Have you ever heard these expressions?
Of course you have. We have all heard these expressions numerous times throughout our lives. What most people don't know is that these statements don't have a hint of truth in them, they ARE the truth. Why do I say that? Someone who is nice will tell you what you WANT to hear and someone who is good will tell you what you NEED to hear. Ninety-Nine percent of the time 'nice' people are actually manipulative people. What their 'niceness' really is is just a false expression of kindness that comes from their fear of the fact that you won't like or respect them. Being good doesn't mean being cruel or unkind, but a good person will tell you how it is and do so with grace. A 'nice' person won't tell you anything that they fear might upset you.
Here is something else that you probably already know. The automotive business is full of 'nice' salesmen that are completely broke and can't support their families. I don't call that nice. However, there are those few rare gems, the good salespeople that are still making money even in today's current economy. How do they do it?
A good salesperson is strong. A 'nice' salesperson is weak. A good salesperson thoroughly qualifies their customer before showing them any vehicles, so that he can professionally help them select the vehicle that best suits their needs and financial situation. A 'nice' salesman shows the customer the car they want, only to find out they can't qualify for it and later on has to crush their dream and embarrass them. A good salesperson asks the tough questions. A 'nice' salesperson will wonder if their customer is going to come back one day to buy the vehicle. A good salesperson gives a dynamic presentation of the vehicle. A nice salesperson follows the customer around the lot answering their questions. A good salesperson delivers bad news in a timely fashion. A 'nice' salesperson lets his customers wait by the phone while he summons the courage to let them know they didn't qualify for financing. A good salesperson feels good about the profits that he charges the customer, because he knows that the level of service that he has and will continue to provide is worth what he is charging. The 'nice' salesperson feels guilty about what they are charging, because they gave the customer what they wanted and no professional advice on what they may need.
Do you see the trend here? I won't always be nice, but I always strive to be good. A good person will help others, a nice person will want to help others. You can't help anybody by only telling them what they want to hear. We all know that quite often we get customers that come in on way more car than they qualify for. A nice salesperson will show them what they want to see. Of course, when Mr. Customer drives this amazing vehicle that he couldn't possibly afford, he is going to fall in love with it. When he sits down at the desk to work out a deal on the car, that of course he is going to want, reality will set in. He will realize that he can't afford the car and he will be embarrassed. But he probably won't tell you that. He will tell you he needs to think about it or any of the other numerous 'false objections' that we have heard a million times. So by showing the customer what he wanted to see, the nice salesperson actually created an embarrassing situation for the prospect that will now go down the road to buy the car that he actually qualifies for. The good salesperson would have done a 'needs analysis' with the customer before showing him a vehicle and allowed the customer to 'save face' by being shown vehicles that best fit his current financial situation.
Sometimes you will receive resistance to being 'good'. The prospect will not always cooperate with you right away, but if you know in your heart that you are putting your prospects' interest first it will show. Remember, today's customer is more educated than ever before and they can see through false expressions of kindness or 'niceness'.
Today you are experiencing your life exactly the way you have chosen to. That means you can change your experience right now! Toughen up, stop being so darn nice. Stop letting your prospects push you around. Start helping your customers find the vehicle that best suits their needs. You have created your own reality, so act like it. I challenge you to strive to be good. To be good to yourself. To be good to your family. To be good to your clients.
Remember, 'nice' guys always finish last and the good guys always win!
