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This concept crystallizes for me the hard sell position when taken to an extreme. Do what it takes to get the sale because “All’s fair in love and war”; and sales, to the hard sell marketer, is war. There are winners and losers. The good ones make sure they are the winners most of the time. On the other end of the spectrum, soft sell salespeople and soft sell marketers work to achieve a win-win.
Mind you, there are degrees between hard sell and soft sell sales and marketing. Rarely do you find people anchored at the poles. Usually salespeople are moving in one direction or the other, being mostly hard or mostly soft sell. Nevertheless, the “All’s fair” mentality causes a tremendous amount of heart break in this world.
While many men probably would not describe a failed business trust or failed business relationship as causing a broken heart, it sure looks similar to me to a personal relationship where one person’s feeling got abused for the gratification of the con man or woman. Look at how many men are cynical about sales and marketing promises and salespeople in general. Doesn’t that look like someone swearing off love because the breakup or experience of being dumped is just too painful to risk again?
It’s time that the business world recognizes loving your customer means developing a long term relationship based on trust and mutual benefit. Business relationships are, frankly, relationships. Just like my personal experience where I’m happily married. Dorothy and I are about to celebrate our 18th anniversary. Because we’ve dealt with each other using honesty and trust, we’ve been able to work through the challenges of life.
My sales experience is similar. I can’t begin to describe how precious my memory is of working with a client in El Paso who finally realized that I was there to help him resolve a need he had for computer and printer service. When that recognition hit, I watched a significant change in our relationship. I had shown by my proposals that I was listening to what he wanted and needed for his Information Technology Department. Now we worked together with him coaching me as to what I still had to do for him to be able to get the purchase order approved.
If you want enduring relationships in business, or in your personal life, move away from the “All’s fair” viewpoint. And leave behind the images that sales or love are warfare. Sales become spiritual service when you make that connection with your customers. Building and maintaining a relationship of trust is so much more satisfying and fulfilling on many levels, more rewarding than just a quick commission from a sale slammed home. Help customers buy.
May your sales be fun and mutually rewarding.
P.S. For more on soft sell sales and soft sell marketing, check out Judith & Jim’s new book, The Heart of Marketing. As its subtitle says, “love your customers and they will love you back.”
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Gratitude Sets the Right Attitude
Heart Centered Selling’s not for Wimps
Have You Heard the MLM Lies?
Sales Motivation – Remember, There’s more to Life than Money
Trusting a Salesperson Is Tough; Liking Is Easy
If No One Cares, It’s Not a Unique Selling Proposition
If Sales Calls to You Are Win-Lose Battles, Read No Further
