Are you a sarcastic asshole like I am? Are you the type of person who says the worst thing that could possibly be said about a situation and able to pass it off as humor? You’re not alone. I’m learning that there are a lot of us sarcastic a-holes in sales. Imagine that…
In a world full of polished salespeople pretending to be someone they are not, those of us with a sarcastic and sadistic sense of humor stand out. If you can pull it off properly, sarcastic humor is appreciated by many people. Studies show those with sarcastic senses of humor are smarter than average. So if you think sarcasm isn’t funny, it’s only because you are less intelligent!
Sarcasm in sales works great if you know how to use it. You can say things that need to be said, with humor, that would otherwise ruin any chance of closing. Plus, for those of us who are sadistic weirdos, we sometimes like to see what all we can get away with and still close the sale. Don’t act like you’ve never tried it.
There’s a deeply embedded psychological reason why sarcasm works in sales. There’s actually some compelling arguments for form of sarcasm being needed in order to close sales. I’ll give you three reasons why sarcastic people do well in sales and you can take it or leave it.
People need to be told like it is – One thing about us sarcastic folks, is we say what needs to be said. Some of us are really good at using the right tone and humor which makes our sarcasm more enticing. When you’re a sarcastic asshole, you’re not afraid to call the prospect out on their BS. Matter of fact, those of us who are masters of sarcasm can call the prospect’s bullshit out in a way that makes them laugh and move forward.
The beauty about sarcasm and sales is that you can say what needs to be said in a way that impacts the decision making process of the prospect without damaging their ego and blowing the sale. When you’re good at sarcastic comebacks, you can shut down objections in a way that makes the prospect want to move forward. Sarcasm makes the truth easier to swallow for the prospect.
We say what others won’t – Part of being sarcastic is saying things that other people won’t say. Most of the time, what others won’t say, is exactly what needs to be said. When you are able to do this, people respect you and want to move forward. There’s a fine line between being a complete douchebag and being sarcastic enough to get the point across. Walk that line delicately.
When you say what needs to be said, humor or not, people listen. The key is in how the prospect receives the message. Sarcasm is a way for them to receive the message and not get all offended. A lot of crazy words have been dismissed for the sake of sarcasm. When you know something needs to be said, say it with sarcasm and watch it work.
Humor is a big part of sales – I’ve always said “If you can make them smile, you can make the sale” and it’s always been true for me. People will pay to be entertained. We go to movies, games, shows and more just to be entertained. If you can make a prospect laugh and get them to enjoy your sales process, you’ll have a hard time NOT closing them.
My go-to attempt at humor is always sarcasm. They say you attract what you are, turns out 99% of my prospects are sarcastic assholes just like me. It’s like we’re a match made in heaven. Well, maybe south of heaven, but you get the point. I know it’s time to go in for the close when my prospects say “that’s f*cked up but it’s true” that’s a signal phrase for me to go in and make the offer. I’m not even kidding.
Look, if you’re not the sarcastic personality type “I’m sorry” But for those of you reading this who have worst case scenario jokes for days, try working some of those into your sales process. Be prepared to blow a few sales while you work out your “routine” but in the end a little sarcasm goes a long ways towards the sale.
All sarcasm aside, if you’re not the top producer in your industry, you’re going to need more than sarcasm to get you there. Let me be the one to help you with that. My program Permission Based Sales is gangster. Within 30 days, I’ll turn you into a follow-up monster. We all know the money is in follow-up, let me help you get paid. Click the banner below for details.
