Direct Marketing Giant Joe Sugarman is very clear.

He says that the most powerful force in selling is not your writing. It’s not your product or service. And it’s not even the solution you are offering.

The most powerful force in selling is HONESTY.

Selling, Sugarman says, must be “an honest profession.” Dishonesty will always catch up with you. Honesty is what sells. It is what he calls a “psychological trigger.”

People often say your customer is not so smart or knows little. Actually, though, the consumer is very smart. And people – consumers – are pretty smart about knowing when someone is truthful. And the more truthful you are in your advertising, the better your message will be accepted.

Sugarman says: “Lie in your advertising copy and you are only deceiving yourself. Your copy will say what you think you wanted it to say, but it will also say what you thought you covered up. Even a reader who hurries over your copy can feel the difference.”

Point out flaws, admit shortcomings and be totally transparent – and your customers will be so impressed, so receptive to you being human that they will be even more inclined to buy from you.

Sugarman says: “Each time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure.”

Truth sells.

That’s a fact.

No faking the truth.

That’s the truth.

So it saddens us to see Internet marketing sinking to new lows. Continuity is a great idea. Hidden continuity is dishonest.

Telling people you have a revolutionary way of doing PPC when you are teaching tactics Google has banned is dishonest.

Promising people they can make $100K in a day is playing on peoples’ desperation - especially when you have no proof anyone has done it including yourself.

What’s your truth?

Do you share this truth with your customers?

What would happen if you “let it all out” and spoke directly and honestly to your customer no matter what?

               

This entry was posted on Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 4:55 am and is filed under Marketing Philiosopy, Success Mindset. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.