How This Mindset Could Be Hurting Your Sales (and How to Fix It)

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People think that selling is about manipulation or trickery. Many think that it’s about talking someone into making a purchase they may not benefit from. The salesperson stereotype has become the image of a slick con artist convincing people to buy what they’re selling—to buy things they do not need. But this is wrong.

Smooth-talking someone into buying your product or service is so far from what a successful salesperson is about. When poor morals come into play, a very unhealthy relationship is built—one that is guaranteed not to last.

If a prospect purchases from you based on manipulation, they will only harbor feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction. This will only ensure negative implications.

When you use trickery to sell to your prospects, both sides of the fence end up with a skewed view and jaded opinion of the relationship. The prospect becomes defensive, thinking that they are just being sold. They start to feel like they are just another number—that the salesperson is just trying to make money off them by selling them a product they do not need.

The bigger problem is that the salesperson stereotype of conning prospects is something grounded in reality. Many salespeople have the view that success comes from convincing people to buy what they’re selling despite them not wanting or needing it. This mentality will send the salesperson down a path of mistrust, bad reputation, and failure.

So, how do you avoid the stereotype?

Change Perspective

Stop talking anyone and everyone into buying from you. Start finetuning your prospects into people who actually want and have a need for your product or service.

This will send any salesperson in a much more positive and productive direction. This might sound like it’s easier said than done. Wouldn’t you just want to reach out to and convince as many people as possible?

No. Your time is valuable. Calls to people who are not interested are simply a waste of your time. You could be spending that time finding the prospects that need you.

Here are a few steps to help you get going on the path to quality prospects.

1. Don’t Try to Sell to Everybody

You must find a particular type of prospect. One of the most common mistakes a salesperson can make is that they try and sell to everyone. This can and will waste your time. When you pursue the wrong leads, the right ones get away—and they end up buying from your competition.

2. Qualify People

It is perfectly okay to make sure that who you are spending your time on will be worth it for you. Have an idea of who your ideal prospect is so that you know who to spend your time on. Pursue them, meet with them, nurture these relationships.

To do this, you must pre-qualify your prospects. Make an assessment to determine if someone is an ideal prospect. Do your research, come up with a script where you are asking them the right questions. Find their pain.

If you are offering a service, let them know that you only take serious, committed clients. If they have a feeling of scarcity and something being elite, they will want in. When you begin to assess them, the tables turn and they want to prove themselves.

You can even openly tell them that if they are a good fit, you will consider working with them. Market your service or product as a privilege.

3. Know the Difference Between Those That Need vs. Those That Need Right Now

It really doesn’t matter if someone qualifies as your ideal prospect. It is not a done deal until the fee is paid. Just because someone is the perfect fit, needs what you’re offering, and qualifies, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they need it right now.

Many prospects need what you have but could be locked into another contract, have just purchased something similar that they are dissatisfied with so now can’t afford it, or simply do not have the budget for another six to twelve months.

This isn’t the end of the world. Keep them in that pipeline and follow up. When your business starts to flow—and it will—you will have a full pipeline of prospects, and you will be closing deal after deal.

Important: Implement the right tools and strategies to remain fresh in their minds. Just because they aren’t buying from you now doesn’t mean that when they are ready, they won’t remember you. Be authentic and genuine. If you keep people’s best business interests in mind, the universe will deliver. You will be successful. Always follow up!

4. Make It All About Those That Need You Right Now

Now that you have identified who you will spend your time on, focus on only them. They want what you have, and they have a pain that you can provide a solution to.

Do you think you will have to use trickery now?

No. These prospects are looking for a change and want that change to happen now. If you execute the sales process properly, closing your prospect will almost take care of itself and will be easier than you think.

What Have We Learned?

If you go for the masses, you probably will end up having to use the trickery and manipulation discussed earlier. Don’t be that salesperson.

Your time is valuable. If you apply your expertise and focus on qualified individuals who need what you have and need it now, selling becomes a breeze, and you won’t have to resort to being a sneaky trickster to be successful.

As long as you focus on those that are a good fit need your service or product now, you will not have to pull tricks out of your sleeve. When you begin to walk away from poor-quality leads, you will end up saving yourself so much time that would have otherwise been wasted.

Putting that saved time and effort into finding better prospects will ensure that your pipeline is always full of hot leads and ideal clients.

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