Why people hate sales-people
In the past, sales people were not positively looked upon. In public representation, the stereotypical salesman is smooth, sneaky and immoral. They will do anything to make a sale — even if it means lying to a buyer.
Today, the vast majority of salesman and account managers no longer fit this description. Instead of pushing products down people’s throats, they try to get positive results and give valuable clues. Away from the old used car dealership mentality.
Top salesmen know that being intrusive, demanding or impatient will eliminate their opportunities. If you are an obviously rude or unpleasant salesman, it is not surprising that your potential customers do not like you.
However, according to psychological research, even a handful of unconscious and apparently innocent behaviours can affect a person’s sympathy.
Although these 3 behaviours may seem harmless, they may in fact create contempt among your potential customers or prospects. If you don’t “click” as well with your customers as with your colleagues, one of these bad habits could be to blame.
1) Using the word “honestly.”
The word “honestly” is increasingly becoming a verbal tic that professionals say from time to time. But while it might be the equivalent of “ah” or “um” to you, it comes off very differently to your audience. Honest people don’t generally call attention to their honesty. Just think about it…
2) Being too giving.
In recent years, many sales experts and opinion leaders have suggested replacing the mantra “always be closing” with something better suited for modern sales — “always serving”, “always helping”, “always advising”. No matter which version you choose, the message is clear: giving is good.
However, research by the University of Washington showed that those who played a card game in a highly selfless, self-defying way were viewed with suspicion by their fellow players. The majority of participants said they no longer wanted to work with their selfless colleagues -”The person makes me look bad” or “breaks the rules” were some of the reasons given. Sometimes they suspected that the person had ulterior motives.
3) Not listening.
Salespeople can sometimes be so entangled in their thoughts about a sale that they lose themselves mentally when their potential customers talk. And after repeating this habit several times, they become masters at reacting as if they were multitasking.
Although some potential customers may not feel the seller’s mental distance, others will, and their perception of the seller will immediately deteriorate.
Funnily, we are all salespeople at the end of times. We all want and need to sell others on our ideas, projects, values and beliefs. The real question thus becomes, what kind of sales people we decide to be and the skills we can learn to get there:
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