Going Negative

The presidential election is heating up, and I have noticed an excess of negative attacks, negative selling and mud-slinging thus far. While these techniques are definitely expected in political campaigns, this year’s election cycle seems worse than previous years’ for some reason. Political campaigns must think that going negative will benefit them. While negative selling occasionally may work in politics, most of the time it is a major turn-off, and that is especially true in sales.

Although we expect politicians to go negative, I am hopeful that sales professionals avoid the tactic. Unfortunately, some salespeople take a cue from politicians and think that negative selling can be beneficial. Some sales people (not you of course) get fearful and defensive as soon as the competition is mentioned. Remember that it’s a fine line between negative selling and pointing out the differences between your company and your competition.

Knowing what makes your RIM (records and information management) company different and better than the competition is important, but how you convey those differences to your prospects is even more important. It must be done in an informative and tactful way that does not offend prospects and insult their intelligence.

Presidential candidates are after the all-important independent voter and they feel like going negative will help sway these voters to support them. In sales situations, substitute “prospect” for “independent voter” and it’s the exact scenario.

However, as can be the case in politics, the moment we go negative as salespeople is likely the moment we lose the prospect and our influence over him or her.

The sales professionals (or political candidates) who sway prospects (voters) are apt to do so because they take a positive approach to the sales (election) process. Successful sales professionals:

• Stay focused on the needs of the prospect;
• Stay focused on their company’s strengths;
• Stay positive; and
• Lead the decision-making process.

Take the high road as a sales professional and you will build trust with your prospects and existing clients.

I’m Ray Barry and I approve this message!

Ray Barry is vice president of Total Product Destruction and president of Total Training Services, which operates The Shred School in Spartanburg, S.C. Barry can be contacted at raybarry@totaltrainingservices.com or at 864-699-8417.