Articles

Authenticity is vital in sales. People are tired of being mislead, deluded, or outright lied to. Every industry from consumer products to the media is being questioned in people’s attempt to find the truth, and they are choosing to work with and buy products from businesses and people that exhibit characteristics they deem honest and trustworthy.

The good news is that it is not very difficult to be authentic. It simply means that you need to be true to yourself and your values. It means that you are transparent about what you stand for and what you don’t. It means that you are reliable and honest. And, if you can successfully demonstrate these characteristics, it means that you will generate more sales. Here is why.

It Separates You from The Competition

Being authentic gives you the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. People often hold the negative assumption that salespeople are trying to trick them into buying, or that they will lie in order to get the deal closed. Unfortunately, this stereotype is true in too many cases; however, being authentic gives you the opportunity to stand apart from the crowd. Your prospects would rather take a meeting from a sales person they trust, so be that person in order to generate more sales.

It Indicates That What You Offer is High Quality

People associate your authenticity with everything you do – whether it’s the company you work for, or the product you sell. In effect, your authenticity (or lack thereof) helps to position your product or service. People believe that when you are authentic in your interactions, you have nothing to hide. They take you at face value when you tell them you offer quality, which means you spend less time objection handling, and more time closing sales. 

It Makes People Want to Listen to You

Sales can sometimes feel like you are shouting into the void. Sending countless emails and calling endless phone numbers just to hear no response can start to feel draining. However, being authentic can help with your response rate. When you are genuine - offering useful content, reliable information, and accurate answers, people will want to hear you out. You’ll book and complete many more meetings by giving prospects the information they need in a format that they can trust.

It Becomes Your Brand

You could probably list a handful of brands off of the top of your head that you actually trust. Chances are, these brands spend millions of dollars each year to maintain that perception. There’s a reason for that – strong, trusted brands sell products. When you focus on being authentic, it becomes part of your image. Cultivate this image by bringing authenticity to all parts of your life, and you will have built yourself a brand. Once you have established your brand, you will have a much easier time selling because people know what to expect from you; whether it be to your prospects or your boss.

While it requires a shift in your mentality, being authentic is one of the easiest things you can do to be a better sales person. You will not close every deal or appeal to every prospects, but your relationships with customers will be stronger, your prospecting will be easier, and your sales will be higher.