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I think it was Zig Zigler who once said that nothing happens until a sale is made. He made the point that the role of the salesman is vital in the world of business and commerce. Nothing gets built, nothing gets made, nobody travels, nothing gets fixed, nothing is delivered, nobody eats and so on until someone makes a sale. I think that is true. A great salesmen knows how to sell you something you want or need.

I have nothing against good salespeople. It's just the pushy ones that drive me up a wall. Selling is an extremely difficult occupation. Only the very talented make a great living at it. The vast majority will struggle in their chosen field until they learn the art of selling or move on to a field more suited to their talents.

The very best salespeople never let you feel as though you are "being sold" the product. These people are truly the best at making you feel relaxed and at ease. Their ability to empathize with others is unique. They are gifted people who make friends easily. It's always a pleasure to be a customer of this type of salesman.

On the other hand, the pushy salesman is a round peg in a square hole, and he does not know it. Their delivery of the sales pitch is rehearsed and canned. They struggle to get people engage in a conversation. They sometimes sound as if they are reiterating the training materials verbatim. It does not matter what your shopping for, special phrases and questions will be uttered in an attempt to get you to let go of your resistance to buy.

A sales pitch is known in sales training manuals as a "Close". Closes are used to manipulate the conversation in a desired direction, allowing the salesman to get to the point of closing the sale. For this reason, the sales close is counted on and trusted as an effective tool of the trade. Now let's talk about that word close. What does the word close tell you about his intentions? If we were talking about wrestling we would use the word "pin". The result is the same, you give up, and he gets the commission. It's not as dramatic as a wrestling pin, but the illustration works.

It's unfair that the customer has not had the opportunity to train for these situations. There is no book labeled THE ART OF ESCAPING THE CLOSE. But don't despair, If you can remember to keep your sense of humor and never let the pushy salesman get you pinned, you can control the situation. Always remind yourself that this person is supposed to be all about service.

They know that they can't sell you something if they are being an annoyance. If you want to be left alone, tell them you would like a little time to browse. If you do not intend to buy anything today, tell them so. Their time will be better spent with someone who is interested in buying.

My best advice is to always be assertive and maintain control. Give them a little straight talk if it's needed. Remember that they may be pushy because they are struggling at the job. They may be beat down from rejection. Being firm will help them either move on to the next customer or stay and be a little more patient. If this does not work, let them know that you would like a little space. This will take the pressure off them and you.

Learn more about this author, A J Grape.
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