How Insecurity Can Kill Sales

By Bette Dowdell

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What’s up with the lamebrains who speak in the potty-mouth dialect without even a hint of a thought about how others will receive their message?

If you’re in sales in any way, this one’s for you. Step this through with me:

Unless we’re speaking to ourselves (which is another topic for another day), when we speak or write, at least one other person gets involved by listening or reading. And I would guess our purpose of speaking or writing would be to communicate with that other person or persons.

Okay, so how much imagination does it take to realize that offending our audience would interfere with our communication effort? Well, if you can measure imagination by the dram, it’s less than that.

So why are so-called marketers–kings of persuasion they’d have you believe–casually offending their audiences–and losing sales–with their vulgarity? What’s that about?

Like everybody else, I’m awash in e-mail newsletters. Too many, really. So when an e-mail shows up with crass language (pick a four-letter word, any four-letter word), vulgar thoughts or the ubiquitous OMG, that newsletter is toast. I unsubscribe immediately.

Same with those who consider my Christian faith a fit topic for ridicule. Gone in a trice.

The newsletter’s information may be great, but why should I pick through a garbage dump to get some nuggets? Somebody else will offer information that’s just as good. Maybe better. Good bye.

And the same goes for people selling insurance or investment advice. Or anybody else who wants my business. Or friendship, for that matter.

Potty-mouths see themselves as ‘cutting edge’ or ‘trendy’ or some other just-how-clever-can-you-be description. What they are, though, is insecure.

Insecure people feel compelled to fit in, to go along with the crowd. You know, trendy. Unfortunately, a have-to-go-along attitude always flows downstream, never upwards to excellence. But their need is so great they can’t catch a clue they’re building roadblocks to success.

Unless, of course, they market to other pitiful people in the same boat. Then they can all wallow in garbage together.

That kind of limits their market, but as long as they don’t run their potty mouths on my time, it’s their business–or lack of business, as the case may be.

Perhaps you’re part of that group, but never stopped to think about this before. Well, now you know. And now you can do something about it. And you’re welcome.

One final word for those of you who remain unconvinced by my argument: You can stand on your right of free speech all you want, but offending people with your language costs you sales, friendships, business relationships, etc. And the people you offend won’t tell you why they’re walking away. Why do that to yourself?