Promotional products distributors should take a page from HSN if they want to become better salespeople.

“They use all the sales techniques that we should be using with clients,” said Carolyn Strauss of Carolyn Strauss Consulting, who spent 18 years on camera selling her clothing line on the home shopping channel and once sold more than $1 million in products in a single day.

Strauss explained that the shopping network employs techniques like scarcity (only having 100 garments of a certain color in stock), social proof (adding tickers onscreen to show how many others have bought something) and authority to great effect.

Carolyn Strauss speaks at ASI Orlando.

“It’s not manipulation; it’s sales,” Strauss said. “Selling is helping.”

During an energetic session on “How To Make Closing Quick and Easy” on Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the ASI Show Orlando 2024, Strauss explained how distributors can incorporate such techniques into their own practices, dispelled eight common sales myths, and shared the “cornerstones of conversational excellence” that help nurture sales relationships.

The Top 8 Sales Myths

Myth #1: You have to be in the room with your prospect.

In the era of email and social media, being face to face with a client isn’t essential, Strauss said. “But you have to have the energy of being face to face,” she added. That means avoiding distractions and being present, whether you’re connecting with someone via phone, video or another means of communication.

Myth #2: You know what will sell.

Oftentimes on HSN, Strauss said, she would expect black or white garments to be the best-sellers, only to be blindsided by the popularity of yellow or pink. “You don’t know what’s going on with a customer,” she shared. “Go in with a completely open mind.”

Myth #3: You have control over how long it will take for a client to make a decision.

While you can’t control a client’s decision-making, Strauss said, you can control your own boundaries. Ask a client to commit to a particular day for a follow-up call and then actually make that call to show that you’re a safe and trusted resource.

Myth #4: You know who your customer is.

Even if you’ve been doing business with someone for years, you’re likely only seeing a sliver of who they are. There’s always something new to learn about someone. “Look at the world as, ‘What can I see today that will surprise me?’” Strauss advised. “If you do that with your customer, that’s where interesting conversations come from.”

Myth #5: You don’t need any emotional connection to what you’re selling.

“You all create community and connection for your customers,” Strauss said. “You’re not selling stuff.” It’s about the concept your product is trying to convey, not the product itself. For instance, Strauss said, when she was at HSN, she didn’t sell clothing, she sold “ease and self-confidence.”

Myth #6: You don’t have to care about your customer.

While you don’t have to pour your heart out to clients or let them crash in your garage, Strauss said, you do need to let them know that they’re cared for. It’s not “just dial for dollars,” she added. If they know you care about them, then they’ll make you someone they care about.

Myth #7: You have to know more than your customer.

It’s not necessary or even expected that you know everything. In fact, it’s better to come in to a sales call with an attitude of humility and curiosity. Ask as many questions as you can to figure out a customer’s business, their budget and their particular set of challenges. It’s not about creating something brand new for a prospect but about “enhancing what already exists,” Strauss said.

Myth #8: You have to be slick and polished, not authentic and human.

In the ’80s and ’90s, Strauss said, polish and poise was expected and rewarded, but these days, people crave authenticity. The more human you show yourself to be, the more likely you are to make a genuine connection. Consider the rise of TikTok, where being real on video is rewarded with attention and engagement.

In addition to myth busting, Strauss shared some tips for creating influence and impact, noting that it’s important to have a plan – or even a loose script – on how to approach a conversation. “The worst time to think about what you’re saying is in the moment you’re saying it,” she added.

Curiosity is the fuel that powers interpersonal connection. “The person asking the questions controls the conversation,” Strauss asserted. A salesperson can stay in the game and show their worth as an “offer of help” by asking things like “Is there anything else I can tell you that will make it easy for you to make this decision?”