I'm Not Trying To Sell You Something...

If you hear this statement, run. Or tell that person that you are not stupid and walk away if you can. This person, no matter what they just said, is trying their hardest to sell you something.

I was at the Shell station today filling up my car. I noticed that some guy was helping a woman that was getting gas next to me at the adjoining pump. He seemed very helpful since she was signing something as part of a transaction, which I initially thought was for full serve. I saw her get into her car with three spray cans of something, but it didn't hit me as to what was happening until...

Some guy comes around the pump with a spray can of that same product and says, "Would you like to hear about this..." and I stop him and say "No."

He says, "I'm not trying to sell you something." and I reply, "I 'm not interested." and he sulks as he walks away.

In his mind, he wasn't actually trying to sell me something, he was just going to pester me about this great product and then offering a great price, at which point I could buy it, if I was inclined. No selling at all.

This tactic is used with telemarketing people sometimes, they say, "I'm not trying to sell you something." This would be illegal, because I am on the do not call list and everyone except desperately lonely people hate telemarketers. Heck, telemarketers hate telemarketers. Its a sales tactic, if you can allay the fears that prospective buyers have by removing the fuse to their fear, you have their ear for about a minute, until they figure out that they are being told a sales pitch or they decide that they don't need the product.

A few people fall for it because they don't want to seem rude and listen to the whole spiel, most will just find a good interruption point and say they aren't interested. It only has to work a few times.

I really resent these guys, who have started their sell technique by basically lying to you. Its like they don't actually care if you aren't satisfied with the product or if you even need it at all.

Don't fall for this tactic, unless you want to see a lot more of it.