There are millions of people facing life or death situations every day. The least you can do is simply be honest when trying to make a sale.
The answer to the question of can you succeed in sales if you’re honest is absolutely yes, and you should always be honest.
The best salespeople are usually the ones who are the most brutally honest. If you’re honest with people, they’ll be more likely to trust and do business with you.
Being dishonest in sales will only catch up to you in the long run and ruin your business relationships.
So if you’re wondering if being honest is the best policy in sales, the answer is yes! People will build huge amounts of respect for you, leading to you making more sales.
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Seven Ways To Build Honesty In Sales
Honesty is key to any relationship. In sales, it’s all about building good relationships with prospects and clients while making consistent amounts of sales in the process.
Many newer sales reps wonder can you succeed in sales if you’re honest, and the answer is that it’s the only way to succeed.
One of the best qualities of an amazing salesperson is being open and brutally honest.
So the question is how to build honesty in sales. Here are the best seven ways to do so:
1) Take advantage of “unfortunate situations.”
Any salesperson can easily and happily share the good news with their clients, but not every salesperson has the guts to share the not-so-good news.
When something goes wrong or unexpected, jump ahead of the problem and immediately tell your clients the situation. They will grow to respect and trust you from this.
The best and strongest relationships are those that are based on honesty.
2) Be open and honest about fees and commission.
This is probably one of the most challenging areas for salespeople. Regarding fees and commission, always be open and honest with your clients from the beginning.
Many salespeople are afraid to do this because they think it will turn the client away, but that is not true.
Clients understand they have to pay for a service, so don’t shy away from this.
3) Don’t make false promises.
Many salespeople will make any promise to get the sale. This is a huge mistake and will only backfire on you later down the road.
Be honest about what your product or services can do. Over-deliver if you can, but don’t make promises that you can’t keep.
4) Update your clients routinely.
Build a relationship by keeping your clients up to date with everything going on. Doing this is also a great way to build rapport and learn about your client’s wants and needs.
When your clients know that you understand their needs, they’re more inclined to trust you.
5) Admit when you’re wrong.
This ties into the first point. If you ever make a mistake, own up to it. Clients will see this as a strength, not a weakness.
6) Have the intention of building a relationship.
When getting a new client, you should tell them your main goal is to build a strong relationship, and everything else will follow.
Building trust and rapport should be your number one priority. The sale will follow.
7) Get used to hearing “no.”
Hearing the word “no” is something every salesperson should get used to. It’s not personal and doesn’t mean you’re a bad salesperson.
When you get used to hearing “no,” you’ll be less encouraged to lie to a client/prospect to make a sale.
Once you understand you won’t get every prospect and others are waiting for you, it’ll be easier to accept and move forward.
Why Aren’t All Salespeople Honest?
One of the most shameless qualities of a bad salesperson is being dishonest. This raises the main question can you succeed in sales if you’re honest.
Let’s be blunt. When a salesperson is not honest, it’s because they are afraid. They’re scared to lose a sale and their commission. So what do they do? They lie.
The trickle effect is the client will eventually find out, and you’ll lose their business and all future business.
You must learn how to build thick skin in sales and be okay with the word “no.”
The best way to succeed in sales is, to be honest from the beginning. It’ll save you time, energy, and future business.
Disadvantages Of Not Being Honest In Sales
There are so many disadvantages of not being honest in sales. It will only backfire on you in the long run. Some of the main drawbacks include:
- Clients will find out eventually, and it will damage the relationship.
- You’ll have difficulty keeping track of all the lies you’ve told.
- You’ll always be stressed out because you’re constantly having to keep up with the lies and worried if your clients will stop dealing with you.
- Your reputation will suffer, making it hard to gain new clients.
- You will not get client referrals
- You can lose your job from your client complaints.
Advantages Of Being Honest In Sales
Can you succeed in sales if you’re honest? There are so many advantages of being honest in sales.
- You will get tons of repeat business because your clients will not think twice about your offers. They know from experience that their best interest is in your hands.
- You will get client referrals because they’re happy with your service and want to recommend you to their friends and family.
- You will be less stressed. When you’re honest about everything, your clients will understand exactly what’s happening and will be less concerned about problems. When they are less stressed, you will be less stressed.
- Your reputation will stay strong, and you’ll be able to gain new clients more efficiently.
- You will have more time to focus on other things because you’re not worrying about keeping up with your lies.
What To Do If You Have Been Dishonest In Sales
If you have been dishonest in sales, the best thing you can do is own up to it and say you were wrong. This will show your clients that you’re honest and willing to take responsibility for your actions.
From there, focus on rebuilding the trust with your clients. Talk less and listen more to show you’re interested in learning their objectives. Show them that you’re committed to providing them with the best service possible.
Like any successful relationship, be present and honest, and your relationship will naturally blossom.
Conclusion
Can you succeed in sales if you’re honest? That is the only way to succeed and have a long prosperous career.
When you’re honest, your clients will trust you, do more business, give referrals, and leave great reviews, and your reputation as a stellar salesperson will grow, allowing you to make massive sales.
The choice is yours. If you want to succeed in sales, always be honest.
