Why do Salespeople overstate, inflate, embroider embellish, blown up their claims and are expected to be larger than life ? Ethics and morals in Selling.

Today in the UK we have our General Election where we vote for our local member of Parliament.

We have to exercise some discernment on all the claims and counter claims that the parties have communicated on the doorsteps, the  Press ,TV and Radio and social media.

We love to have a good old moan at and criticise our political representatives . The opinion polls say the result is too close to call and that another coalition is on the horizon. 

There have been some exaggerations stated from pressurised politicians during the electioneering period but before we finger point the political candidates perhaps we should look at ourselves today as well.

Interval Curtain at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden's
 production of Donnizette's L’elisir d’amore 
The Elixir of Life where  the travelling medicine salesman is one,
Dr Dulcamara played by the  Bryn Terfel

Are we prone to exaggeration?

 Have you ever exaggerated a product’s strengths? 

Have you ever underplayed a product’s weakness?

Is everything in your CV or LinkedIn profile  totally true?

 Was that trip adviser critique you wrote in anger just a little overstated? 

 Was the track record of the new product you are selling a little embroidered? 

Was your sales forecast just a bit overstated or understated? 

Were the reasons you gave for losing the sales just a little more blown up ( cheaper competition, delivery etc) than was really justified ?

Of course  we salespeople are not alone in all this.

The distinguished former civil servant  Lord Thomas Armstrong was ‘economic with the truth’ in the 1987 Spycatcher trial. Politicians are economic with the ‘realité ‘ as Alan Clark one said. I dear say some premier football managers did seen the foul committed by one of their players but when after the match asked deny seeing the incident and dear I say,

buyers can be liars as a negotiation ploy.

It is perhaps useful for us to consider why this may be.

Earlier this year ,the American  journalist/ anchor   Brian Williams was suspended for six months without pay from the Nightly News for "misrepresent[ing] events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003.

I came across an article in Portico magazine by journalist Jack Shafer on the Brian Williams story. It stopped me in my tracks and I would like to share it with you

“Williams’ insistence on playing for laughs—and his talent at garnering them—points to the compulsive desire to please often seen in the behaviours of salesmen, teachers, confidence men and political candidates.

 As long as the comedian has the crowd chuckling, he can sell them something, teach them something, pick their pocket or otherwise bamboozle them.

 The comic arts should not be banned from journalism—God forbid that should happen!

 But journalists who work overtime on entertaining you or making you laugh deserve your suspicion. In journalism, the story is supposed to be king. That doesn’t mean the cleverness or emotive writing has no place, only that the narrow bandwidth comedy offers can carry only so much journalistic information”

In sales I also think we should be wary where our cleverness and emotive descriptions which can take us beyond our bandwidth of trust with clients. Wise buyers know that we are prone to such exaggerations.

In this era of the industrial Internet of things IIoT, more is recorded of our claims as salespeople in social media, videoed presentations, recorded conference calls, emails and their attachments etc.

We  in the future IIoT era,may well  be exposed to the equivalent video clips of Mr Williams’ reports from 2005 that have now gone viral.

 Of course like journalism, selling should not be just be all ‘worthy’ vegetables. Buyers want meat in our presentations to them also.

However if our entertaining embellishment values outbalance our trust values  with clients business suffers.

Of course customers have their part to play in  making “reasonable demands”

An analogy  in this current UK election ( and many past elections).

Claims and counter claims of the main political parties in solving the country’s deficit through Harnack ( austerity) or  their opposite post- Keynsian economic principles cannot be reasonably be achieved in a short electoral period of five years.

 We as voters ( the consumers in this case) perhaps need to have  reasonable rather than overstated demands on politicians .

Come what may, salespeople up and down the country will play their part in the success of the country  following this election,whether acknowledged by politicians , electorate or not.

But maybe we should keep the embellishments under control a bit more.

Good Selling

Selling Fear Uncertainty and Doubt lessons from #election2015

Years ago I sang for the Royal Choral Society. In those days they sang the National Anthem " God save the Queen" and usually three verses at every concert.

 Some lines of verse two have a certain pertinence  and even irony right now on the final day of electioneering for the 2015 UK General election

".......Confound their politics 

Frustrate their knavish tricks 

On thee our hopes we fix

God save us all "

The final FEAR bombardments of the 2015 General election have included :-

Labour's warning of "swingeing cuts" to hospital budgets under the Tories.

The Deputy Prime Minister warns us from “BLUKIP – a bloc of right wingers from UKIP, the Conservatives and the DUP that could hold the balance of power. And “ lend us your vote and we can stop the SNP winning in your constituency.

"The Prime Minister saying a SNP-backed Labour government was a "chilling prospect".

On the final day before the May 7th  2015 UK  General election,we see the final shots of Negative campaigning by the political parties in their Attack ads, Fear-Mongering, Push Polls , Smear campaigns, and Voter suppression. 

Fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) is a tactic used in sales, marketing and public relations but perhaps with a lighter touch than political electioneering propaganda.

People are always afraid of the unknown. If one brand has no product today, they'll suggest  or imply shortcomings about a competitor’s product as part of a FUD campaign to delay potential customers from buying the competitor's product until theirs hits the market. Smart phone upgrade launches come to mind.  e.g. Apple I phone versus Sony Galaxy etc.

FUD in Marketing

Marketing is what companies do to get you interested in their products. In marketing, one company will pull a subtle trick to make you doubt other brands. This is one kind of FUD.

FUD in Sales

Sales is the act of persuasive communication against resistance. It's personal and completely different from marketing, which is  about drumming up general interest.

Salespeople may employ  FUD to get you to buy from them, or not to buy from a competitor.

In selling it is probably better to use avoid such motivators, or only employ them with care and  with a far softer touch. Rubbishing competitors has the danger of drawing a buyer's attention to your competitor.

Better to have an iron fist wrapped in a velvet glove rather than the other way round !

In Sales , our election is every call  , every day . Even  in fixed contracts our offer is daily tested. 

Whatever you decide and for whomever you vote for -Good selling and good luck in frustrating your competition's 'knavish tricks'.


Related Links

Closing your Sale

Sales Literature and Manifesto Campaign Leaflets any lessons from #election2015

The first sale you make is not to a customer but to yourself.

If you don’t believe in yourself , your products and services it is unlikely that you will persuade others.

This is not just a matter of positive thinking or fake motivation.

 Like them or loathe them the folk who stand for elections have got courage to “stand for election”. 

 You may never stand for Parliament or local council but perhaps you may stand for your parish council , sports club, a committee of some sort. In some senses we  all have to sell ourselves each day.

You need courage in selling yourself.

What would make up your manifesto as a Sales Professional to your customers who vote  for you with the orders they place or with the influence  they bear on your behalf when buying into Brand You?

Maybe you are sick to the back teeth of the political leaflets that have been posted through your door but just before you chuck them in your waste paper bin why not take a look at see what you think works and does not work simply from the point of view as a piece of sales communication.

·         Does it attract attention?
·         Would it interest the swing/ undecided voter?
·         Does it explain what the candidate stands for ?
·         Does it appeal to both the heart and head ?  Does it persuade ?
·         Does it engage with the reader?
·         Does it call for action?

And here is an exercise for you. Maybe an idea for a session at your next sales team meeting

Take a piece of A 4 paper and design a mock up of your Sales Manifesto for Brand You

Writing an election manifesto that sells YOU. It needn't be something to tear your hair out about. This is a playful exercise.

Essentially, your selling manifesto should state what you would plan to do in your role as sales person, and what improvement you  would make for your customers.

It isn't an excuse to rubbish your competition, or make unrealistic promises and claims. 

Take some time before you write it to think about what you believe you can achieve and what the voters ( the buyers and influencers you sell to)  would respond to.

Here are some  tips for writing your sales  manifesto:

Be concise and use clear language. Avoid long, complicated words – you won’t win awards for being clever and you might just alienate important voters.

If you are using  word processing software E use an easy to read font, (like Arial or Times New Roman); text should not be smaller than font size 12.

Set out your goals for your time in the selling role and ensure they are realistic and achievable – sales professionals are answerable to both your employer and customers.

 Your manifesto is about you and not about your competition. 


Avoid discrediting and disrespecting others as it is not professional !

Be relevant.

However, instances where you have shown leadership, tenacity, and tact would indicate to  customer voters your suitability for the role.

Keep  the text to a maximum  of 500 words.

Be creative and inspiring.

Once you have drafted your manifesto, you can run it past a work colleague – a fellow member of the sales team

Your own manifesto may encompass some visuals  or may simply be a summary or a reference document you might leave with your client.

It can act as an

• explanation of what your product is or does

• proof that it works and is effective and relevant to your client

• motivation of your prospect to want it after seeing it in action or using it

• trial/practise in advance somewhere where mistakes do not matter

Why bother to do this?

Well, it will help you give a coherent and confident answer whenever you are challenged with

Prospect :“Your products and you competitor’s are much the same , WHY SHOULD I BY FROM YOU ? "

Good Luck ! Good electioneering for Brand YOU

Of course you may wish to inscribe  your pledges on a block of Limestone and place it in your garden but a folded sheet of A4 with your manifesto  pledges is sufficient.

Related Links:

What does your offer mean to them ?


How to Sell Trust

Selling your Sales Manifesto, any lessons from #Election2015 ?

The life of the Road Warrior is not quite dead !

“ A carter or a hedger is a more edifying companion than a politician”

William Cobbett 30^th April 1821

Cobbett's portrait in the
National Portrait Gallery

In his lifetime William Cobbett stood for the UK parliament five times, of which four attempts were unsuccessful:

1806 Honiton

1820 Coventry

1826 Preston

1832 Manchester

In 1832 he was successful and elected as Member of Parliament for Oldham.

Salespeople have much to learn from his persistence and perseverance.  

Cobbett believed that reforming Parliament and abolishing the rotten boroughs would help to end the poverty of farm labourers. He campaigned vigorously against the borough-mongers, sinecurists and "tax-eaters" .

Rural Rides

He embarked on a series of journeys by horseback through the countryside of South east England and the  Midlands. He wrote down what he saw from the points of view both of a farmer and a social reformer.

 'Rural Rides'  documents the early nineteenth century countryside and its people as well as giving free vent to Cobbett's opinions. It became the book he is most famous for - Rural Rides

Cobbett disapproved of proposals for remedies for agricultural distress suggested in Parliament in 1821. He made up his mind to see rural conditions for himself, and to "enforce by actual observation of rural conditions", the statements he had made in answer to the arguments of the landlords before the Parliamentary Agricultural Committee.

'Back in the day' an example of former rather genteel form electioneering on wheels
 - exhibitor at Car Rally, Farnham Spring  2015 in aid of Phyliis Tuckwell Charity

Rural rides 2015 

'Battle Ambulance' used in 2015 campaign by Dr Louise Irvine
 for the National Health Action Party standing for South West Surrey constituency

On the National Level

So with just a couple of weeks to go there is everything to play for in the General 2015 UK General Election. The media circus accompanies the party battle buses as they ride round the country. LBC radio’s Nick Ferrari (who has a passing resemblance to William Cobbett) has a battle bus emblazoned with his photograph as if HE was a Presidential candidate.  The BBC’s  John Humphrey on the Today Radio show doing the rounds of the marginal seats of the country.

In some ways personal elections, standing for election to be voted for onto committees etc.

standing for election  is the ultimate sale. 

In essence the seller is not hiding behind the product , they are the product.

This sale is a sale of TRUST

Since the crash , Big Business has been working hard to rebuild trust and establish or repair credibility lost.

Business Leaders and salespeople  ( if there is really a distinction) would do well to study the strategy and tactics which have been undertaken in this month long sales campaign of Election 2015.

Customers express their ‘purchase’ by whom they vote for, against whom through tactical voting or by ‘walking away’ and not voting at all.

Much of electioneering is the art of persuasive communication against resistance.

The methods being used parallel the mix of conventional and the new of corporate marketing communications.

Conventional Selling  at the constituency level is much like Regional selling  and is conducted by personal visit, --cold calling if you like.

 

Courageous candidates who 'stood up to be counted '
 and sell their manifestos at the hustings
(left to right) Dr Louise Irvine NHA,
Mark Webber UKIP ,Susan Ryland Green Party
and  Howard Kaye  Labour Party.
for the South West Surrey constituency 29th April 2015
Candidates  Paul Robinson-  from Something  New
  ( was ill and could not attend) and Conservative Jeremy Hunt
 sent  apologies for absence due to an engagement in London

 


There are beauty parade type presentations such as the hustings , the delivery of leaflet the equivalent of sales literature. 

Some parties are to be seen ‘sampling’ in the high street with campaign literature

Poster on a house wall

Along the high ways and byways are the posters with the invitation to vote for a candidate.

The actions on the national level are rather more formally managed. Staged rallies, Podium Style debates looking much like the "weakest link "show.  

The one to one interview /interrogation is both make or break for the journalist interviewer as much as the candidate.

Don't be surprised to find the formats that worked this election being mimicked at your next sales conference. 

Selling Challenge: What would your sales manifesto look like. If you had to stand for an election in front of your customers ?    The Key parts to your sales manifesto

Birthplace of William Cobbett formerly The Jolly Farmer pub referred to as "The Cobbett"
by Farnham locals where you can get Cobbett's magic of threes "bacon, bread and beer"

Tablet inside St Andrew's Church , Farnham.
Cobbett is buried in the Church graveyard

Let's leave the last word to Cobbett for this post

"The tendency of taxation is to create a class of persons who do not labour, to take from those who do labour the produce of that labour, and to give it to those who do not labour."

William Cobbett

Related Links

The Key parts to your sales manifesto


Rural Rides - Amazon link


Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice

#election2015 lessons for Sales Pledge Cards and Business Cards

The art of boiling down an entire election pitch to easily marketed bite-size promises is quite an art.

“But like it or not, they ( Political Pledge cards) are a leitmotif of the nature of politics and reveal something about how our leaders view the relationship between the state, civil society and individuals.” Gavin Kelly,  New Statesman

Business cards have increasingly become a part of the communications mix.

They are no longer a merely a visiting card with contact details but designed to coordinate the corporate image  possibly with logo, mission /vision statements even key selling points.

90% binned

Apparently over 27 Million business cards are produced every day in the USA, yet of those about 90% are tossed in the bin within the first week. It would not be unreasonable to assume that the proportion of binned  cards would be any different in the UK .

 (I guess the binning proportion could be even higher for the political pledge cards but they have a short life span of the election period.)

So how can we extend the life of our business cards and stay away from the client’s waste paper baskets.

5 ‘C’s of Business Cards that sell

Be Creative:  avoid being generic your card needs to stand out

Be Colourful: Coloured cards are held in wallets 10 times more than black and white

Be Clean: clean design, plenty of white space

Be Classy: Use quality paper or card

Be Customary:  ensure your card size fits into standard card holders

It still surprises me how many business cards still don’t spell out what the business is about or the person does. If you are too mysterious, you are not going to attract much business.

Business cards have two sides. 

It is a waste leave the back totally blank although some space maybe useful to write on. Your business card a “mini-brochure” by listing your services, putting a clever tag line, your website address, or even a graphic or photo on the backside.

Could you use the backside of your card as a “coupon” to offer a free service one time to new clients.

 I have heard this strategy called “just get them in the door the first time”.  It could initiate  a relationship with a prospect.

Put your personal photo on your business card, and make it large, as in 1/3 of the card. We are not talking about an old-fashioned framed “criminal” head shot. 

Get a new, professional shot taken by a photographer who specialises in business photography.

 All of us collect loads of business cards. 

Can you remember all those people? 

No.

You will remember the person with a photo on the card.

And of course - that is not a new idea !

Here is a 'blast from the past ' before mobile 'phones, PCs...........

Heck ! This was a long time ago, back in the last
 century and I  still had my own hair and teeth !
Note the Telex number - Anybody remember telex?

Related Links:

Handshakes and exchanging business cards

UK #election2015 Lessons 4 Salespeople The TRIPLE LOCK, MOCK and QUARREL #LabourManifesto

Power-of-threes Update 15th April 2015 

   Selling The Good Life  Selling the next coalition

Power of threes from the Speech for the launch of the Lib/Dem Manifesto 15^th April  from Battersea

The Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg says a coalition is "inevitable" after 7 May and only his party can provide a "proven rock of stability (1), continuity (2) and conscience (3)".

Somebody is going to hold the balance of power on May 8," he said. "It is not going to be David Cameron or Ed Miliband. It could be Alex Salmond (1), it could be Nigel Farage (2) or it could be me and the Liberal Democrats (3).

A "few hundred votes", he claimed, could make the difference between a "decent (1), tolerant (2) and generous (3)" government in the centre-ground and a "coalition of grievance" involving either the UKIP and SNP.

Power of threes from Mr Cameron

Mr Cameron at the launch of  Conservative party Manifesto at Swindon 14^th April 2015 

Britain is a “buccaneering (1), world-beating (2), can-do country (3)” and “can do it all over again”,  said the Prime Minister Mr Cameron.

Together, with the hard work of the British people, we have rescued our economy (1), created record numbers of jobs (2), put Britain back on her feet (3).

“In Britain we’ve always shown we have the ingredients (1) the will (2) – above all the people (3)– to overturn what’s inevitable.

He said that the “greatest sunshine that there can possibly be” is for more people in the UK to own their own homes (1), have more of their own money to spend  (2) and have “dignity and security in retirement” (3).

Not to be outdone in using the power-of-threes Mr Farage at the launch of the UKIP Manifesto April 15^th 2015

Mr Farage said his was the only party which had the "self confidence and belief in the nation" that the UK should govern itself (1) , make its own laws ( 2) and negotiate its own international trade deals (3)  

Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he

That every man in arms should wish to be?

—It is the generous Spirit, who, when brought

Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought

Upon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:

Whose high endeavours are an inward light

That makes the path before him always bright......  

"Character of the Happy Warrior" by William Wordsworth 1770 -1850

Milliband's  Personal Pitch The power of 3s

Ed Milliband , leader of the Labour Party
prospective MP and Prime Minister
The Happy Warrior of 2015

Ed Milliband made his personal pitch, saying that he felt ready to be Prime Minister at the launch of the Labour Manifesto in Manchester 13th April 2015. The manifesto is an 86-page booklet, some 20,421 words long

Essentially the Labour proposition is about selling their leader.

As in the launch of a Sales Product,  the manifesto launch allows you to control your presenting environment. 

 Like many speakers Mr Milliband  favours the delivery in the rhythm of threes -  a power tool of rhetoric












For example

Ready Ready Ready

He said: "I am ready,  ready(1)  to put an end to the tired old idea that as long as we look after the rich and powerful we will all be OK. Ready (2) to build a country that works for working people once again.   Ready (3) to put into practise the truth that it is only when working people succeed, that Britain succeeds.

Every Every___ Every

"If you elect me your Prime Minister in just over three weeks' time, I will work for that goal. I will fight for that goal. Every (1) single day.  In everything (2)I do. In every (3) decision I make."

PREPARATION

Mr Milliband has been taking an enormous amount of advice in presenting skills.

It's not quite yet part of him . The multi 7 debate was a stranger arena for him compared to Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg who performed at the one five years ago.. 

Not only do the political  leaders have to speak coherently but must get the look correct -whether to look into the camera lens or to the facilitator and thereby through to the audience or debate looking directly to the other speakers.

A Sunday Newspaper , **The Sun on Sunday came into possession of Mr Milliband's private notes for the first TV debates of the seven leaders . The have the notes watermarked with the paper's brand .

Presenting the BODY LANGUAGE of the Happy Warrior

Mr Milliband prepares ( and so should we !) : The 10 pages of notes contained a motivational pep talk to himself along with some of his off-the-cuff answers and put-downs. Likewise you can add stage directions and notes not said which help you to stand still, smile ,relax etc.

The notes and direction himself included reminders to “relish the chance to show who I am” " The Happy Warrior" and talk to the camera to “use the people at home”.

His rhetorical skills in the power of threes is again used

In his comeback and put downs ( I hasten to advise salespeople NOT to do comebacks and put downs - we are not politicians. Our sell is every day NOT once very five years)

“You ( Mr Cameron) and Nick Clegg wrote the book on chaotic coalitions – chaos in the NHS (1), chaos on immigration (2), chaos on living standards (3) – and now you’re asking for the chance to do it all over again.”

Mr Milliband's  notes to himself  advise him to ridicule Mr Farage rather than accuse him of racism

“Nigel ( Mr Farage)  you think all the problems of this country can be traced back to Europe (1), immigration (2) and breastfeeding in cafés. (3)”

And finally 

One last thought learning from other's mistakes :   Check you don’t leave your notes on the rostrum, lectern where others ( competitors) can pick them up. Or even the Sun on Sunday! ;)  

Good presenting !

Related links on presentations you may find useful:

 *Wordsworth's full poem The Happy Warrior

** Milliband's notes courtesy of The Sun on Sunday Newspaper

Memorable Visual Aids at Presentations

Classic Speech Openings

Encouraging and answering questions at Presentations

Aung san suu kyi speech at Westminster

Confidence Sheets and Confidence Cards

Staging effective presentations

Converting nervousness to excitement at Presentations

Effective use of voice when presenting

Selling and the Queen's English beware the Royal We #election2015

“There is no such thing as ‘the Queen’s English. The property has gone into the hands of a joint stock company and we own the bulk of the shares!” 

-  Mark Twain.

Yesterday Her Majesty sent out this proclamation :-

BY THE QUEEN

A PROCLAMATION

FOR DECLARING THE CALLING OF A NEW PARLIAMENT

Whereas We, and with the advice of Our Privy Council, being desirous and resolved , as soon as maybe, to meet Our People and to have their advice, in Parliament, do publish this , Our Royal Proclamation, and do hereby make known to all Our loving Subjects  Our Royal Will and Pleasure to call a new Parliament to be holden at Westminster  on Monday the eighteenth of May next: And We do hereby also by this Our Royal Proclamation under Our Great Seal of Our Realm , require Write to be issued by Our Chancellor of Great Britain for Causing the Lords Spiritual and Temporal who are to serve in the said Parliament  to give their Attendance in Our said Parliament on the said date.

Given at our court at Buckingham Palace, this thirtieth day of March in the Year of our Lord two thousand and fifteen and in the sixty-four year of Our Reign.

I have tried to copy this out as accurately as I could. There is much more use of capital letters than in ‘normal’ English. 

You will notice that the royal ‘We’ is used. 

The Sovereign uses the plural pronoun. Apparently Its first recorded use was in 1169 when King Henry II, hard pressed by his barons over the Investiture Controversy, assumed the common theory of "divine right of kings", that the monarch acted conjointly with the deity. Hence, he used "we", meaning "God and I..." ( later this 'right' was to lead to Civil War )

A proof that Mark Twain’s point of whose property English belongs to is exemplified.  The Language is arguably ‘owned by joint stock companies’ but regrettably we don’t ‘ own the bulk of the shares!’

 My Microsoft Word programme when copying the above proclamation puts a red squiggly line under the world ‘holden’ .

The entire last description of where the proclamation was made and when it was delivered receives a green squiggly line.  ( Proof, if it were really needed that the USA and UK are divided by a language ;)  !!)

Selling Lesson from Election 2015 : How we use English in Selling.

In 1989, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was met with disdain in the media for using the 'royal we' when announcing news that she had become a grandmother.

1.      If anybody is to be ‘King or Queen’ in business, let it be your customer.  As sellers we should use the  ‘We’ word sparingly so that our communication does not come across as patronising or arrogant. We do not have a 'Divine' right. E.g. rather than “we have pleasure in enclosing...” try turning it around , possibly something like “  you asked me to send you “
2.   A useful tip is to use the words You, Your  and You’ll more often than We, Our or me /I and mine
3.  In Selling English it is not just what we say or write to clients but also how we say or write it.

I'll finish with some ore words of Mark Twain appropriate for this time of electioneering in the UK.

 “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”

― Mark Twain