Salespeople: Good or Evil?

Recently, a friend offered me a free ticket to one of those 3-day seminars you see advertised that are designed to clear out subconscious beliefs that prevent you from succeeding in business.

“This might not be for you,” she wrote, “but I can get you a free ticket.

“Sure!”, I replied. I have been trying to say yes to more events and this was a perfect opportunity.

I’m so glad I went! I only stayed for two hours, and I was annoyed the whole time, but it sure did make me think about how sales skills can be used for good or evil.

The speaker’s approach was direct, relentless, and unnerving. He berated the audience, repeating the idea that if we didn't do what he said was necessary to make a million dollars, we would never be millionaires.

Throughout the presentation, he continued this pattern. He would list supposed mental barriers to success—things like going to the bathroom during his presentation or a sense of modesty. Everything was designed to portray the audience as weak-willed and inadequate if they didn't immediately subscribe to his way of thinking.

Between the tirades, he spoke glowingly of himself, weaving in stories of his success. His motivation, he said, came from seeing his mother struggle with a lack of social security income. Today, he lives in a mansion where the master bedroom alone is bigger than his childhood home. The message was clear: Follow him, and you, too, could have this level of success.

Yet, he also told stories that made me question his integrity and morality.

The one that really got my hackles up was how he met his wife. He described how, at age 44, he spotted a beautiful woman at one of his seminars and immediately tried to find out if she was single. He offered to meet her after the seminar... in his room. This sounded like an ill-advised but legal hook up until he mentioned that she was only 20 years old. I'm not opposed to May-December romance, but it's a rare 20-year-old girl who knows how to avoid being manipulated by a powerful, wealthy man old enough to be her father.

To make matters worse, he already had another woman staying with him. He ended that relationship and sent the woman away before dinner, only to welcome the 20-year-old into his hotel room later that evening with a dramatic, wordless kiss, introducing an element of emotional confusion into the relationship that made it easier for him to manipulate her. He married this woman, but how many other women did he use the same tactics on and then send home when he was done with them?

The fastest way to convince me that you cannot be trusted is to tell me a story of how you've calculatingly taken advantage of women. After that, I couldn't help but see how this fellow’s storytelling, like his courting, style was a form of manipulation.

This guy takes truths—such as the idea that sometimes it’s worth going into debt to make money—and applies them forcefully to his own benefit, regardless of whether it genuinely serves his audience.

Here is where good and evil seem to intersect. Sales is often about helping people get out of their own way. It’s true that people build mental obstacles to achieving their goals. They delay, they overthink, they allow fear to control their decisions. As salespeople, our job is to help them see past those obstacles and get what they truly want.

However, the key difference between sales and just plain manipulation lies in whose goals you're trying to meet. A good salesperson aims to help clients achieve their goals. They ask questions, challenge unrealistic expectations, and guide their clients toward a satisfying outcome. They use persuasion, but only in service of the client’s best interests. There's nothing wrong with making money, but the money is earned by an honest effort to help clients get what they want, not by convincing them to pay you for something they don't want or need.

Ronnie Haskins, my mentor and owner of the company I work for, has always taught us to use our sales skills for good. When someone comes to me to buy a car, I work hard to find out what they really want. I make them fill out forms and challenge beliefs that don’t mesh with reality. I show them the real costs before they commit. And once they've made a decision, I help them move past their fears and commit to the choice they believe is right for them. I’m proud of that.

It's the hardest job I've ever had and sometimes the answer is that the client should not buy a car right now, but I'm also proud of the company I work for and how it insists we treat clients with respect.

In contrast, the presenter’s style was about selfish triangulation. Negative enforcement from one corner: “If you don't agree with what I'm saying, you’ll never be successful.” Holding himself up as the perfect model from another. And all of it designed to funnel people toward the third corner: “Buy my product.”

The truth is, you don't have to have slippery morals to be successful at sales. Integrity and genuine care for clients’ well-being aren’t weaknesses or empty words; they’re the strengths that keep clients coming back. And even better, you sleep peacefully at night knowing you've used your powers for good. Not evil.

‍