life to get better, our job is to inform them on how they can do it.

Rep++

Very good point! Napoleon Hill touches on this as well!

Cheers!- Grayson. J

 

[ApparentHorizon]

I love being pitched - free data from the field >

*notepad and pen check*

Oh you didn't sell me on your email server feature? What could you have done differently so that I would have said yes? (a problem without a solution you say?...would be a shame if someone were to solve it)

Oh you sold me on your Ultron Platinum in home ice cream maker? What did you say that made me say yes?

 

[G-Man]

I love being pitched - free data from the field >

Agree. I used to avoid salesmen. Now that I've been around a while, I always let them pitch me, just out of curiosity to see how much game they have.

 

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[rollerskates]

Well put. I hate being sold to when I am not actively seeking to buy.

Rep ++ (is that how I do this? I am feel like the geeky new kid)

 

[Mad Scientist]

This is just my personal opinion.

That's a load of shit. I've been in sales for a while now and I can tell you right off the bat that the mindset you have towards sales is a minority.

Not many people have that attitude; in fact I find that it's mostly the control freaks and penny punchers that have that attitude.

Of course there's an ethical side of selling where your product WILL add value to someone who buys it. It is irrelevant whether or not they WANT to buy it. Your job as a salesperson is to provide enough value and insight to a customer to get them to the point where they say "YES I NEED this!"

I don't see anything wrong with selling something to someone that will add some sort of value to their lives.

I guarantee that if top companies used your approach on selling, they'd lose millions in revenue; that's just how it is and always will be.

 

[thinkandgrowrich]

This is just my personal opinion.

That's a load of shit. I've been in sales for a while now and I can tell you right off the bat that the mindset you have towards sales is a minority.

Not many people have that attitude; in fact I find that it's mostly the control freaks and penny punchers that have that attitude.

Of course there's an ethical side of selling where your product WILL add value to someone who buys it. It is irrelevant whether or not they WANT to buy it. Your job as a salesperson is to provide enough value and insight to a customer to get them to the point where they say "YES I NEED this!"

I don't see anything wrong with selling something to someone that will add some sort of value to their lives.

I guarantee that if top companies used your approach on selling, they'd lose millions in revenue; that's just how it is and always will be.

I don't think either of us are right or wrong, but lets just assume you're right here.

Even if customers do like being sold to, I think there are two approaches or mental frames that people use when it comes to selling.

One comes from a position of neediness and low status. Like, "hey buy this product or service. I'm going to keep bothering you and use every trick up my sleeve just so you can buy this."

The other approach comes from a position of authority and high value. Like, "Hey lemme tell you about this product or service and how it can benefit your life."

With that being said, I still think the majority of people don't like being sold to. But whatever, its all perception anyways so who knows whats the truth at the end of the day.

"People like to buy, they don't like being sold to"

 

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[Waspy]

Aren't you both just saying the same thing?

Give your potential customer the facts in a way that shows them they need your product. That's pretty much what you both said.

Basically, be a good salesperson, not a shit one.

 

[Raoul Duke]

 

[Digamma]

So, to summarize this thread:

• People don't like being badgered by a random guy in a store.
• People love being sold by someone who knows what they're doing.

OP, what you describe is selling. It's the only sales there is.

The two bullet points up there describe the same thing. Identical. With one difference.

In one you are not interested, in the other you are.

When you want to buy a stereo, you are interested in getting information about stereos.

When you trolling the mall and decide to check out the electronics store, you are not interested in getting information about stereos.

That's all there is to it. The store salesmen will ask you if you need anything because they can't know which one you are.

Sure, if they are good, they will do it more subtly and not badger you.

They might walk beside you, smile, say good morning, if you need anything let me know - by the way, that stereo there is my favorite. Then keep walking away.

Why is it their favorite? If you want a stereo, you must know before you buy.

So you ask him to educate you.


To reiterate the point I was trying to make: sales is educating people. Literally.

No salesman will ever just say "buy buy buy buy".

It just feels that way when you don't want to be educated.

 

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[Scot]

It's to educate potential prospects and clients from a position of authority, because I'M the EXPERT here. I know that my product or service will benefit them, but I'm not going to try to sell them on it, I'm merely going to educate them on how and why it will benefit their lives.

There is nobody out there in the world who does not want their life to get better, our job is to inform them on how they can do it.

I really hope you don't try and employ this form of selling at your business. Let me give a true story about how this type of selling does not work.

I currently sell a drug that has 1 competitor. If you were to ask any doctor who has never heard of either products before it would be a hands down decision to use my drug versus the competition.

Let's lay out the facts.

My drug: a short treatment (only take once and never again), 36% cure rate, literally no side effects, no other safety risks. Cost $1000 once.

Competitor: life long chronic medication, works for about 30% of patients, controlled medication, risk of addiction, while list of side effects, known to cause hospitalization. Cost? $900/mo forever and ever

Who do you think is winning right now? The competitor. Why? My company got complacent with sales. They assumed they had a no brainer. All we had to do was drop off a pamphlet, have a great convo and make sure they didn't need help with insurance approvals.

The competitor went in and sold their a$$ off. They had a line for every benefit of our drug. It got so bad doctors were parroting back their sales pitch to me!

So yeah, sales is really important even when your product delivers value. You can tell them the benefits all day long. You and I both know they need it, but they don't. So convince them.


*i will not entertain any debates on pharmaceuticals or the practice of selling drugs. This was merely an real world example.

 

[eliquid]

You many think people don't want to be badgered and don't want to be cold called and sold to.

However, if that was the case... a lot of of companies and products would not exist in our world today.

These tactics do in fact work for w/e reason. If anything, it also helps as a touch point for a new brand or product too.

As a marketer and business person, I feel the same was as you about me personally getting pitched to, but me and you have insight and experience that 90% of the world doesn't though. So that's why we think and feel like that.

My mother/sister-in-law/wife/kids/brothers however, will sit there and let someone sell them on something they are not ready to buy and never once had any interest in at all before they encountered this person.

It's a numbers game. When it's "our number" it doesn't work on us and we avoid it. However, there maybe be 20 people out of the next 200 that walk in that door that he gets to buy based on his pitch.

No body walks into Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops looking for a vacation. They are there to look at and buy other product. However, they is always some guy in there pitching some vacation getaway and timeshare type product and he is always pitching it and people are always there listening to him go on and on about it.

I avoid the guy every time I am in there, but other people sign up and listen to him.

 

[Ankerstein17]

No one is right or wrong here. Every one is adding good points

Essentially it boils down to a one thing. Where the customer is in the buying process

Customers that are unfamiliar with the products or service require more of a need to be educated or see the value that product or service will add.

When customers are fairly familiar with the value being added, there is a less of a need on the education side, and more on other aspects of the deal.

The value being added is different in stages of the buying process. Buyers remorse happens at times, and some times value is added in terms of follow ups and making sure your customer is happy. And what else you can do to help those consumers feel that they made the right choice.

It Changes at all different stages throughout the process.

 

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[thinkandgrowrich]

I really hope you don't try and employ this form of selling at your business. Let me give a true story about how this type of selling does not work.

I currently sell a drug that has 1 competitor. If you were to ask any doctor who has never heard of either products before it would be a hands down decision to use my drug versus the competition.

Let's lay out the facts.

My drug: a short treatment (only take once and never again), 36% cure rate, literally no side effects, no other safety risks. Cost $1000 once.

Competitor: life long chronic medication, works for about 30% of patients, controlled medication, risk of addiction, while list of side effects, known to cause hospitalization. Cost? $900/mo forever and ever

Who do you think is winning right now? The competitor. Why? My company got complacent with sales. They assumed they had a no brainer. All we had to do was drop off a pamphlet, have a great convo and make sure they didn't need help with insurance approvals.

The competitor went in and sold their a$$ off. They had a line for every benefit of our drug. It got so bad doctors were parroting back their sales pitch to me!

So yeah, sales is really important even when your product delivers value. You can tell them the benefits all day long. You and I both know they need it, but they don't. So convince them.


*i will not entertain any debates on pharmaceuticals or the practice of selling drugs. This was merely an real world example.

I was just describing a different approach and tactic when it comes to sales. In no way am I advocating being passive.

Like almost things in life, to get what you want you have to be relentless and assertive (but with grace). I'm sure you know this more than me since you have much more sales tact, experience, and skill. And no, I'm not saying that in a sarcastic way lol

In your experience, what's the most effective and results-generating way to deliver a sales pitch to clients who have no idea who you or your company are?

Also, do you have a certain mindset or mental frame you enter each pitch with? I think that's the most intriguing aspect of high performing salespeople

 

[Scot]

I was just describing a different approach and tactic when it comes to sales. In no way am I advocating being passive.

Like almost things in life, to get what you want you have to be relentless and assertive (but with grace). I'm sure you know this more than me since you have much more sales tact, experience, and skill. And no, I'm not saying that in a sarcastic way lol

In your experience, what's the most effective and results-generating way to deliver a sales pitch to clients who have no idea who you or your company are?

Also, do you have a certain mindset or mental frame you enter each pitch with? I think that's the most intriguing aspect of high performing salespeople

If you're going into it cold, starting off with the informative or problem solving route is the best option. When you're being helpful and just conversing. You have the option to ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more information you gather to build your sales pitch. As the conversation goes along, you're able to bring up the product naturally in the conversation, as a suggestion. You can tie it back into the needs they expressed. So yes, it similar to the way you want to be sold to, but you can't skimp out on the delivery once you get there.

The mindset I have going into every pitch is a simple question I ask before I start "What do you want to happen during this call?"

Something as simple as having a defined goal makes a big difference when entering a conversation.

 

[thinkandgrowrich]

If you're going into it cold, starting off with the informative or problem solving route is the best option. When you're being helpful and just conversing. You have the option to ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more information you gather to build your sales pitch. As the conversation goes along, you're able to bring up the product naturally in the conversation, as a suggestion. You can tie it back into the needs they expressed. So yes, it similar to the way you want to be sold to, but you can't skimp out on the delivery once you get there.

The mindset I have going into every pitch is a simple question I ask before I start "What do you want to happen during this call?"

Something as simple as having a defined goal makes a big difference when entering a conversation.

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is that goal and how specific is it?

I know each situation is unique, but when you break it down and go down to the very foundation, what remains?

Is it as simple as "just getting the sale"?

Or shit, do you even care about the sale?

I know some people approach sales with a completely detached mindset, which relieves them of any pressure to get the sale, which actually helps them get the sale. I do this a lot, my mind is weird and I need to trick it to work in my favor lol

 

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[conquer]

Sales is beautiful.

You might not realize it but you sell everyday, in and out of work.

Whenever you convince your wife or gf why you should watch an action movie vs a chick flick, that's selling.

Explaining to a kid the importance of brushing teeth to avoid long and expensive dental work is also selling.

Life is all about sales.

A good salesman only sells what the customer needs which he finds out by asking the right questions.

An expert salesman can help a customer discover a need they didn't notice before.

Forcing products upon a customer doesn't see value in is one of the reasons why the salesman as a professional has a bad reputation.

Mark Cuban was a great salesman. Started his own software sales company, used his sales skills to increase Yahoo!'s bid when he was negotiating the sale of Broadcast.net.

 

[Scot]

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is that goal and how specific is it?

I know each situation is unique, but when you break it down and go down to the very foundation, what remains?

Is it as simple as "just getting the sale"?

Or shit, do you even care about the sale?

I know some people approach sales with a completely detached mindset, which relieves them of any pressure to get the sale, which actually helps them get the sale. I do this a lot, my mind is weird and I need to trick it to work in my favor lol

9/10 times, yes the goal is to get the sale. But I'll put a qualifier on that. To get a sale that is mutually beneficial to both parties. The worst thing you can do is sell for the sake of selling. If you end up putting a burden on a buyer or sell them something unnecessary, you lose.

There are some times when the goal of the sales call is just to establish a relationship, network, or to lay the groundwork for a sale down the road.

It all comes down to you pre planning. If you know what you need to do business wise and you research your target, the pieces fall into place. If you go in blind and just start selling left and right with no idea of your target customer or market, you're going to crash and burn.

 

[JAJT]

I spent 10+ years doing sales in the corporate world before jumping ship into my own ventures. I've done small deals and huge deal both to consumers and businesses alike.

The problem with a lot of attitudes from non-salespeople is that "sales" is a dirty word and you only ever really notice the bad or super aggressive salespeople, which is who they associate when you hear "sales".

Most people also know just enough to understand that there are psychological "tricks" that can be played on them, leading to further distrust in sales people.

It's no coincidence that almost every company under the sun has replaced the word "sales person" with "account executive". Because it doesn't conjure up all that nonsense that people wrongly paint all salespeople with.

The simple fact is that good salespeople are opportunity finders and value providers. Period. It doesn't matter if it's mall retail or cars or scientific lab equipment.

And to be frank - how someone feels at the start of a sale is largely irrelevant. Nobody (and I mean nobody) remembers how angry they were to get a call, knock or an in-person "hello" from some a**hole trying to sell them something as long as they feel awesome at the end of the process. If you can offer value, solve their problem (whether they knew about it or not) and leave them feeling better than before they met you - they won't care about how they felt when you interrupted them.

The thing to remember is - not everyone is in the market for your help. That doesn't mean there aren't droves of people who desperately appreciate what you can do for them.

(And if you are selling something of no value... well yeah, stop that).

 

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[Andy Black]

In your experience, what's the most effective and results-generating way to deliver a sales pitch to clients who have no idea who you or your company are?

I just meet for a coffee and have a chat, or have a chat over Skype. Neutral territory works, otherwise it feels like I'm delivering a sales pitch and they will feel like I'm trying to sell to them, when I'm not.

Those calls are typically instigated by them through some form of word-of-mouth anyway, so I rarely speak to people who don't have an inkling of what I do and how I can help them.

The result I'm looking for is to get a better idea of who they are, where they've come from, where they want to go, and whether I can help them. I'm not trying to make a sale (see further comments below).

The ideal result is to have yet one more person out there that understands how paid search can help them, and who is more likely to try it. Whether they decide to do it themselves, use someone else, or engage me is a result I'm 100% detached from.

If they want to DIY it, then they're a poor candidate for a DFY service. By definition.

If I was to "persuade" someone to hire me who really wants to DIY it, then they will end up as a PITA client anyway.

My tools are questions, stories, and a genuine curiosity to find out what makes them tick. I love just chatting to people. How many people would want to pick this business person's brains, and there I am having a laugh over a coffee with them - all because they believe I might be able to help them.

And I'll help them there and then too. I'll explain where they might get some quick wins. I'll tell them stories so they can "get" (and remember) concepts that other people make dry and academic.

I don't try and close. I don't even give them a business card. They already contacted me.

If I follow up, it's because I promised to a link to something I've written that goes into more detail about what I've just said.

If they want to hire me, cool. If not, that's cool as well - there's one more person out there who knows I know wtf I'm talking about, AND I've had yet another great converation.

Also, do you have a certain mindset or mental frame you enter each pitch with? I think that's the most intriguing aspect of high performing salespeople

Yeah, I don't gaf about making a sale. I'm there to find out more about them and their business, and which of my stories is going to help them

I'm curious. Will they keep talking about "traffic"? Will they tell me their landing page conversion rate? Will they call paid search PPC or SEM? Will they ask what's the best ad position to be in? What level are they at? Where are they going wrong with their mindset? Do I want to work with this person anyway?

I know each situation is unique, but when you break it down and go down to the very foundation, what remains?

Is it as simple as "just getting the sale"?

Or shit, do you even care about the sale?

I know some people approach sales with a completely detached mindset, which relieves them of any pressure to get the sale, which actually helps them get the sale. I do this a lot, my mind is weird and I need to trick it to work in my favor lol

I'm detached from the outcome, 100%. Listen to some of my calls with forum members and you'll hear how I talk to people. I'm fascinated by people, I love talking to people, I'm genuinely curious about their story, and genuinely want to help them.

If they want to work with me I'll try and come up with a win-win. If they don't, or if I can't come up with win-win then so what?

One of the best pieces of advice I was given about sales was that "your job is to determine asap whether the person in front of you sees the value or the cost in what you do".

Sales is a screening process.



I don't know if I'd get a job as a salesperson for anyone else. I haven't read the books or know the different types of closes. I refuse to as well.

Force me to make a sale and I'll probably do worse than I do naturally.

Force me to stfu and just ask questions and listen and I'll screw up too.

Force me to follow a script and I'll lose the will to live.

I'm pretty good at selling people on my viewpoint, or selling myself on looking on the bright side when everything's gone to shit. From that viewpoint I consider us all salespeople really.


Hope that helps.

 

[eqttrdr]

Ben Settle would disagree with the OP

 

[jlwilliams]

Brief true story. Decades ago, in another career. I was at a trade show. A guy was looking at my work. I offered that he could handle the work and that I'd be glad to tell him anything he'd like to know. He said that as impressed as he was with the work, it was way out of his price range and he didn't want to waste my time. I replied that I was there to promote my work and that I was there all weekend specifically to tell anyone who would listen how great my stuff was. He chuckled, we talked for quite a while and off he went. Two or three years later I got a call. He had done well and was in a better tax bracket. He wanted to buy my work and get wanted to buy it from me because I gave him some time and courtesy when he was not a "qualified sales prospect." At the time, I hadn't thought of talking to him as any sort of pitch. Fact is that what I told him was true. I was there to talk and welcomed the opportunity to talk to someone who thought well of my work.

People do want to hear about goods and services that they want.

"Selling" is NOT a dirty word.

Even though at the time I didn't think I was selling, in retrospect I was. I was having a genuine conversation. I wasn't scamming anyone. I was showing my wares and describing my craft. Eventually, money changed hands,and I learned a small lesson on the path.

 

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[Andy Black]

Brief true story. Decades ago, in another career. I was at a trade show. A guy was looking at my work. I offered that he could handle the work and that I'd be glad to tell him anything he'd like to know. He said that as impressed as he was with the work, it was way out of his price range and he didn't want to waste my time. I replied that I was there to promote my work and that I was there all weekend specifically to tell anyone who would listen how great my stuff was. He chuckled, we talked for quite a while and off he went. Two or three years later I got a call. He had done well and was in a better tax bracket. He wanted to buy my work and get wanted to buy it from me because I gave him some time and courtesy when he was not a "qualified sales prospect." At the time, I hadn't thought of talking to him as any sort of pitch. Fact is that what I told him was true. I was there to talk and welcomed the opportunity to talk to someone who thought well of my work.

People do want to hear about goods and services that they want.

"Selling" is NOT a dirty word.

Even though at the time I didn't think I was selling, in retrospect I was. I was having a genuine conversation. I wasn't scamming anyone. I was showing my wares and describing my craft. Eventually, money changed hands,and I learned a small lesson on the path.

I love this story. Thanks for sharing @jlwilliams. Rep+

Some things I observed:

1) Years later you were still doing the same thing. All that work over the years gathers momentum, like a snowball rolling down a hill. If you had changed businesses every year chasing shiny new objects then you'd not have sold anything to him.

2) As soon as I started reading your story I wanted to finish. Especially because you started by saying "Brief true story". Nice work selling me on reading the rest of the post.

3) I think that's more than a "small" lesson. Treating people as people is more fun than treating them as traffic, clicks, visitors, or marks. It works better for me too.

4) "People buy from people." (Doesn't always apply of course, but don't underestimate this.)

5) "Chuckle" is such a great word.

 

[Denim Chicken]

There are VARIOUS types of sales methods, ask any true sales professional. What you are describing is a hard sell type of tactic like you imagine at an used car dealer and even that has its place. God knows when you're in a quota carrying environment and it's the last day of the month, even in a B2B environment, you do what you can.

That being said, the type of selling you are describing is appropriate for some and not for others.

For example, if we already have rapport, I'm not going to beat around the bush and waste both our times, there have been times when me and the client were busting each other's balls and I have straight asked for the sale "So Scott, you ready to sign or do I have to buy you dinner first?"
It depends on the scenario and when you work in sales for a living, you get good at identifying patterns and knowing which type of person and where you are in your relationship is appropriate for this type of response.

Or, you can go the high probability selling route which is another method and just play the #s game. Not everyone will tolerate the sales method you described but some will and it might be 3%, or 5% but that just means you move from one to the next QUICK.

I STRONGLY believe that the best salespeople have one quality over all : (After the common traits like drive, work ethic, optimism) and thats EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. If I were dealing with a client like you, I wouldn't use the hard sell approach I could probably hear it in your voice or see it in your body language and use a more passive and consultative approach.

EDIT: I just want to add a quick tip. Your repulsion to that salesperson in the scenario you described, will depend on where you are in the sales cycle btw. If you need have been on 7 test drives and you're sick of taking time off to go to dealers and you've made up your mind you're buying a car TODAY, that guy that approaches you will be a more welcome sight than if you are just "browsing". Then you're not ready to buy and he's an annoyance because he's passively pressuring you to buy something when you're not ready.

 

[Torobaro]

Everyone hates being sold to.

And that's when I need information, when I need to be educated before I make a decision.

When I need information I go out of my way to talk to a salesperson and ask him as many questions as I can. Gathering this information allows me to make the best possible decision and it gives me full CONTROL over the situation.

Very true, in my view this is also related with the rise of e-commerce

Any product for which you don´t need information is sold online, on the contrary, complex products where information is needed are still sold offline

 

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