Why is it that Buyers are Liars?

You have heard it before, "Buyers are Liars". Why do you think people use that phrase? -Thomas

It is actually very simple explanation - sales reps are disappointed when they return to buyers with the proposal, and it happens nothing.

Why it is so?

Sales reps very often have wrong understanding of buyers situation, they are asking wrong questions or not asking discovery questions at all, or simply wasting buyers time talking about their products or services.

How to fight against that?

Try to understand buyers situation BEFORE you visit with them, do your research and prepare a set of questions to get the picture what is happening on buyers side.

And be honest in your approach - try really to help them.

Hope this helps! -AlenMajer

I've never heard that phrase until just now. And for the record, I disagree with it.... :) Buyers are no more a liar than are you, the sales person.

What are you trying actually say here... for MY edification anyway.

Thanks...

Much Aloha...

Tom :cool: -rattus58

Buyers are liars. This kind of goes back to the manipulation post. Buyers are trying to influence the outcome of the sale to thier advantage by telling white lies. I know you see it in the car sales industry alot. Customer comes in with a trade worth at MOST 13000 dollars and tells you "XYZ Dealership was offering me 19 thousand for it." Buyers are human, and want the best deal possible, so they may tell you something thats not completely truthful to get their desired outcome. -jrboyd

Clients will tell you whatever comes to mind to avoid making a decision unfortunately these Red Heerings can throw you for a loop.

These Red Heerings are really objections that need to be uncovered to discover the truth behind them. Ask enough of the right questions you will eventually uncover the truth.

Once you uncover the truth, than you can move forward to address their real concern.

Through the course of my sales career, I have heard a lot of good ones. I am also sure a lot of senior sales consultants that subscribe to this forum have as well. It deserves a thread of it’s own. ( Creative Objections)

Certainly hate to call buyers liars, maybe (creative objectors) to maintain “decorum” though some have unlimited creativity when it comes to avoiding a buying decision. As sales reps/consultants we have to see through the smoke to get to the real objection. -DIAMONDSTAR

Right, and if you know your industry you call him on it. Now we are, in my opinion, working on price.

Much Aloha,

Tom :cool: -rattus58

Quote:

Buyers are liars. This kind of goes back to the manipulation post.

Yes, that's my point and you illustrated it well.

• Buyers are trying to influence the outcome of the sale to their advantage by telling white lies.

• Buyers are human, and want the best deal possible, so they may tell you something that's not completely truthful to get their desired outcome.

Is it okay for salespeople to do the very same thing? I think that would go over like a lead balloon. -THOMAS

I've not experienced what we are talking about for some reason or ignore it to the point of it not making "contact" with my conscious psyche.

On the other hand, it is NEVER OK for someone in the sales profession to mislead, lie to, or otherwise deliver anything less than your best.

Aloha... :cool: In my opinion. -rattus58

I share that opinion.

I'm a tiny bit repulsed by people who exhibit righteous indignation. Not impressed with goody two shoes types, or those who make a big deal out of doing the right thing. And "morals" is so subjective.

But I'll say this because I believe it, and it tests well. INTEGRITY IS A WEAPON. It gets you into places that not everybody gets into. It guarantees your behavour in arrangements where the guy you're dealing with might be vulnerable. And it makes you ten feet tall among those who would intimidate much of your competition. -Ace Coldiron

I'm with you all the way on this Ace.. thmbp2;

Righteous Indignation ... I don't know how many times I've seen this in my life where the indignator is deflecting from personal inspection of themselves.

See here you go again.... Morals..... ;bg Morals and Ethics. What is moral and what is ethical and are they related? Subjective.... lagh2; I my self have seen myself have two differing opinions on the same issue... subjective...

But you are exactly right about integrity. You don't have to feign it. You don't have to show it. You don't have to advertise it and you don't have to make anything of it... Integrity is.

Integrity is like a granite face to a mountain. It stands tall, is visible to all, and withstands the ravages of time and the elements.

We should actually have a thread on integrity Ace... this is a very important aspect that you bring up of personal behavior and conduct for us in the PROFESSION of selling. Integrity is what separates us from the flim flam artiste...

Much Aloha,

Tom :cool: -rattus58

I'm sitting on an Open House right now and God as my witness a homeowner who stopped by and was chit chatting said, "Buyers are liars" when we were talking about today's visitors. Un-frickin-believable! -THOMAS

Because it is true to some degree in a large minority of cases. Not is a black and white way but more in the way of shades of grey.

It is not a fight. You must qualify, find out what expectation the buyer has and if the work you plan to do has a reasonable expectation to earn the business before you do it!

No amount of preparation will replace on-call probing (information gathering). However, pre-qualifying the prospect before you visit - done while you talk with them - will tell you what the potential to do business is. This is critical … but do not over qualify!

Yah baby!

What we might refer to as 'price quotes lies' appear to be the most common form - this according to research. This can rear its head as a higher trade in value or lower price quote from another seller

This appears to happen frequently enough that you might say it happens a in a relatively high minority of cases in some industries, less in others (B2C would more commonly see this. big time B2B is some what different this way).

----my opinion----

I am certain that those sales reps who think they are pros but are really amateurs experience prospects saying anything to get rid of them (rather than just saying; “I am not interested in buying from you!”). I am just as certain that “we can’t afford that” and other objections sales people encounter are as much to do with them not selling well enough (not providing enough value in the form of benefits) rather than the prospect being a liar.

I am as positive as you can be that the proper approach keeps me from hearing the things some sales people hear. Not just honesty but demeanor and attitude, as well as the very process of focusing on them – their wants/desires - to uncover their needs.

There can be no replacement for professionalism. -Gold Calling

The phrase "Buyers are liars" was coined by David Sandler a long time ago and for good reason. It's true.

Why is it that buyers are liars? I can think of a few reasons:

• Would you share your private information with a stranger?
• Would you share your private information with a stranger who might use that information against you?
• Would you share your private information with a stranger who you gives you the impression that he doesn't have your best interests at heart?

Sometimes people are on the defensive for reasons of their own which you will never know about no matter how great of a salesperson you think you are. -Houston

I agree with you on this completely.

Now as a cutesy little "buyers are liars" to illustrate that you have to dig deeper, develop more trust in order to have meaningful dialog with someone you're meeting maybe for the first time and asking them to invest with you, then as a cutesy phrase taken as such, I can live with it, but it would be appropo I think to continue the comment by saying something like "buyers are liars till you develop their trust and allow them to become honest friars".

Much Aloha.... Tom :cool: -rattus58

Buyers lie to salespeople -- not to problem solvers.

If you are trying to SELL the buyer will happily lie to you. If you are helping to solve a problem no one will lie to you. -Flyn L. Penoyer

SELL appears to mean something different to you than it does to me. Please elaborate.

If the person sitting across the desk from you sees you as a problem solver but doesn't trust you then all bets are off. -Bulldog

Interesting perspective, while I would not have put it that way this is the kind of thing that is very insightful. Especially for those who don't get it.

Buyers are fictitious - we can refer to them as lies if you like - rather than telling you they don't like you or don't understand what you are talking about.

Simply put, it is usually not their fault, it is ours! -Gold Calling

People lie and it's the salesperson's fault. That is an interesting perspective. -THOMAS

It's human nature. Human nature is to survive and watch out for one's well being. Extreme circumstances and emotions may cause us to over-ride this self-preservation technique (mother sacraficing herself for good of kids) but most part what we do is to suit ourselves. A buyer may lie to you about some information because he doesnt trust you, that is true, but a buyer will lie to you if he believes that it is benificial for him to do so. But bottom line which we should be able agree on, is for whatever reason, buyers will lie to the salesperson. -jrboyd

It's more than that. It's a Bridge to Understanding.

It has to do with conditions of mutual trust and respect which a salesperson must start understanding as to how they effect what goes on between him/her and the prospect. I submit that without that understanding, a sales career will remain dormant.

I believe that is the context of GCs statement. That's what I drew from it. I think "people lie and it's the salesperson's fault" is a rewording that would reduce GC's post to something less insightful than it truly is. -Ace Coldiron

It's funny how words get in the way and people miss it.

I do agree that the salesperson's role is to engage people in open and honest communication. If the salesperson can't get the job done that does not excuse the prospect for not being honest. -THOMAS

The better the salesperson, the less the prospect "lying" in my opinion. -Skip Anderson

Wow I am coming in late to this dance.
Buyers are liars? Who made the buyer into a liar?

When a client says no to a deal does that make them a liar?They led me to believe I was going to sell to them then all of the sudden they decide to buy from another or make a decision not to buy?

Who lead whom in this direction? If they lead me I am not doing my job well enough.

rich -rich34232

I started a thread on Buyers are Liars a year or so ago. Long enough that it's closed anyway. It didn't get as far as this thread but it has some interesting points of view.

http://www.salespractice.com/forums/t-6491.html -Houston

This thread has brought up some interesting views on where deceit originates from either the buyer or the seller. Though this post may be slightly out of context of this thread I would like to illustrate the merits of being truthful with your customers. In short disclaimer I would like to point out that everybody is a salesman whether they know it or not, and in further disclaimer this post is not about politics.

A couple of years ago under the Reagan administration we had this thing going on, The Iran Contra Arms Deal. Our former president was facing the highest decline in popularity in Presidential history over this scandal because Americans though they were being hoodwinked with deception. When our former president faced the Nation about this scandal and told the truth & took full accountability for this error in judgment guess what………his popularity went through the roof, in ratings he succeeded in being the most popular president in history. So popular in fact there are roadways, schools, & hospitals named in his honor.

About 2 years ago another important figure was asked to testify to congress Secretary of Treasury Ben Bernacke. Mr. Bernacke was asked some important questions about CDO’S, CDS’S (Collateralized Debt Obligations & Credit Default Swaps)& if we were going into a recession. One of his answers was “Reduced spending not a recession”. Among many of the answers he had given I thought they were bold lies. Quite frankly I thought his lies were so egregious I was jumping up & down explaining to my wife all the traits you see in liars were clearly exhibited. My wife stated “he is just nervous” and I explained to here was that he was nervous because he wasn’t telling the truth. I even went so far to ask Bill Oreilly on Fox to do a body linguistic reading on this guy, apparently this potato was too hot. Unfortunately if Mr. Bernacke was more honest the Federal government could have saved Billions of dollars, as well the quality of life that millions of Americans would be in vastly better shape. He will be fortunate to be an economics professor at a Jr. College

The point of my post here is to clearly illustrate & explain the merits of honesty as well taking accountability for your actions. Doing this will facilitate a bridge of mutual understanding & respect. Sometimes telling the truth & taking full accountability for something might not be what you want to do, but it is the right thing to do, will earn you respect as well ensure your longevity in sales.

j.p.o
-DIAMONDSTAR

Great post, j.p.o.

In all fairness to others, I say great post because I agree with you. And, you know something--it's not really about altruism. There is a selfish benefit from owning up. I am a believer in the power of intention. And I have seen it transcend the difficulties of many situations, some where I might have felt boxed into a corner. When the smoke cleared I always came out not just right---but in a better position that I started with. Metaphysics? Yeah, probably, but that's for discussion in another place. -Ace Coldiron

thmbp2; thmbp2; Now I know you're really close to my age too.....

I'm with Ace on this too... in applauding you're attention to honesty and INTEGRITY. We are a profession. We are PROFESSIONALS. Without us, there is no economy. If you really want to know who will make this economy heat up, it is US. Not Government.

It is sales people that provide competition. It is sales people that provide the foundation of the GNP. Sales and Marketing.

It absolutely appalls me that congress, so worried about someone withholding information from them, will outright lie to us. Presidents outright lie to us.. just look at Obama and the promises he made as the greatest salesman on earth.... with the integrity of an earthworm... meaning spineless... and gentlemen/ladies... it is up to you and I to maintain the faith in this great institution of ours.... Ok... that might've been a little much.... stcktng;

I'm not getting political here... though it must be said that Rush is probably a leftist compared to me.

Much Aloha.... Tom :cool: -rattus58

This comment has nothing to do with sales.

The example given by DIAMONDSTAR, while it may be correct, brings up an issue. And that is; I certainly hope that the government DO NOT tell the general public what is actually happening becausee the trend toward “reduced spending" will get worse and we may end up with worse than a recession.

He better not tell the truth. "You can't handle the truth" was the great line by Jack Nicolson's charcter in the movie "A few good men" in 1992. And, I must be clear in saying the inclusion of this quote by me is not directed at DIAMONDSTAR. It is intended to say that the average person would be scared silly if they knew how close our financial system is to complete ruins today.

The Chairman of the Fed or whoever was referanced by DIAMONDSTAR is/was a bad liar? OK ... but he better lie.

That is my opnion. And while it may not be about sales, it (his ability to lie) certainly affects how much sales we can make based on the economy.

Sincerely,
Steven Burke -Gold Calling

This discussion look like it has run its course so I am closing the thread. -Jeff Blackwell