---
title: "What Purchasers Really Want to Say to Salespeople"
description: "When you're pitching to a client, do you know what they're really thinking behind that polite, attentive facade? Salespeople and clients are natural adversaries from different worlds, yet they meet by chance on Earth. Clients have no obligation to understand salespeople, but salespeople must understand their clients."
author: "崔建中"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2015-07-18"
language: "en"
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---

# What Purchasers Really Want to Say to Salespeople

> When you're pitching to a client, do you know what they're really thinking behind that polite, attentive facade? Salespeople and clients are natural adversaries from different worlds, yet they meet by chance on Earth. Clients have no obligation to understand salespeople, but salespeople must understand their clients.

When you're pitching to a client, do you know what they're really thinking behind that polite, attentive facade?
Salespeople and clients are natural adversaries—one from Mars, the other from Mercury, creatures from entirely different worlds who happen to meet on Earth.
They meet, but salespeople can never truly understand the client's world. So every day, this planet stages tragicomedies about business.
Clients have no obligation to understand salespeople, because they're the ones paying. But salespeople must understand clients, because they want the client's money. So no matter how harshly the purchaser (client) criticizes you, you have to listen. That's dictated by your position.
1. "You can sell to me, but don't try to be my friend"
I know there's a saying in sales: "To do business, first make friends." But whoever said that wasn't thinking clearly. You must have forgotten the famous line: Business is business, friends are friends!
Don't believe me? Think about it from your own perspective. When you buy something, like insurance, do you want a salesperson pestering you every day, claiming to be your friend? Stop hypnotizing yourself.
We don't necessarily need to be friends with you, but you do need to earn our trust. These two things aren't contradictory. Otherwise, how do we know if you're good or bad? There are too many liars in this world, especially among salespeople.
Actually, earning our trust is easy: just think more about our concerns and less about your product. You need to understand our business, our problems, and what value you can bring us. Most importantly, you need to understand what we, as individuals—real people—want from this purchase!
You don't think we want your "friendship," do you? Go play somewhere else. Don't confuse friendship with trust.
What's most infuriating is some salespeople don't even know how to make friends. They assume what they like is what we like. If they like singing, we have to lose our voices; if they like drinking, we have to drink until we puke. Do you know how painful it is to do things you don't enjoy? Please, spare us!
2. "Purchasing decisions are made by the client, not by you, the salesperson!"
You salespeople are so proactive, crying and begging to help us with research, proposals, and product demos. You're so self-entertained, as if once you're done, you can ask me for the contract. Today, I'm telling you solemnly: No way!
Contracts are awarded according to our pace. Do you know how much pressure we're under? We have to report to leadership, worry about product issues, worry about colleagues saying we're wasting money, worry about your promises not being kept, worry about your prices being too high... If you slip through the cracks, we suffer.
So I will firmly control the pace! Forget your sales process, unless it aligns with our purchasing process. Otherwise, no matter how far you run, I'll pull you back. If you don't get back on my track, I won't hesitate to kick you out of the process.
Remember: I am God, and my territory, my rules!
3. "Don't play mind games with me. I'm the mantis, and you're the cicada"
When I was a kid, I always thought the teacher couldn't see me cheating on exams. Until one day, I stood at the podium watching a group of people acting clever below, and I suddenly realized: it's not that the teacher can't see, it's that they can't be bothered to deal with you.
It's the same with you. I hate it when a bunch of stupid salespeople think they're so clever, setting up "traps" as if everyone else is an idiot, just pawns in their game. Maybe you can fool me for a moment, but you can't fool me for a month. Once I catch you, at the very least, I'll make sure you can't work in this industry anymore!
Actually, you can't fool me anyway. In purchasing, if my IQ can count stars, a salesperson's IQ can barely count the moon. It's not that I'm naturally wise; it's that perspective determines intelligence. I know what I want, but you don't know what I want.
Don't believe me? Try standing in my shoes!
4. "I'm not God, and neither are you"
I know your product isn't omnipotent. Just be honest about what it can and can't do. After all, I'm the one using it, not you. You can't wrap fire in paper. If problems arise later, I'll be the one suffering, and I won't let you off easy either.
To avoid tragedy, you must come clean. Be honest about what it is. I know you're not God and can't solve every problem. I also know you can't get Jehovah for the price of the Kitchen God. I'll calmly accept your shortcomings.
My biggest hope is that you can meet my primary needs. If you can't even do that, then you'd better roll away as far as your dreams.
5. "I can be flirtatious, but you can't harass me"
You're a salesperson, not a timekeeper. Don't come to my office to bother me for no reason. Don't call so often either. If I need you, I'll contact you. I have a ton of work to do. When you come and sit for hours refusing to leave, how am I supposed to get anything done?
If you want to visit, that's fine, but you must ensure that visit brings me something useful—like industry trends, peer application cases, solutions to problems, etc. Otherwise, this is a client's territory; no loitering. I'd rather play games or post on Weibo than chat nonsense with you.
And don't play those little tricks, like "I was just passing by." Am I only worth a "passing by"? Or "I didn't bring materials this time; I'll bring them next time." How about you forget to wear clothes when you leave the house?
Do you think I can't see through your little schemes? Don't think I'm silent because you're clever; I'm just saving you some face.
The worst are those who come to my house and block my door. I have elderly parents and young children. Sir, please spare my whole family! Besides, if someone sees you at my house, I'm in trouble—maybe big trouble.
In a word: Fawning for no reason means either adultery or theft!
6. "Shut up and listen to me first"
What does it matter to me when your company was founded? What do I care if your service won awards? So what if your product can cut through iron or is bulletproof?
Sir, can you sit down and listen to what I want first? I just want a solution to my problem, not your product! If you don't let me speak first, even summoning a meteor shower won't help.
What, you know what I want? Fine, let's step back. Even if you do know, how do I know you know? If I don't know that you know, how can I trust your solution? To put my mind at ease, let me say it once. And to let me say it, please pretend to ask once. If you don't ask, how can I speak? Even if you know, you should ask, so I feel reassured.
Remember: When you don't know what I'm buying, you'll never know what you're selling!
7. "Speak human language"
I know your product is high-end, and I know your technical level is high, but please don't use so many technical terms. What's BSC, J2EE, TMD? I don't understand any of it. Not only do I not understand, but I can also read the contempt in your tone. Why else would you spout a bunch of jargon nobody understands? Aren't you just bullying me for my ignorance?
If you don't believe me, let me give you an example. If you go home and your mom asks if you're tired from work, and you say, "Yes, I designed five functions, six calls, and seven nested loops today," wouldn't she grab a broom and hit you for being a show-off?
Anything a client can't understand isn't human language, because you're speaking to humans. If humans can't understand it, can it still be called human language? I need to understand how your thing solves my problem, not to admire you or your product. So you must make me understand, not just entertain yourself.
I can be ignorant, but I can also withhold the order!
8. "I can be dumb, but you can't be stupid"
If you only ask me, "Do you need to buy XX?" I'll definitely say, "No." Why would I create trouble for myself? Do you know how hard it is for me to buy something? I have to report to all sorts of bigwigs. And then there are the relatives and in-laws chiming in. If we can avoid the hassle, let's avoid it.
Of course, if you can spot a problem I haven't noticed, I'd definitely be interested. I admit, in some areas you know more than we do, because we might only buy from you once in a lifetime, but you sell many times a year, often to our competitors. So you might spot problems we don't. If that's the case, I admire you. You're the expert!
We can easily tell if you're an expert. Those who show off their product solutions right away are basically rookies. Those who can immediately discuss business issues with us usually have some skills. If you know our business better than we do, you're definitely a master. Who wouldn't want to talk more with a master, even if your price is higher than a rookie's?
Unfortunately, masters are rare, but rookies fly by every day. Some salespeople would rather stay rookies for ten years than spend a month or two getting familiar with our business.
9. "You'll never understand my sorrow, like day doesn't understand night"
As a salesperson, you need to understand one thing: For clients, every purchase is an adventure. The larger the purchase, the greater our risk.
Often, it's not just about money, but also the negative impact your product can have—delaying our project, hurting our product quality, even affecting our internal unity.
But whenever I mention these concerns, your typical response is to pound your chest and say, "Don't worry, I've got it covered." But I know you're not a monkey. I need you to truly understand our concerns. If you don't know what we're really worried about, why are you pounding your chest? It won't get any bigger.
Besides understanding our concerns, I need to see concrete actions—like your detailed plans, your guarantee measures, etc. This isn't something that can be resolved just because two people get along. I'm the one taking the risk; I could lose my job. Most importantly, if I'm still worried, you won't get the order. Even if I'm forced to sign with you, I'll cut you to pieces.
10. "Business isn't love. You have an obligation to understand me, but I have no obligation to understand you"
Do you know what I care about most? It's definitely not your product or company, but the goals I need to achieve. This year, I need to open three branches, improve product quality, or break into a new industry. These are my goals, and these are what I care about. Only if you care about what I care about will I care about what you care about (the contract).
My starting point for considering any issue is whether my goals can be achieved. So your starting point must be whether you can help me achieve them. If you can't, go somewhere cool. I'm not interested in you.
This is a clear truth, but you're unwilling to spend even five minutes understanding it. You'd rather tell me about your product or solution and let me figure out how it helps achieve my goals. So let me be honest: First, I might not understand it. Second, I might not see the whole picture. Finally, and most importantly, I don't have the time. If you can't learn it yourself, don't bother me with it.
11. "Don't rush me; I'm annoyed"
This is for those who constantly talk about "pressuring" clients to sign. Their biggest hobby is testing whether I can sign at every opportunity. Let me reiterate: We buy at our pace, not yours.
Purchasing is like climbing stairs. We need to go up step by step, because we know any jump could cause a misstep and leave us crippled.
Besides "pressure," there's "temptation." Like year-end discounts for quick payment, discounts for reference clients, or selling to us under the guise of samples. These excuses are just to rush us into buying. We crave discounts but hate being fooled. These tricks are clear to even vegetable vendors, and I, as a buyer, won't fall for them. Stop playing games.
You need to understand that signing is a natural result, not something you force. What you should do is do the right things properly. The right things mean helping us up the stairs, not shouting at us from the rooftop. Watch our pace, don't rush us, and don't test me repeatedly. I know when to do what; I don't need you to teach me.
Also, my patience is limited. If you dare push me, I'll dare kick you. Nobody likes being pushed, but you can support me as I walk!
Give up. We won't be raped, nor will we be easily seduced.
12. "Your silver isn't my money"
You almost always talk about the value you bring us, especially those pretending to be consultants. I think you must have been trained to talk about value more and product less. But whoever told you that might have forgotten to mention: Whether it's valuable is decided by the client, not by you.
You say you can reduce overtime; I say we need to create an atmosphere of hard work. You say you can improve efficiency; I say our employees have low skills and can't master your stuff. You say you can save five positions; I say we can't lay off employees.
I don't know whose value you're talking about—maybe your imagination, maybe another client's. But it's not mine. My value should be defined by me, or at least by us together, not by your fantasies. If you dare fool me with so-called value again, I'll ask you to cash it out in RMB. See if you still dare!
13. "Even with clothes on, I know what's inside"
There's something I find incredible. We're over a decade into the 21st century, and many salespeople still don't know about the "internet." Some might think I'm joking, but it's true. Look at how many salespeople come to see me assuming I know nothing about them!
I do go online, you know. Before you come, I've already searched for all your information, especially your negative news. Before you've even taken off your clothes, I've already sized you up many times. To be frank, in many purchases, you've been eliminated online before you even meet me. So don't expect to use information asymmetry to fool me. You'd better treat me as a regular customer.
In this age of cohabitation, don't expect to lift the bridal veil at the wedding night!
14. "Speak properly, don't show off your PPT at every turn!"
Look at your PPT. Chapter one is your company intro, chapter two is our company intro... Isn't that redundant? Do we need you to introduce our company? And you've introduced your company many times; no need to repeat it, right?
Also, please put some heart into your PPT presentation. When you face a group of technicians, why talk about cost-performance? They hate low-priced things. When you face a group of leaders, why talk about technology? That's like forcing a dog to watch "Empresses in the Palace."
The most infuriating thing is when you force us to learn your product in two hours. Have you thought about how long it took you to learn it? Every time I see you on stage pretending to be an expert, I have to suppress the urge to punch you. It's been a painful struggle.
15. "You have a hammer in your hand, so everyone looks like a nail?!"
Let's talk about your proposals. You call that book that could kill someone a "solution." Then let's have a discussion.
First, if it's a solution, it must solve some of our problems. But we don't have these problems! I don't know where you dug up so many issues. Just because your product can solve a problem, does that mean we must have it? Do you think we'd be doing your product a disservice if we didn't?
Also, you did research us, but I don't see the problems you found in the proposal! Did you not find them, or did you not include them?
During research, you asked a bunch of weird questions, and I could tell you were trying to corner us into your product. Then, whether we admit it or not, you blame us anyway. How can you have the nerve?
Furthermore, your solutions are even more exasperating. You spray your product around and claim it solves all our problems? Nonsense. A problem can have many causes. Your inventory management software might be great, but our warehouse manager can't type. Do you solve the problem first, or solve them first? But you draw a flowchart and declare the problem perfectly solved, then confidently calculate a bunch of benefits. Did you ask us if the warehouse manager thing would work?
So remember: The problems must be ours, not ones you made up sitting at home.
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