Practical Sales Training™> How To Lose The Sale > Leading with lies
What is it?
Leading with lies is specifically referencing that moment you receive a cold email or call from someone but it’s clearly under a false pretence.
Why does it work?
It works because 9/10 we can tell when we are being lied to and it immediately destroys any trust. The only person you fool when you use such poor tactics is yourself. You think you have everyone fooled, but they can see what you are doing and it actually works against you.
How can you use it?
Quite simply don’t do it. You are probably lying because you have no better reason to be contacting me, so find a better one. What could you share, or how could you interact in a way that would benefit the client and leave them appreciating the time taken to make contact?
It takes more time and effort to outreach people in this way, but it’s the ONLY way to make any progress. Lies will always come back to haunt you and your reputation.
Hypothetical Example:
A sales rep cold emails a business owner with the subject line:
“Following up on our conversation last week…”
The business owner immediately knows this is false because they’ve never spoken before. The rep might think this tactic will trick the buyer into opening the email, but instead, it creates instant distrust. The email gets deleted, and the rep’s company is mentally blacklisted.
A better approach would be:
“I know we haven’t spoken before, but I noticed [specific observation about their business] and thought this idea could help you…”
Being honest and relevant is far more effective than starting with a lie that kills trust before you’ve even started.
Would you like me to create 3 examples of cold email openers that grab attention WITHOUT lying or sounding pushy?
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