Lee Salz is a Featured Columnist for The Business Journals.
Last week, I began a brain-share session with a client by saying to the group, “I’m the best sales consultant in the world.”
Staring at some odd expressions, I then asked each of the participants to write down three adjectives to describe me based on that introduction. As you can probably imagine, none of those descriptors of me was very favorable.
The follow-up question I posed to the group was, “If that was your impression of me given that introduction, how do you think you are perceived when you tell prospects you have the best product?” The odd expressions turned to embarrassed smiles.
In the history of this planet, no salesperson has ever said to a prospect, “Our service is pretty good. Our technology is so-so. Our quality is OK.” Every one of them says they are the best. They argue from the position of “best” as their strategy to engage prospects, but that backfires — sometimes without them knowing it. Instead of attracting, prospects are repelled.
Unless a scientific study was conducted that analyzed every aspect of your product, your company and the industry, how can you make a representation that you are the best? You may be able to utter the word “best,” but your prospects aren’t buying it. Being passionate about your company is not the same as making statements with no proof.
This is one of the big reasons why the sales profession battles to earn trust. There is a history of making unfounded claims.