Never Fight With a Client or a Prospect

Written by on April 21, 2020 / Inside BS Podcast

I like to be provocative. I tell stories that evoke emotion. Sometimes people agree with me, and sometimes they don’t. I’m politically active. I am a fiscally conservative, socially progressive capitalist, and I can advocate for my positions while respecting your opinion. I enjoy debate, and I want to win you over to my way of thinking because I think it will be useful for you.

Notice the last part.

I want the best for you, and that’s why I try to convince you to see my point of view.

I don’t think you are stupid for having different beliefs than I hold. If I don’t win you over to my point of view, I still want to be your friend.

I can respect you and your point of view without agreeing with it.

Here’s something you MUST understand: Everyone thinks they are right.

That’s an important point.

For a person to abandon one belief and adopt another, they need to make that change themselves. That means they need to FEEL something different and then support that feeling with LOGIC.

All you can do is present evidence – emotional and factual – and allow them to accept it, internalize it and make it their own.

This is why arguments don’t work.

Bludgeoning someone with information and insults results in retrenchment, defensiveness, and resentment of you as the messenger. Social media has exacerbated this situation.

Each day I see people posting things they know will inflame others. At least once each week, someone comes into one of my social media accounts and insults me. On today’s show, I tell a story of how someone threatened my family and me because of a political opinion I presented.

While I past the point of caring about unsolicited feedback years ago, I don’t like threats, and I especially despise people who pass judgment without having a personal conversation. When you get into an online “argument,” you display one side of your personality with zero context, and you open yourself up to being judged by people who might do business with you. Don’t give them that opportunity.

Here’s the bottom line:

Be opinionated. Share your opinion. But do it in person or in a direct telephone conversation. Don’t start trouble online. It harms your brand. A third party – someone who doesn’t know you – may judge you based upon that one interaction and without having the full context. And nothing positive will come from it.

You should never get into a fight with:
1). Clients
2). Prospects
3). Trolls on Social Media

Listen to today’s show and share your thoughts with me. If you don’t agree, try to win me over.