Confessions From A Pushy Sales Person

Desmond Blackburn
Sep 4, 2018 · 3 min read

Why you need to embrace the need to push.

I’ve been selling professionally for over 30 years. Like you, the label of “pushy salesman” was something to both loathe and avoid. After all we’ve all been pitched by a sales person who simply couldn’t take “the hint.”

I’ve been the cool guy, the whatever, get back to me when you can, guy.” The, you’ve postponed a decision for the 10th time but lets reschedule guy.” As you can see I’ve done a lot to resist the need to be seen as pushy. WELL SCREW THAT!

The reality is that I have lost more money and business trying to be “that guy.” To make matters worse, I have even lost deals to other sale professionals who decided be “Pushy” and in the end, they got the deal and all I got was a sincere “Your a nice guy but we decided to go with….”

I’m not trying to encourage anybody to be a “butt hole” But I am here to encourage you to take back control. Start off by declaring the outcome right up front, “I am here to do business with you. And when this trial is done, I am going to ask you for your business. What day and time will this work for you? Oh? you’re not the decision maker, no problem who is?

Moving the deal to the next step is our job. My error was mistaking a customers politeness for consensus. Meaning that they understand where this is going and that everyone knows that are here to do business.

Prospects have a bad habit of thinking that they are doing us a favor by giving false hope or accepting our trials because they believe that we are being paid by the presentation. Well I am not and neither are you. But who’s fault is it for letting that happen. You guessed it, yours.

So what do I do to change. Establish up front what the outcome is. Mr. customer my intentions are clear and transparent “I’m going send you this proposal but here’s the twist. Give your prospect permission to say no, I’m not interested.

Now I know what you are thinking, “He must be crazy why would I do that?” Because a sales funnel filled with large prospects is NOT the same as a sales funnel filled with ACTUAL clients who will be spending money.

Low “sales esteem” reps will share their inflated list of hopeful prospects who have the potential to close but have given no indication that they will.

Allowing a customer an out, allows them to save face without feeling like a “butt hole.” It also helps you to spend less time wasting energy, lunches and sports tickets on suspects instead of true prospects.

Being cool will make you poor. But being direct, clear and intentional will make you rich. So if this makes me A PUSHY SALES PERSON, then so be it. I hope that you become PUSHY as well.

Desmond A. Blackburn is the Author or “They Will Buy From You” he is also a professional speaker and peak performance coach. To reach him, simply go to www.layoffproof.com