233: Confidence And Truth In Selling

<p>Confidence sells.  We all know this instinctively.  If we meet a salesperson who seems doubtful about their solution or unconvinced it is the right thing for us, then we won’t buy from them.  The flip side is the con man.  They are brimming with brio, oozing charm and pouring on the surety.  They are crooks and we can fall for their shtick, because we buy their confidence.  They are usually highly skilled communicators as well, so the combo of massive confidence paired with fluency overwhelms us and we buy.  We soon regret being conned but we are more cautious thereafter every time we meet a salesperson.  By the way, there is a good chance we are that next salesperson.</p> <p> </p> <p>So how do we navigate the rapids and the rocks here of coming across as confident and being skillful in describing our solution, without tripping the client’s internal con man alarm system”?  Ultimately it comes down to your <em>kokorogamae</em>. This Japanese compound word can be translated as our “true intention”.  What are we on about with this sales lark?  Who are we showing up for – ourselves or the client’s best interests?</p> <p> </p> <p>With con men it is always their self interest. They keep moving like a shark, swimming around constantly in motion, always looking for something to devour.  If we sit down and examine ourselves we can make a decision.  Are we in sales as a profession – yes or no?  If the answer is no, then please get out of sales immediately. Go. Do something else, because the rest of us, who want to be professional, don’t want you polluting our waters.  If the answer is “yes”, then examine what does “professional” actually mean to you?</p> <p> </p> <p>We can get caught up in the finer points of sales technique, but what I am asking is please look at sales and ask what is my true intention here?  If it is to serve the best interests of the buyer then we are getting on the right track.  If the answer included to serve the buyer forever and to be aiming for the reorder, rather than the sale, then go to the t