Nobody likes being sold to

Something intriguing happened last year when I attended a free breakfast organized by a lifestyle brand.

They invited a small group of people upon reservation. I think around fifteen men and women from various backgrounds sat together around the breakfast on that day.

Some were the brand's customers, others seemed to be their friends, and some, like me, came there out of curiosity.

Everyone, except me, was highly active on Instagram. The visually appealing breakfast setup seemed indeed perfect for user-generated content and brand exposure.

While the guests were chatting about their jobs and lives and hitting the 'follow' button on one another's Instagram account, the brand owner greeted everyone and introduced their products.

When she reached me and asked about what I do, I told her about Making You Smile.

I had no intention of selling our services. But when I mentioned that we actively seek to work with purpose-driven brands with a sustainable approach "just like hers," I noticed a sudden change in her attitude.

She seemed defensive, possibly thinking I was trying to sell her something.

(Ironic—who gathered people under the guise of a free breakfast and was selling?)

So I just decided to wrap up the conversation. I thanked her for organizing the event and said that I found the brand's products interesting and might come back further check out their shop or buy an item.

Her attitude immediately shifted again, becoming at ease and even friendly.

(Clearly, she wanted to sell but didn't want to be sold to.)

You might want to say, "So, Taehee - what's your point?"

In a number of LinkedIn posts I published this year, I wrote about how the ultimate goal of copywriting shouldn't be sales but building relationships.

Humans, by nature, dislike being the target of a sales pitch, especially when there's no established trust yet. Consciously or unconsciously, they become defensive and protective.

This principle applies not just to copywriting but also to phone or face-to-face communications.

Now you're probably thinking to say, "Gosh, Taehee, are you saying we gotta avoid sales altogether?" 

Not at all.

What I'm trying to say is that the end goal of any sales-related practice should be redefined.

When engaging with potential customers, we shouldn't view them as mere targets of transaction or conquest.

Instead, we must treat them with genuine respect and interest as fellow humans.

If you see them as conquests, no matter how polite you are or friendly you pretend to be, they will SENSE that energy and close off.

Conversely, if your purpose is to build relationships no matter whether you end up selling or not, and if you show genuine interest and care, people will unconsciously FEEL that positive energy.

They will lower their guards and open up.

Sales occur naturally within this positive energy frame.

It's such an obvious truth, yet I still see a lot of humans continue to see other humans as targets to be conquered.

It's time for a change.