MoneyWatch

Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

By Geoffrey James

Updated on: September 30, 2011 / 1:51 PM EDT / CBS News

Customers sometimes tell lies, especially when you're trying to sell them something. Here are the ten most common lies that customer tell, along with some advice about how to sell to them anyway.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"We can't afford it."

How often it's actually true: Almost never. Unless the company is bankrupt, the money is probably there, but it may be tied up in some other budget.

Why they tell this lie: They have yet been convinced that the problem that your product solves is big enough to deserve some budget.

Your best response: Through questioning and conversation, gather information about where money is currently being spent. Once you've discovered what's funded and why, reposition your offering and the value it provides so that it becomes higher priority than the budget items that are currently funded.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"I'm not in the office."

How often it's actually true: Assuming it's a cold-call, probably 10 percent of the time.

Why they tell this lie: The admin is protecting the decision-maker from contact with sales reps, usually because the real decision-maker is a pushover when it comes to sales.

Your best response: Treat it as if it were true. Ask when would be a good time to call. You may need to sell the admin on the idea that your call is important enough to put through.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"Our bidding process is fair."

How often it's actually true: Infrequently.

Why they tell this lie: They're hiding the fact that a competitor has the inside track, usually because the competitor wrote the RFP.

Your best approach: Decide whether you've got a chance to pry the entrenched competitor out of the account. If not, bail on this opportunity. If you decide to go forward, be ready for big fight.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"Your competitor is cheaper."

How often it's actually true: Sometimes.

Why they tell this lie: To get you to drop your prices.

Your best response: Do the same as you would if the competitor actual WERE cheaper. Position your offering, and the privilege of working with your company, as being of massively higher value than working with the competitor.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"I'm sorry I missed our meeting."

How often it's actually true: If it happens more than once, it's definitely a lie.

Why they tell this lie: They're trying to gloss over the fact that they blew you off.

Your best response: Let it go, but remember:customer now owes you one, whether he realizes it consciously or not.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"I am the decision-maker."

How often it's actually true: In anything other than "Mom and Pop" operations, almost never. And even then, Mom probably has veto power over Pop and vice versa.

Why they tell this lie: Your contact wants to hide the fact that he really can't make a decision without consulting others.

Your best response: Ask about the specific reporting structure and gently probe to find out the "stakeholders" who "influence" the decision. Read between the lines and you'll probably be able to figure out which people actually have to be "sold" in order for a deal to go through.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"We always get a discount."

How often it's actually true: Never.

Why they tell this lie: They're trying to get you to drop your prices.

Your best response: Ignore it and stand firm. Demands for discounts, especially at the end of a sales cycle are usually just the customer testing to see if they've gotten the "best deal." If you drop your price in demand for an automatic discount, you'll lose credibility and end up cutting a non-profitable deal.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"I will read your brochure."

How often it's actually true: Never.

Why they tell this lie: They're either trying to get rid of you, or they're being nice. The only time that anybody will ever read your brochure is when somebody wants to sell you his "brochure re-writing" service.

Your best response: Stop depending upon brochures for anything other than a physical proof that your company has marketing money to burn. In some situations, you've got to have a brochure or your firm doesn't look serious. But that doesn't mean that anybody will ever read them.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"I'm away from my desk now..."

How often it's actually true: For most office-bound executives, about 25 percent of the time.

Why they tell this lie: They're screening their calls so that they can get some real work done.

Your best response: Call early in the morning, or call multiple times over the weekend. Most real decision-makers work extra hours and they mostly take their own calls when the office is empty.

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Top 10 Lies That Customers Tell

"The check is in the mail"

How often it's actually true: If this is the second time you've heard the statement, the check is definitely NOT in the mail.

Why they tell this lie: They're having cash flow problems and you just got appointed as their private lending bank, at no interest.

Your best response: Explain that your mailbox is frequently vandalized. Insist that they cancel the outstanding check and send you a new one, using package tracking. That way there will always be a record of any check sent to you.

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