How to sell without lying

Chris Matthews from MSNBC's "Hardball" wrote a book call "Life's a Campaign,"

God, let's hope not! When it comes to that point, things need to change.

Have you ever bought a used car? Did the salesman say anything true - ever?
Have you ever contracted a lawyer? Did you try to dispute the bill? - Did you Succeed?
Have you ever bought something at a store, and upon opening the new box at home, you find the item broken? Did you take it back? Did it happen again?

I have had all these experiences, and more. There are few things in this world one buys where the information you use to decide is accurate. It seems like the bigger the item, the greater the lie (for example, my house, which needed a $10K plumbing modification. I found that out after living there for 2 years. There's no buyer's remorse in that situation!)

Sales and Marketing (S&M strangely enough!) is usually considered with a bit of disdain by the engineers because of the truth-stretching (and having been an engineer myself, I have heard it first-hand). Savvy consumers know enough to take sales & marketing information with a grain of salt.

From the customer's perspective, S&M is the enemy. From the company's perspective, S&M is "the alchemy you do" to gain market share. In the age of "The Art of War" used in business, effective S&M means beating the competition, or on one-shot products, snake charming the customer. Depending on the strategy, a tactical plan is executed against. This is Marketing 101. It's also the reason why our economy is in the trouble that it is. Wall Street wasn't just selling lies - they were selling lies of lies (and two lies do NOT make the truth!)

Those companies that continue down the old S&M path will be lead into the oblivion by their own shortsightedness. You see, we made it into the new millennium, and we are living in the New Age, in a New World Order (so it has been said, and who am I to disagree?) In this universe, the customer, who is always right, is king, and the company is the sucker (read about Facebook and Google who give their product away. In the age of sustainable energy, companies that don't monetize their product will not remain viable long). But that is simply the fulcrum, or pivot point.

In the supply chain, we have reached the point through process improvements where Just In Time manufacturing allows the supply to meet the demand, which reduces inventory and capital requirements. Now, we have to use that thinking in the Marketing context. Companies that understand the true value of each business relationship - not just customers, but vendors, too, must drive the relationship value. And just like your relationship with your friends, you have to have the same criteria with your business relationships. It's all about trust. Trust is becoming the new emotional currency (actually, it's always been there as an attribute, but it's been violated so many times by S&M tactics, the consumer's expectations aren't just low, nor even cynical - they now expect no trust, and they don't get it (oh, perhaps the high-value customers still think they have it, but the fact is, they are being pimped just as sure as the day).

As our global economy takes those steps from infancy into childhood, the present is the critical time to earn trust. Companies that want to succeed with a sustainable business will not only garner trust, they will spread it. They will understand that people want to buy certain things - each with a unique purpose: a need, or a want, or a requirement, luxury, etc., In this new world, the value of the brand must contain a 'truth coefficient." If they factor truth in selling, they might not sell the same volume per timeframe, but if they do the job right, the relationship value will grow over time. Plus, their business will be easier to manage (you know how lying often begets more lies, ad infinitum!) Trust will become the emotional currency, and as the company enters adolescence in this new age, trust will be tested. But if the relationship was nurtured properly, it will flourish.

And next up: Raging Hormones!