Your Lack of Authenticity is Showing, and it is Killing Your Sales

Have you ever told a lie? Was that a lie? 

You might be lying to your customers, simply by accident. As salespeople, we can be brainwashed that we have the best solution available, and even if we don’t tell the customer directly, we try to lead them to believe the same. Regardless if it’s right for them or not.

We can all be more genuine in our sales approach, myself included, but we have to acknowledge the fact that authenticity is quickly becoming less and less common across the sales profession. The worst part is, our clients can tell. Instantly.

That means you have a great opportunity to stand above the crowd. It only requires a little additional effort, something we can all afford.

The Problem

You know the feeling, people are disingenuous every minute of every day. We ask “How are you,” but don’t really care. We are coached from a young age to ask specific questions, whether we care or not. My challenge to you – swim against the stream.

Have you ever heard the phrase “people do business with people they trust.” This might be a simple notion, but trust is the driving force of sales, and one that can easily be derailed if authenticity goes out the window.

So why do so many salespeople struggle with being authentic, genuine, and honest? Usually, one of these situations is to blame:

You have the wrong approach – You were taught to push the product and disregard objections, where the only goal is to get the customer to sign. Although less prevalent today, these tactics are still used by many organizations, as a result of the tremendous pressure salespeople, sales managers, and their leader are under to ‘hit their number.’ The downside is that this approach can also burn bridges, increase churn, and damage your reputation. 

You aren’t asking the right questions – The questions you ask, how you ask them, and how they are perceived all matter. Questions that only exist to check a box and qualify a customer, might be necessary but the key is to actually care. Be curious and ask genuine questions to better understand the prospect and their needs. If you are only checking boxes, you will never fully understand your customer’s needs and they won’t feel heard.

You don’t close business – There is a big difference in selling and actually closing business. Have you ever been ghosted after a presentation? Even one that the prospect confirmed as a ‘good presentation?’ Chances are you were but didn’t come across as genuine in your pitch, so why would your prospect give you a credible response?

You don’t build trust – Trust doesn’t happen on the first phone call. There is a reason the average sales cycle requires multiple touchpoints. If we only care about getting the sale and moving on to the next customer, we will be significantly less successful and less fulfilled with a career in sales.

Did you notice the common thread? They all focus on the salesperson. We are to blame. It does not fall on the prospect, management, or anyone else. Only we can correct it.

Why does the problem exist?

Accepting that an authenticity problem exists might be the first step, but understanding why the problem exists is the only way to overcome the obstacle. For most, the why can be boiled down to one of two key factors.

1) You don’t care – You might care about your job, but do you care about making money, or your customer? Chances are it is the former, and if you can help a customer along the way it is simply icing on the cake. Good salespeople are curious by nature and are more successful simply because they care. Rather than selling for the sake of selling, they are problem solvers and treat each customer as an individual with unique needs and challenges.

2) You feel vulnerable – Most salespeople feel pressure to know everything, and always have an answer. This is generally the culprit of those little white lies that degrade credibility and extinguish trust. However, there is real power in admitting that you need to find the answer or get more information. It shows the client that you understand their concern, while simultaneously providing a concrete next step.

The Solution

Addressing authenticity issues doesn’t have to be a monumental task. Proactive steps and a little effort will go a long way to helping us be more genuine in both our professional and personal lives.

Decide to care

For some, caring comes naturally. It is ingrained in who they are and drives everything in their lives. For others, it may take a little additional effort to show that you care. Start small, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

The next time you are with close friends or family, steer clear of any superficial questions. Dig deeper, and ask about things going on in their life, and how it has impacted X, Y, or Z. Mention something that they shared on social media. Above all, resist the urge to talk about yourself.

Over time, slowly incorporate these pieces into your sales conversations. If you are worried about blurring the professional line, explore the prospect’s LinkedIn page, or their company’s website for news and events. Then simply bring them up in the sales process. 

Embrace being vulnerable

Vulnerability is an inescapable part of sales, and although some see it as a challenge, however, once it is embraced it can be an incredibly powerful tool. Instead of prospects seeing us as a mindless sales zombies, we become a real person that doesn’t have all of the answers. Additionally, when we follow up in a timely manner, and can confidently answer the original question, we are able to build trust with the prospect.

It might not seem like much but those little extra steps show that you care and can really set you apart from your competition.

The Result

Failing to be authentic is not a crime, but it is recognizable, especially for C-level executives that are used to getting a hundred pitches week in and week out. Those that are able to channel their energy into being more genuine will naturally stand out above the crowd and are more likely to be successful in a sales role.

As authenticity becomes the focus, the way that you approach sales is fundamentally altered. The questions you ask, how you ask them, and how your prospects hear them shift to a consultative nature. Customers begin to open up about challenges they face as the trust grows. From there you are able to suggest products, or services, that will make a direct impact and address specific issues.

In turn, clients are more likely to see you as a resource than just a salesperson. At which point, sales is no longer about the product but the people it impacts.