Dealing with people that think selling is evil

If they're business owners, they're unlikely to think selling is evil - that's what they're doing themselves. Your role is to show them how your product or service will benefit their business.

I wonder if your uncertainty stems from a lack of belief or confidence in what you're selling.

It's your job to position yourself as an advisor, not an evil money hungry con artist.

Language helps. Never say "I sold.." say "They invested in..."

If they ask how much commission you get, just say "The company takes care of their reps, just like they take care of their customers".

If you often get asked about your profit or commission, believe me, or if you repeatedly get the same objection, you are doing something to create that response. I know that's hard to hear.


And they don't think selling is evil. They think "what they believe selling to be" is evil. All business is buying and selling. Nothing happens in business until something is sold.

In a business, selling and marketing are the only things that contribute to growth. Everything else contributes to cost. Be proud. The single most common trait of a CEO is their ability to sell their ideas.

If anyone asks how you get paid, tell them "Most people get paid by the time they spend on the job. I get paid by how much service I render to my customers".

Added later; Sometimes, I hear "I only get paid on commission". But that's the wrong way to think. Who gets a salary? Employees. Who works on commission? Doctors, lawyers, entertainers, farmers, all business owners work on commission. Commission is more, not less. If you are wealthy, you got that way by earning a profit.

I know I'm not the only one who had their fingers crossed that Claude would chime in here - and glad he did The two re-frames above in particular I find so valuable. As the saying goes, 'you don't get rich renting out your time' (even for a high hourly wage). The leaders/CEOs considered the most "visionary" due to their effectiveness and impact (Jobs, Musk, etc) tend to be the most skilled at sales as well...

Thank you all for the replies. I have to be a bit careful here as this is public.

Many of the people I deal with have had a successful career in an arena where it's 'just them' pretty much. Their careers revolve around them employing their skills solo or with a small team.

That is a full, rewarding and successful career with almost zero corporate exposure to things like partnerships, sales, marketing, product development etc.

After that, some of them join our side of the industry and I partner with them. So it's almost like dealing with people in their first years of work. It takes a lot of hand-holding because it's common for them to say "I don't want to sell". Usually, it's just a matter of explaining why we are implementing certain things.

I myself pay affiliates 30%. I also have a few moderately successful relationships where I am the affiliate/reseller. Our biggest earner is with a marketing savvy firm that has no qualms about pay-outs and our slice is about half way to 7 figures a year. No complaints from them ever.

One of the other relationships is becoming problematic as the partner is looking at our slice and seeing it as a cost, rather than looking at their slice and seeing it as gravy. The primary has not come through the corporate world, has had no exposure to partnerships or sales or marketing at all. Day zero.

We were a reseller and we are losing that. That's done. No reversing it. No negotiation. It's changing.
We are being offered an affiliate deal that is not very attractive in its place.I never made much of a thing about what we had to do to get the sales. It looks like that's left them with the impression we did very little but sit back and earn.

So in our discussions today - the following things came across from their side:
- That there is another company that will push the product to their customers for free and that's the way it should be
- That we should all just sell our own respective products and not look for a %age of partner sales - because it's good for the customers
- That they have no plans to do any marketing as the product will be so good, people will find it
- That they don't like selling and we shouldn't sell it - but let people decide on their own
- (when I asked how they'd feel about a 50% split to feel them out) That it's their product and why should they give the money to someone else.
- That I got lucky with the prior reseller deal we struck, I think the implication is I took advantage of them at that point but I can't be sure. I still think it was an amazing deal for them.

So there is a huge gap in terms of understanding the time and costs of - acquiring leads, building rapport, matching people with a product and closing deals.

Unfortunately - I am on the other side of the negotiating table. So anything I say will I get treated like it's part of my strategy to sway them and I've told them - we have to both be comfortable with any deal we strike.

The crux of it is the belief that "selling is evil" and "if your product is great, you don't need sales/marketing anyway".

It's a tough nut to crack.

Thank them for their time and prior business, shake hands and let them go. That's my advice.



Be polite - burn no bridges - just tell them their proposal doesn't interest you...if their sales take a dive, you might hear from them again. If not, no loss as you can't change that mindset.

Not necessarily. Even the biggest names (Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Nike, etc.) still need marketing and sales to sell. But again, they don't have to hard sell.

Another consideration to keep in mind. If a customer/client you've had a good working relationship with begins to question pricing, etc...very good chance someone is whispering in their ear.


I've had it happen twice as a freelance writer where another person had access to my client and offered to cut rates. The client won't tell you that but may try to 're-negotiate terms'.


Not something you can argue with...but you can be too busy to take that client back when the cheapo doesn't work out....

I've rarely "sold" anything. From B2B to working in a rent to own to my own store. People come to you looking for something, or you've set your hook and they bit.

I have always used the old FAB statements, Features, Advantages, Benefits.

The feature of this comment is that it is short, but informational.
The advantage is that it is a fast learn.
The benefit is that you can use this short read, but informational, comment as a guide over and over and over.

You make them WANT it, or, have your back up products ready for when they don't want that. If you're targeting their needs properly it's something that they will want anyway.

In my opinion selling is like recommendation. I don't sell just anything to anyone. I just offer what I have to offer and if the person on the other site feels good while hearing this offer, that good enough to close the recommendation.

I think salesman cannot be pushy.

You make them WANT it, or, have your back up products ready for when they don't want that. If you're targeting their needs properly it's something that they will want anyway.

I don't 'sell' anything. I recommend solutions.
It may be semantics from the 'selling' side of the exchange, but it is a big difference in the eyes of the prospect.
It is a well known adage in marketing that in order to 'sell', you need to offer a solution to a problem. It is also added on that you often need to create a 'perceived problem' in the mind of the prospect.
In Internet Marketing, and especially in Affiliate Marketing, you really don't need to create a need for your product or service. You simply need to search out those who are already expressing a need for your solution. You then need to create a presence in the forum in which you find them, and recommend your solution.
With so many affiliate programs available, you should only focus on those you have actually used yourself so that you can offer genuine recommendations and follow-up by answering any queries should they be asked.
Treat every prospect as a friend. How often do you recommend something you have had great results from to a friend that will help them solve a problem?
There is no need to be a 'snake oil salesman' in the modern world.

When people are desperate for money (i.e. clients), they don't approach it like this at all. You think, "Hey, if this person will buy from me, I'll take it, because I need the money." You end up trying to convince them to buy something that maybe they shouldn't buy. And that makes you a salesperson.

Right off the bat, you have to assume they're NOT a good fit, as much as they might be. And if they're not a good fit, you genuinely don't want to work with them.

You can say selling is also recommending... This is how is see stuff. I recommend people my thing and if they don't like it, need it or just want it & i am not pushy.

For me is not important that particular person buy. For me is important that people who buy from me, have value from me also.

I am in that kind of business, that when someone buy/partner with me, then the journey starts. And i am here for them to make them as successful as they can and want be.

you just need to choose what is good and what not , everyone trying to get money in all ways even worst ways...

You know, I don't think selling is evil.

I've been in sales for years and I actually APPRECIATE people in sales who do it well. Sometimes I'll even buy what they're selling just because I want to encourage them.

Believe it or not, when I go to a shopping mall I try to make eye contact with the people manning the kiosks in the aisles. I like to see who's in sales and who's just biding time.

I'll elbow my friends and point out the gal who's texting on her phone, or the guy who's reading a magazine. "They're not in sales," I'll tell them.

The best sales person ever was the lady with the pillow thing for around your neck that you can heat up in the microwave. She snuck up on me like a ninja and threw it around my neck. Now she had me. I couldn't just walk away with her thing... unless I was a jerk. So we had a good conversation about the benefits of the thing and I bought one for my mom.

Then there was the guy with the toy remote control helicopter. He was a great pilot. He would make that thing swoop down and hover over people's heads. He'd concentrate on people with kids. He almost ALWAYS made a sale. He was definitely a sales PRO.

Then there was the guy selling Seacret skin products (products from the Dead Sea). I bought a couple of hundred dollars worth of gifts for the various ladies in my life.

Personally, I love to create win-win scenarios. I never want to be known as the guy who could sell ice to Eskimos. If you sell things to people they don't want or are a bad value, your customers will come to resent you. I want to be known as a problem solver who gives people a good value. I want to be known as a fair, honest dealer.

If you genuinely love people and seek to help them solve problems, you'll do well in any business. People will seek you out to buy from you because they know you won't cheat them and provide them with quality service and products.

I truly LOVE sales, not because I want to get over on people and make a lot of money by cheating them, but because I love people, I enjoy helping them, and I want them to succeed in whatever they do as well as I do.

As far as how to deal with people who think selling is evil... You know, I just don't deal with them. If someone thinks that I'm there for some nefarious reason, to harm them financially, or cheat them, I either put them at ease, or determine that we are not a good fit and move on.

You know, when I was newer in sales I felt I had to close every client no matter what. As I've matured, I realize that I don't WANT every customer. It's a two-way street. Clients who think you're "out to get them" or are always trying to chip away at your commission, or think sales people are evil and underhanded will only add to your daily stress.

So, that's my two cents on that. Fire clients who think sales people are evil.

All the best,

Pat

I tend to agree with others saying "move on". If the client is thinking you are not worth it to them, that will continue to snowball to eventually cutting you off/out completely.

I use to be a Realtor. One of the worst experiences was pitching my services to a prospect, and at the end of the conversation, have the prospect try to negotiate down my commission. Usually, this type of person was the same person who would also want me to list their house for a price that was way more than what I thought I could sell it for. As a starving newbie, I agreed to lower my commission and to list their house for way more than it was worth. The end result was that I could never sell the house because no one wanted to pay that much, and so I lost the listing after months of work. Years later, I learned that I spent more time and energy on that one client which resulted in $0 commission, than with any other clients who were willing to pay me for my services and be realistic about their sales price. That client was never going to be happy with my services. So I learned quickly to just say "thank you for your time" when a prospect did not value my services and move on to someone who could see the value.

As a Realtor, I also went through periods of thinking I was "an evil salesperson" or similar thoughts. But when I would provide value to someone, and they would genuinely thank me for helping them, that would make it all worthwhile. I agree with @PatrickTaylor1 that loving people is where it starts. If you genuinely want to help others, the business will come.

I read a book a few years ago called "To Sell is Human" by Daniel Pink. I highly recommend this book. One of the core themes in the book is that whether or not we have the job title of "Salesman", we are all selling to someone. We all have a personal brand that we are selling. If you are an employee of a company, you start selling why you should be hired when you apply and interview for the job. Once hired, you are constantly selling why you should remain employed by the company. You are selling your services to the company.

I don't think that sharing that with a disgruntled client in the heat of negotiation is necessarily the best idea lol. However, I do think it is good for us all to hear.

Without "Selling" (Or "Exchange" or "Bartering") ... We would have never developed or evolved as a Species and wouldn't have a developed Society.

(Or something like that. Lol)

Only deal with affiliate networks that already have a proven track record of consistently paying affiliates. And yes it is quite odd to me for a vendor to even suggest -let alone actually say- that paying an affiliate commission is a cost?!

on my experiences, mostly people are seeing things from their perspective n what they look for.
if they usually think negatively about sometihng, they'll end up seeing something negatively.

in short different paradigm, different mindset.


Not sure whats the reason behind that, maybe they got bad experiences prior with sales people or something.


Some people do have that negative thoughts on selling, but lots of positive mindset on sales people too, whether it's online or offline.


what do you think?

I think sales is the only JOB in this world that creates World's Billionaires. Everyone sales whether is Bill Gates or Elon Musk.

but how to make people think you are not a scammer? today evveryone looks like a scammer, and registered on a faceook group ends with tons of scam messenges - how to looks like you are better then them?

Question is: what reliable steppin' stones into the fyootyure you gaht?

For sure this is a trooly filosofical question -- but also a necessary day to day conundrum.

Steps forward, always -- whomsoevah we are.

Question is ... from whence an' from how an' from whom we choosin' our dream miraculature?

Figure I dropped this illo way back, but muh hair ain't advanced in stylin' none ...


NOTE

Nevah, evah forget the frickin' cat.

I think its very specific to the situation. I would not want to get myself into a situation where at the negotiating table another party sees my time and effort invaluable enough to not be part of the deal.

The questions you have asked here indicate you are looking for ways to 'look like' you are in the US...am I wrong about that? It's likely not your name and surname - but your actual location that is the sticking point.

The great thing about this business is that you can attract the kind of people you enjoy working with. If they think selling is evil, let them think that way. It's their right to believe in what they want. There are thousands of people which enjoy buying new products, including me, and not everyone thinks sales people or selling in particular is a bad thing. What I dislike however is when people believe you can sell more by using tactics, secrets, pitches and things that really push people off instead of pulling them towards buying and making a purchase.

What is a person's motive for something he does, then you can see his motive.

I think sales is the only JOB in this world that creates World's Billionaires. Everyone sales whether is Bill Gates or Elon Musk.

It's like a double edge sword, some people will say that they made us buy stuff we never thought we needed but it made a big difference for us now while others will complain.

Selling is evil? ...I can see it depends from the readers, in practice if you get NO-targeted readers for your business then everything will be hard.

We got $35K so far with a simple group, and it's the perfect case on which people are targeted and they think " Selling is perfectly natural by us".

Selling is helpful for every business minded people. Don't coerce people who think selling is not a good way to achieve access. When you are selling it is progressive, it makes your business grow everyday, not all however mostly. Selling helps create a better future, not just your own future but for the future of everyone that surrounds you. There's no bad or evil in selling just pursue and continue what you have started as long it can benefits you and the people you care for. But take note, You must to do it in a persuasive manner and through a great service and lastly it should be in a clean way.

When people believe that selling is evil, what do they believe about buying?

Anyone that equates selling with thievery is an idiot and you don't want those people buying anything from you because they will be the ones that issue chargebacks.

Selling is helpful for every business minded people.

Sales staff should start from the perspective of customer needs and understand what they need instead of what they want to sell. This may be easier to open the heart of customers.

I don't think so!
I'd love to hear some solid and legit contentions FOR selling as a decent and good thing on the off chance that you really trust it to be so. And furthermore, is ALL selling acceptable? A few items are simply awful; a few administrations are a sham. Do you (or anybody you know) simply switch that side off and center around the chase? (appears to be this is normally depicted in films unfortunately. the douche wolf of divider road type character gives selling a terrible name). Have you battled with this inclination yourself or would you say you were consistently an alpha executioner from the beginning?

Here is what I do .......... exactly there are too many people that do know why so why would you waste your time trying to convince someone it's not evil. Serve the ones you can help, surround yourself with like-minded people and you will never have that ridiculous question to deal with, Hi I'm Keith and I am New here

Selling is not evil. It's a transaction that benefits any involved parties.

Just like a revolver is not made for nefarious purposes.

When you buy something - know Thy Seller.