Practical Sales Training™ > How To Lose The Sale > The Spam Effect
What is it?
The Spam Effect is the art of “pushing” your offering onto unsuspecting people where there is little or no connection.
Why does it work?
It works to push clients away because no-one likes to be pushed. As buyers, we want to establish a connection and have our needs met. By definition spamming focuses not on the buyers need, but the sellers need to sell. It’s focussing on something the buyer doesn’t care about (yet) and as such can destroy connection and possibility of a sale.
How can you use it?
If you want to alienate your clients, make them feel uncomfortable or get them to unsubscribe from your mailing list- spam them with unsolicited offers and turn every conversation into a sales pitch. It’s remarkable how effective it is.
Example: The Spam Effect
Scenario:
A LinkedIn user accepts a connection request from someone who seems vaguely relevant to their industry.
What happens next:
Within 60 seconds, the new contact sends this DM:
“Hey! We help businesses just like yours get 30+ leads per week. Want to book a call so I can show you how? Here’s my calendar.”
Why this backfires:
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There’s no context or relationship
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The message is completely generic
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It’s focused on their agenda, not your needs
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It screams desperation, not professionalism
A better alternative (that avoids The Spam Effect):
“Thanks for connecting. I saw you’re focused on X—curious what you’re working on this quarter?”
This builds connection, creates space for discovery, and starts a real conversation.
Bottom line:
Spamming isn’t just ineffective—it can actually harm your brand. If your first message feels like a cold sales pitch, you’re not opening a door… you’re slamming one shut.
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