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It is the job of a salesman to sell. It is how they earn their living, and how their employer earns the profits to stay in business. But there is an art to selling, and it does not involve alienating customers. Pushy salesmen do more to harm the sale than to help, and dealing with them not only gives people a bad impression of the salesperson, but can also turn them off to a company's products or services. Pushy salesmen are a nuisance, but there are ways to get them to back off.

Pushy salesmen give the sales profession a bad image. Their tactics include everything from over exaggerating the features of a product, hiding car keys to keep customers from leaving, making annoying follow-up calls, and making false promises about the benefits of buying "today". Their inability to master their product knowledge, and their craft, leads to an unfulfilled buying experience for customers, and an interaction that borders on stalking or harassment.

Dealing with a pushy salesperson can be an art in itself. Salesmen are trained to overcome objections, so just saying "no" becomes an opportunity to them. When a salesperson become overly aggressive, it sometimes becomes necessary to push back. One way, is to tell them that you'll let them know when you need their assistance. This often allows a moments' reprieve, but for the more aggressive salesperson, that moment will be short lived.

For salesmen who are truly pushy, it's a good idea to let them know that their aggressiveness makes you uncomfortable. If they continue to be persistent, ask to speak to the manager. The manager's objective is to ultimately sell the product, and an uncomfortable customer defeats that purpose. Also, telling a manager that you felt more comfortable at his competitor's store helps encourage less pushiness. Businesses dislike losing sales to their competitors. Report bad business practices to the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau.

Salespeople can also become pushy on the telephone. You can usually put a stop to them by asking not to be called. It may also be a good idea to ask to speak to the manager, and request to be taken off of their call list. Ask for the manager's name and employee/operator number to ensure that your name is removed from their list. Adding your name and number to the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov is another way to get rid of unwanted sales calls.

Consumers are more educated today about the products and services that are important to them, and prefer not to have anything forced upon them. They prefer a smooth, comfortable buying experience, where their questions are answered in a professional and non-aggressive manner. Good salesmen educate potential buyers on the features and benefits of products best suited to fill specific wants or needs without alienating consumers. A good sales experience promotes a great buying experience.

Learn more about this author, Terry Marsh.
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