Did You Realise That Sneak Attack Soft Selling Is Just As Bad As Overselling Lies

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I am amazed by just how many people and companies are running away from “selling” or “marketing” because they think its dirty and unnecessary. In fact I spoke about this in a similar article on the love and hate in sales and marketing. It’s not selling and marketing that is the problem, its how people use it in ways that are not mutually beneficial to supplier, customer or partner.

Recently I’ve seen numerous companies make contact with people saying they were interested in how somebody could help them but during the lead up to the discussion they started dropping a ton of hints that they were really only interested in exchanging services or getting somebody to buy from them. Wanting to sell is not the problem, it’s the lack of honesty in the first place that is.

So they have the discussion and I can see a disconnect (I’ve been selling and marketing for a while so I recognise the signs or sense them), they show interest but it just looks false. Afterwards you test them with a few emails or tweets and get the expected response confirming your belief that this was an attempt to sell without selling and if the other person is not buying they don’t engage.

Just think for a minute what kind of message you are sending into the market, is that an honest trust worthy approach ? Is anybody likely to buy from you or refer you ? Nope!

Similarly you see people come on-line saying how new they are to the on-line world (internet), yet they some how know how to use html to get text links (unfortunately in the wrong place), or they’ve been working on a website for 9 months but pretend to act like they know nothing about it all so they ask you for your opinion on this and that and then tell you that they would be happy to provide you with this and that and all you need to do is ask.

They rarely want your opinions, instead they are only interested in selling you something without appearing like they are selling. Its not the fact they are trying to sell, it’s the way they are trying to do it that is annoying and is actually turning these people into a commodity with little value.

Face to face or club based networking is just as bad as both parties are ultimately trying to “sell” something while avoiding doing any selling at the same time and it’s like watching a cat and mouse game of story exchanges and other blah and guff that leads both parties to eventually find little value in continuing any further.

It’s especially prevalent in social marketing where I see a lot of confused soft selling approaches where a blog or website does not clearly stand for anything in particular. No potential customer could understand what they could do for them because they are too scared to actually tell anyone.

Instead they ramble on about a bunch of weakly connected topics to a theme that’s difficult to understand in the hope that people will “get” them. But if people don’t know what you stand for (you have to sell and market your message) then how can anybody buy into it ?

Influence is selling and marketing. Everybody has to make money and that comes from a business or a job. It’s not the money that is the problem, it’s what people do with it. Money, selling and marketing are not bad, they are essential and should be at the core of every business.

Why should a business providing great value to their current or potential customers be frightened about selling and marketing in a way that builds trust, openness, value and a worthwhile long term relationship.

Stop sneaking around and start being really honest.