Is Lying Costing You Opportunities

People don’t like the idea of being “sold”.  There is a fundamental instinctual skepticism that immediately falls upon us when a salesperson approaches us. If you don’t believe me, think of the last time you walked into a store.  Whether you were there for a new TV or a new pair of shoes, when the salesperson asked you if you needed help, dollars to donuts says that the first words that escaped your lips were “No, I’m just looking.” That’s the first lie.

It’s a natural response.  Even salespeople do it.  But what is the cost?  Is your business missing out on opportunities to increase revenues or cut costs for no reason other than the walls went up too fast?  Even when we actively seek out help, we carry skepticism with us. And we continue to lie.

We lie about our revenues.  We lie about our website traffic.  We lie about our margins.  We lie about who the decision makers are.  We lie about our budget.  We lie about everything that we can short of what our name and e-mail address are because we think that we’re involved in a chess match with the guy on the other side of the conversation and we’re always trying to stay two moves ahead and maintain a competitive advantage.

It is important to understand that just because you agreed to pick up the phone and talk to a salesperson doesn’t mean that you are obligated to write them a check by the time you hang up the phone. Being honest about your budget might help you avoid dodging follow up phone calls for the next few weeks. It might also help the person on the other end of the phone find the right fit for your business, rather than try to push something you don’t actually need and would never actually consider investing in.

Nobody likes being “sold,” but most people would agree that collaborating with someone else to combine skills and expertise is a great way to grow and move forward in business. Ultimately it comes down to our instincts to determine whether someone is looking for a partner or looking for a sale. But if our defenses go up too fast, and we start to try and manipulate the conversation in a way we think might tilt it in our favor, we might just be causing more harm than good.