Originally posted by WongCH:
i think if you know what you are selling and you know the products can help that person, it is good for you to do that even though that person may be your friends or family members.
You see, that's the main issue.
Product knowledge is one thing; understanding needs is another altogether.
Selling something that the person don't need will require sale tactics and sale tactics done on family and friends will inevitable spoilt them (maybe insurance still isn't as bad because it buys protection and peace of mind). Much as people of such line hate to admit, it damage relationship of various degree. Because I do avoid certain people when they call me as they have inevitable damage their relationship with me, I would never want to see myself creating that sort of damage towards the people around me.
Let's face this fact; every time when we receive a phone call from people of such line, the first thing that pops out of our mind isn't about relationship - the questionable dollar sign will appear in our subconscious.
I rather fulfill needs of others, than to tell them that there is a need... creating a market from no market. You probably only reckon that the product can help people (sometimes, this is probably delusional as well) - even if it does, what if there isn't a need for that 'help'? What if people don't think it's helpful to what you are selling and the more you try to convince, it becomes puts pressure on your relationship? When people buy out of pressure, not out of need, this whole model fails terribly.
You may argue that it boils down to sales techniques, but to a CONSUMER, it's all the same. People of such line focus too much on the seller's mindset, than to be sensitive to the CONSUMER's behaviour. I would rather not drive a BMW or earning much of those promised 'passive income' than to lose certain aspect of life that cannot be measure in dollar sense. If success means having that and having to sacrifice relationship, I think that's a poor definition of success (And there are many other ways to draw 'passive' income. We all know that well).
You don't have to agree with me because these are my personal thoughts.
Cheers
