Clients Who Lie - Part 5

By Victor Antonio, Sales Influence 

One question we should ask ourselves about clients who lie is why the need to do so in the first place.  Why lie when they, the client, is in control of the buying decision (i.e., they decide to buy or not)?   We can come up with many reasons but in general there are three broad categories or motivations clients have for lying.

Motivation for Lying #1 - Save Face: Rather than tell you the real reason for not buying, a client will lie in order to not look foolish, embarrassed or uninformed.   A client who can’t afford your product may choose not to tell you in order to avoid embarrassment.  A client who can’t a get a proposal approved would rather tell you the project has been cancelled than the truth of their impotence. 

There may be a legitimate reason for lying but the client is too embarrassed to say so.  For example, something unexpected happened that caused the funding for a particular project to be delayed or worse, go away.  The client may have known all along that this was highly probable but didn’t disclose it early on in the sales process or to the salesperson and feels a sense of guilt for not doing so.  Rather than being viewed as incompetent, the client may opt for some lame excuse or simply feign ignorance by saying he doesn’t understand what or why it happened.

Suggested Tactic:  The key to preventing this type of lying behavior lies in your ability to build rapport with the client beyond the business by always showing or verbalizing that you understand that business is an ever changing and dynamic environment.  Emphasizing the friendship over the business here is key since most people are more likely to admit embarrassing situations to a friend then to a stranger (or business acquaintance).  Be a friend; demonstrate flexibility and understanding.

Motivation for Lying #2 - Appearance of Importance: Sometimes a buyer has oversold their decision making power and doesn’t know how to get out of the situation.   For example, a client may have told you they can approve any project under $50,000, but when it comes down to it he still needs his boss’ approval.  Rather than admit that he lied or exaggerate his prominence will cause him to lie.

Suggested Tactic: Ask the tough questions upfront and also double-check your answers.  If a person tells you they make all the decisions, find a way to connect with others in the company and gently ask and confirm what you’ve been told by your point of contact.  The mantra, ‘Trust but very’ comes to mind here. 

Motivation for Lying #3 - Conflict Avoidance: When a client doesn’t want to buy but has a conflict avoidance personality type, the client will usually come up with some reason not to buy but will also invent a reason for not doing so.  The reasons itself doesn’t matter.  What does matter as that any excuse he uses will allow him to walk away from the sales situation without having to defend himself for not buying.  This is especially true if the salesperson he’s dealing with is an aggressive, high-pressuring type.  Another reason may be that the contract was already award to another company and the client doesn’t want to have to defend their decision to go with someone else. 

The best way to deal with face-saving strategies is to make the client feel comfortable with your selling style; which should be one that’s caring, flexible and understanding.  Most people lie because they don’t know how the other person will react and think that it’s much easier to invent a lie than to deal with the facts. 

Suggested Tactic: If you’re an admitted aggressive salesperson you may want to re-think the amount of pressure you apply to a client.  Some clients aren’t affected by the salesperson’s aggressiveness or frankness and may even find it refreshing.  While others, whose personality types not as strong may shy away from being forthright.  The salesperson has to be aware of where they lie on the personality spectrum and be able to gauge the client’s personality type as well.    For example, people on the East coast (more aggressive and upfront) do business differently than those in the Mid-West (slower and more deliberate).   One style of selling isn’t better than the other; they’re just different.   Understanding these differences will help you connect better and reduce the client’s anxiety when dealing with you.  For the East coast client you can say, “Look, I hate being blindsided.  If things change I won’t be mad, but I will be upset if I’m caught with my pants down.”  When dealing with an Mid-westerner you may want to phrase it differently, “I know things can change from one moment to another.  If they do, out of courtesy, would you please let me know; good, bad or indifferent because I value our relationship.”

Whatever the reason for lying, here are some great questions to incorporate into your sales process to reduce any anxiety the client may have about being truthful:

• Is the budget for this project approved? 
• Who has to approve this project besides yourself?
• When will a decision be made?  Who else will be involved in making that decision? 
• Would you mind walking me through the decision-making process?
• I know things can change on the dime, based on what you know today, how do you see this playing out (happening)? 
• If things change, will you let me know? 
• Last month we were getting close to finalizing this deal, do you still see that happening or is there anything on the horizon I should be aware of?
• If you feel we aren’t the right company for you, I want you to know I’m more concerned about you growing your business than me making a sale.   You do understand that don’t you?
• I don’t believe ignorance is bliss.  I’m the type of person that prefers to hear news, good or bad so if there’s anything I should be aware of concerning our bid?

Clients lie to: save face (i.e., avoid embarrassment), protect their image (i.e., their sense of importance) and to avoid conflict (i.e., avoid confrontation an aggressive sales type).  Asking great questions throughout the sales process will alleviate any mistrust or hesitation on the client’s part.

Victor Antonio, Sales Influence

Copyright © 2010 by Victor Antonio.   All rights reserved.  Author, speaker and sales trainer Victor Antonio has a BSEE, MBA and over 20 years of executive sales experience.  This post MAY be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, as long as the author’s name, website and email address are included as part of the article’s body.  All inquiries, including information on electronic licensing, should be directed to Victor Antonio at info@victorantonio.com.