When Is It Okay To Lie To Make A Sale?

A very unusual subject, but a very important one. Here's the rub. Everyone in sales has lied to a potential customer at least once. Now, before you get indignant and send me millions of e-mails, hear me out. Unfortunately for the salesperson, most of the salespersons are just as victimized as the consumer. That's the truth whether you like it or not.

I was a victim for 3 years before I learned I was not an advertising agent but my presentation was a 100% scripted lie sold to me and thousands of young persons around the country every year for literally 50 years! Unwittingly, thousands of these young persons, including myself, were out selling, thinking we were advertising agents. Well unfortunately, that happens to countless of sales persons on a daily basis from unscrupilous owners of companies. In forty years of sales I have seen it all, from car sales, to home improvement sales persons to every, other kind of sale. They are way to numerous to list. The problem is that a large number of salespersons, because of the money, rationalize that their lies are okay since the company is doing it, not them. Somewhere you have to draw a line.

To answer the question, it is never okay to lie to make a sale. Now here is the tricky part. Is splitting hairs not lying? In other words, not saying the whole truth, just leaving certain parts out that would surely cost you the sale. Or just saying what the customer wants to hear while not directly answering their question by distracting them with other verbiage or distracting them by showing them something else to take their mind off their original question?

All of these techniques are an everyday part of the sales industry. Here's the ironic part of this post, regardless of the indignation showed by the consumer do they expect the salesperson to lie to them? Or at least are they expecting the salesperson to shave the truth a little? One thing you should notice is that throughout this entire article I never once used the term sales professional.

"The Specialist"

Quote:

Originally Posted by thespecialist

Is splitting hairs not lying? In other words, not saying the whole truth, just leaving certain parts out that would surely cost you the sale.

I heard a story about a guy who was seen at an emergency room for an emergency medical condition and WAS NOT MADE AWARE that the facility wasn't a participating provider with his insurance carrier.

He found out about the insurance the hard way when he got the bill for his emergency room visit and found out he was responsible for 100% of the billed charges. (Normally insurance carriers only allow so much that is billed and the hospitals write off the difference. Example; You have a $10,000 bill, the insurance allows and pays $5000 and the hosiptal writes off the $5000 difference.)

He asked why he hadn't been told about the insurance issue when he first presented his insurance information so that he could decide if he would rather be seen at an "in-network" facility and the answer was, believe it or not, the hospital would get in trouble if he decided to leave because they weren't a participating provider and he died from his injuries before he could get to the next facility.

Apparently this is a "No Ask-No Tell" policy. Is that lying to make a sale?

I think at best it is a case of GROSS misrepresentation! Not knowing the legal liabilities and the entire story I would not readily say it was lying to make a sale. Having said that I would not hesitate to say it was lying to protect the facilities liability. Hopefully, they would make it right with the patient.

"The Specialist"

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZBroker

I heard a story about a guy who was seen at an emergency room for an emergency medical condition and WAS NOT MADE AWARE that the facility wasn't a participating provider with his insurance carrier.

He found out about the insurance the hard way when he got the bill for his emergency room visit and found out he was responsible for 100% of the billed charges. (Normally insurance carriers only allow so much that is billed and the hospitals write off the difference. Example; You have a $10,000 bill, the insurance allows and pays $5000 and the hosiptal writes off the $5000 difference.)

He asked why he hadn't been told about the insurance issue when he first presented his insurance information so that he could decide if he would rather be seen at an "in-network" facility and the answer was, believe it or not, the hospital would get in trouble if he decided to leave because they weren't a participating provider and he died from his injuries before he could get to the next facility.

Apparently this is a "No Ask-No Tell" policy. Is that lying to make a sale?

An excellent case of "assuming the sale" which, in this form, I'm opposed to.

I think if you find yourself in a job where you think you have to lie to get a sale, I suggest you find another job. No job is worth your integrity.

Good companies with good products don't require lies to sell them, and if one is caught lying or misrepresenting, they are typically dismissed.

I have been fortunate to work with a worthy organization, but have been forced to leave other places due to that same type of moral conflict. Ultimately that is your call.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telephone Guru

I think if you find yourself in a job where you think you have to lie to get a sale, I suggest you find another job. No job is worth your integrity.

Good companies with good products don't require lies to sell them, and if one is caught lying or misrepresenting, they are typically dismissed.

I have been fortunate to work with a worthy organization, but have been forced to leave other places due to that same type of moral conflict. Ultimately that is your call.

Excellent advice to the community, T.G. Thanks.

if you believe in the products or items that you are selling, then there's no need to lie about them...

"Is splitting hairs not lying? In other words, not saying the whole truth, just leaving certain parts out that would surely cost you the sale. Or just saying what the customer wants to hear while not directly answering their question by distracting them with other verbiage or distracting them by showing them something else to take their mind off their original question?" - TS Question

Splitting hairs and selling by omitting important facts and information, etc. is lying. When should you lie: whenever you want to lie if you believe it's okay to lie, you live by lies, you would have your family lied to without a problem and teach them the virtues of lying too.

When is it not okay to lie: when you believe it's not okay to lie, you live by not lying, and when you believe you want your family to live by not lying.

"Very few peoole will ever earn a five or six figure income in a business like this [network marketing] and that is a fact. Even with a good company it's a fact. We've watched lines of business vanish from sight and have had to keep building and learning how to be smarter at it. We've seen people work for years with little to show for it. It's all up to you and how you go about it and what is your motivation, Rob"

That's what I told a prospect a couple of months ago, he decided he wanted to give a business a try anyway [as he's sold himself as a painter and wall paper hanger for twenty years and he knows that kind of challenge], and I said the same thing to him again and again after we got in his paper work. There's an example of how I work.

On the other hand, I read advertisments for sales positions in the local paper making it sound like that potential $100,000 is there for grabs. I've seen the same hype in ads for local community colleges making it sound like a degree in this or that will put you in the driver's seat of a great paying job.

As Big Daddy Burl Ives said in the movie "Cat On The Hot Tin Roof" "MENDACITY! I live in a house of mendacity!"

MitchM

it all depends on the consequences of what you say or how you say it.

for example, a customer wants to buy a new model vehicle because he is instantly attracted to the styling and the features. however, in the back of your mind you already anticipate the customer inquiring about the reliability of the vehicle. do you, in all HONESTY, disclose all the known repair bulletins and recalls, or do you focus on the positive selling points of you product as indicated by the brand newsletters and product information guides? TMI

i wouldn't exactly call it "lying", but i feel it may be necessary to withhold some truths to close deals. a ginzu knife salesman doesn't tell a potential buyer of his product that the razor-sharp serated edge can saw a hammer head off but will go dull in the process!

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When Is It Okay To Lie To Make A Sale?

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