It’s time to stop “faking it”

I used to say it all of the time, “Fake It ‘Till You Make It”. I believed it and I lived by it for many years. So why am I telling you this now? I’ve been wrong (kind of) and I want to explain what I mean. 

I’ve recently read a few articles discussing this and similar quotes and they got me thinking. When it comes to sales, one thing keeps coming to mind. The most successful sales professionals have a few things in common, two of which are honesty and integrity. Where’s the honesty and integrity in “faking it”? Aren’t we contradicting ourselves? I think there is a time and a place for this mantra, as well as a right way and a wrong way to “fake it”. 

Over the years, I have repeated this to many people. For some it has helped, but unfortunately for some it has been a detriment. I’ve really been thinking about the later. What was the difference? When given an identical set of tools, why do some people succeed and some people fail?

So, what’s the big deal, if we just fake it for a while until we “make it”? Absolutely nothing, if your intentions are pure, and it’s coming from a place of trying to better yourself in some area you have identified as lacking and needs improvement. Having a positive mindset and using this to drive yourself to achieve your goals is great. It’s when we are looking to cut corners or prove ourselves to others, we find the fatal flaws in this. 

We’ve all been there, you stroll into the store to shop for (insert the latest cool gadget you want here) when up walks the “sales guy”. You’re immediately put off by his swagger and you can smell the BS a mile away. You just witnessed your BS meter kick into overdrive before the sales person has even spoken a word. For a week prior you have researched all the features of your dream item. You’ve already been to all the other stores in town (this is before the internet when we had to go outside to shop). You know this unit inside and out. Then it happens, your sales person starts “selling” you. He doesn’t ask any questions, he just jumps right into his canned approach. You catch him several times misquoting information. He obviously doesn’t know his products very well. He’s trying to steer you towards the second most expensive item on the shelf (this way he can tell himself, he’s not trying to sell them the most expensive item). He doesn’t even stop to breathe, you think this guy is going to pass out right here on the floor! You are ready to walk, frustrated and put off, you can’t take it anymore. You’re out, and head on over to Bob’s discount TV and Stereo where you make your purchase.

Here’s what you don’t know, that nervous sales guy had just started this brand-new position the two days before. His manager had all the best intensions in the world when he told him “Just Fake It ‘Till You Make It”. That young sales guy was me. I took “fake it ‘till you make it” to new heights never before seen by any man. NASA could have used my energy for fuel to land the next rocket on the moon. Looking back almost twenty years ago, I wonder how I ever managed to succeed, but I never gave up, I got better at faking it and eventually made it.

We can see right through the BS of anyone faking their way through a sales call. The moment you are caught trying to be something or someone you are not, you instantly lose credibility. Whether that is faking your way through the product info or trying to emulate your coworker’s personality because you think their selling style is what it takes. We all have an internal BS meter and it’s always talking to us. Some call it, intuition some call it gut-instincts, I just call it a good ‘ole fashion BS Meter.

Let’s ask ourselves what we are really trying to accomplish. What are we trying to fake? Is it our attitude? How about confidence? Is it our sales process? What about our products and services? Let’s look at each and see where this works, and where it falls short.

Congratulations! You just received a promotion to Outside Sales Executive! You are still new to your company and still learning your products and services. Can you “fake it”?

This definitely is not the time to be faking. Likely your prospect has been burned in the past by sales people “faking it”. What could possibly go right here? You will only end up with disappointed and upset customers, frustrated coworkers and likely a tarnished reputation that could take months to repair if at all. 

Make the time to research and learn your products inside and out, fully understand the breadth of your services and the benefits of both. You will always run into situations where your knowledge in your products and service will be challenged. Be open and honest with your prospect and customer and simply say “Great question, that’s not something I’ve encountered yet”. Let them know you don’t have an immediate answer, but you will consult your team and get back to them right away. 

Your honesty here builds tremendous credibility and value. 

You just started your new sales career. Your sales manager hands you the Sales Trainer binder, and inside you find an outline for your sales process. Can you “fake it”?

Your sales process is not something you can fake with any level of sustainability. Sure, you can get by just winging it, and maybe do OKAY, but is this what you started a sales career for, to just, get by? 

Did you wake up one day and say to yourself “I want to be a mediocre sales professional?” Likely not, if you are anything like me, you got into sales because you are extremely competitive and strive to be the best. 

If you don’t have a sales process or your current strategy is not working, now is the time to reach out for help. Find a mentor or hire a sales coach, adopt a process, dial it in, and propel your career to the next level. 

This will be your greatest investment you can make in your sales career.

You are twelve weeks into your new sales career. You have closed a couple deals, but you are struggling to build any kind of momentum. Your confidence has taken a huge hit! Can you “fake it”?

If any of these gets a pass on faking it, this might be the one. Can you fake it? Sure, for short bursts, but don’t rely on this strategy for too long. Take this one seriously and get started right away to improve your confidence.

How do we build up our confidence? Practice, practice and practice some more until you see results, then keep on practicing. Your confidence will come from mastering your sales process until it is so ingrained in your being that you no longer need to think about it. Your confidence will come from educating yourself on your products and services. Your confidence will come from believing in yourself, your team and your company. 

With every moment spent practicing and being a student of your business, your confidence grows exponentially. Until then, when it comes to confidence, I say “fake it ‘till you make it”!

Life has just dealt you a blow. You are struggling with rude customers and prospects. Your boss is riding your tail. Your attitude is less than ideal. Can you “fake it”?

Absolutely, this one is a must! But not in the way you might think. This was always my go-to fake it mantra and here’s where I think I’ve been wrong. 

No matter what hand we are dealt in our lives we have a choice. We are forced to make choices every day whether we want to admit it or not. Some are so small you never even notice (do you remember “choosing” to brush your teeth this morning?), others can be so great they may seem impossible if not even life altering. 

Our attitude, how we see the world, and most importantly how we respond, is no exception. These can be by far some of the most difficult choices to make, and something we need to focus on every day. 

I was sitting in a restaurant recently and the server comments on my “cheerful mood”, “you’re in a great mood” she says. 

“Sure, why not? It’s just a choice” I respond. 

“Wow! Thank you” she replies walking away. “You’re right, thank you. I needed to hear that. Today I choose happy!” she replies. 

I have no idea what was going on her life at that moment, but for at least the next half hour I could absolutely see that she chose, happy. 

There will always be times in our lives when it is absolutely appropriate to have feelings of anger, feeling sad, or being upset. In the case of life changing events such as the loss of a loved one or dear friend. These are not what we are talking about today.

A coworker rubs you the wrong way, your manager called you out on something you did wrong, your kids are acting out, a customer was rude to you. It’s these normal every day events we need to watch out for. We can quickly let these negative interactions consume us and allow the negativity to tear down what may have started out as a positive attitude. It’s how we choose to respond to these that sets us apart and excels us to do great things. 

When you feel slighted, choose to not be offended. Your manager just called you out on something, choose to take that on as a positive challenge. Your kids were acting out the night before, choose to leave that in the past and move on. A customer or prospect was less than kind. You have no idea what happened before you showed up, choose to show some grace and forgive them with a smile. 

If you want to be happier, smile more often. If you want to be more confident, practice more often. If you want to be liked more, be a friendlier person. If you want to have a better attitude, make a conscious choice!

Choose today to be a positive influence on all that surround you!