In my 30 years of sales, I’ve heard the phrase “Buyers are liars” repeated over and over. To most salespeople, it is just as you’ve characterized, a witty saying or cliché. For me, it’s a phrase that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I won’t tolerate it from the people that work for or with me. I react to it the same way I do when I hear my customers referred to disparagingly, such as when tech support gets off a call and remarks that the customer is an idiot.

Your words (and thoughts) are powerful. They create the context for your interactions, and impact the culture of your company. If your customers are idiots, what does that say about the product/service you sold them? Would they have been smarter to buy from your competitor? If you are selling inside the context that buyers are liars, how can there be trust?

Context is king. Be conscious of what you are creating when you are choosing your words. While there are lessons to be learned from those witty sayings, the context and culture they create may not serve you or your customers.

-Ted