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IS IT OKAY TO STRETCH THE TRUTH IN SALES?
 POSITION: SOMETIMES, YES
There’s a major difference between stretching the truth and outright lying, and anyone who tells you that salespeople can be successful without stretching the truth a bit is, well, outright lying.
There are times when a little manipulation of the truth is unavoidable. In a perfect world – one with no competition – it’d be great to tell customers the truth at all times. But the world’s not perfect. Competition does exist, and if the customer’s decision comes down to some minor point, then stretching the truth becomes a necessary part of sales survival.
Some people may argue that a lie is a lie, no matter how you look at it. But anyone who’s read Dante’s Inferno knows that hell has a lot of levels, and not all sins are equal. The difference between stretching the truth and outright lying is that stretching the truth retains some level of honesty.
Your need to stretch the truth will diminish over time as relationships with customers mature. You’ll be better able to anticipate their needs, allowing you to rely on pure honesty more often. But there will always be situations that force you to stretch the truth. |
 POSITION: NEVER
The relationship between the salesperson and the client must be managed carefully. Your customer relies on you to provide accurate information; your failure to do so jeopardizes that relationship.
The success of any transaction is measured in direct dollars as well as in time lost in the event issues arise as a result of a purchase. If a customer’s purchasing decision was based on truthful information, then those engaged in the decision-making process will bear the ill effect of a poor purchasing decision. If, however, the decision to procure a product or service from you or your company was based on information given in an untruthful or misleading manner, then you, too, will also be affected. Not only will any dividends connected to the sale be eroded, but your ability to conduct future business the customer will disappear as well. You simply cannot afford for your image to take a hit by less-than-truthful comments or statements.
If you don’t base you dealings on truthfulness, your chances of establishing and maintaining a solid customer base will be greatly reduced – if not eliminated completely. Is it okay to stretch the truth to win a sale? No! |
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This is a tough one because the answer reflects the underlying question of integrity. In sales, we all know integrity is an essential value to possess. Nevertheless, I would lean on the side of Mike Miletsky.
During sales meetings, we had a saying, “never let the facts get in the way of a good story.” Every good salesperson is a master of storytelling. Not in the context of lying, but by way of enabling the potential customer to imagine the significant benefits he/she would receive from purchasing his/her product or service.
There is a thin line between lying and storytelling. A salesperson who has achieved mastery knows the difference. However thin that line is, he/she doesn’t cross it.
I think you make a good point, Danielle. Storytelling is an absolute art, and good salespeople can master it like Bob Ross commands a canvas. Clearly “lying” is poor form and will ultimately lead to a damaged relationship, but stretching the truth is an expected, accepted part of the selling process. And don’t we all stretch the truth, everyday? Isn’t the make-up women wear the same as stretching the truth? Making themselves appear to be something more than they really are? Don’t more expensive clothes do the same thing? I believe we’re all prone to exaggeration and stretching the truth now and then to sell whatever we are pushing – products, ideas, ourselves, etc.
Making something (a product, an idea, or ourselves) more aesthetically appealing, is different from stretching the truth. Honesty and a consistently clear track record just plain win loyalty. and sure a little tweaking doesn’t harm, but ultimately- although that “tweaking” can be viewed as not such a big deal by a company, it can become yet a much bigger issue for a potential, or current client…leading to cut ties and disgruntled emotions. I think maybe these days it has become more commonplace to stretch the truth in business…which in turn only makes the honesty and clarity of a company refreshing enough for clients to stick with. There’s always going to be some degree of stretching the truth in advertising i suppose. But aren’t advertising agencies just enhancing the facts for a public forum for the gain of the client? The agency/client relationship should be a connected one based on trust, loyalty and results. “Stretch the truth” to the public if you must, they love it and eat it up…but not your client. It just makes things uncomfortable.
A good salesperson will never have to stretch the truth. There is a huge difference between “stretching the truth” and “focusing on the truth”. Tell the customer how it is. Never mention a competitors name. There’s no need to overpromise and underdeliver, this will just ruin relationships with that company and potentically with others that you have not yet met. My old boss taught his entire sales floor not to just stretch, but to outright lie. “Tell them we can do it, we’ll fix it later”. Now he’s under investigation for multiple fraud charges among other things. The “white lie” or “truth stretching” is just the beginning to a systematic failure. Stick to the truth, you wont’ have to remember what you said later.
I think there is a difference between putting your product and message in the best light and misleading a prospect. Besides the effect a lack of integrity will have on the relationship, if the stretched truth is big enough to make a difference in whether there is a sale or not, won’t it become visible at some time? If it won’t make a idfference in the sale, why use it.
If this is normal behavior in sales, does the buyer also have the right to stretch the truth?
Most people leaving comments seem to assume that the debate about “stretching the truth” only applies to products – making them appear to be something that they’re not. In those cases, I would probably have to agree that while some exaggeration is to be expected, sticking to the truth is probably the best course.
But there are plenty of other instances in the sales process that don’t include the actual product. A company who has just lost an account due to their own error is unlikely to tell new, potential clients that their error led to the loss – rather, the might attribute it to “creative differences’ with the client. If they have 10 employees, they may say they have 20. If they have 20m they may say 30. If a prospect’s office is in another city and feels more comfortable using local vendors who can come to in-person meetings, the sales person may claim to be out there for business fairly regularly, even if it’s actually quite seldom.
I know that nobody wants to advocate outright lying, but I think that the people who are voting or speaking out for truth in all situations are being more idealistic than realistic. I can’t imagine an aggressive, successful sales person that doesn’t tell a slight fib at some point on the way towards making a sale.