All business owners and entrepreneurs know the importance of sales strategies in steadily increasing their profitability. I teach my clients many of the proven strategies that I used to build my own legacy business. These effective strategies are the bread and butter of any successful business entrepreneur.

But there’s one fundamental sales tool that no business can thrive without.

That sales tool isn’t learning how to develop an effective sales presentation or handle objections. Don’t get me wrong – it’s important to learn these strategies.

The absolute most important sales tool is integrity. Without it, little else matters.

I learned this lesson long ago from a personal mentor and dear friend, Bobby Wisinger. He was a divisional supervisor of mine back in the early 80s when I was in direct sales. Bobby’s word was his bond. He became a multi-millionaire not only because of his skill and work ethic, but because of his character. Whenever he made a commitment, he honored it, and he held us to the same standard.

In my decades of experience, I’ve learned that when you have integrity in the way you treat people and run your business, success will follow.  When you operate without integrity, there will be damage and downfalls. You may profit in the short-term, but you will ultimately destroy your reputation and relationships. 

You don’t have to take it from me. Multi-millionaire author, salesman and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar asserts that “the most important persuasion sales tool you have in your entire arsenal is integrity.”

Billionaire Warren Buffet also agrees that there’s no sense in doing business with a person who lacks integrity, even if they have other valuable traits.

You can’t have integrity in all that you do without being able to define it. Integrity means doing the right thing in all circumstances and at all times, whether or not anyone is watching, and irrespective of the consequences.

As you strive to grow your brand, your sales or your business, it’s important to recognize that sometimes it’s challenging to do the right thing irrespective of the consequences. Sometimes having integrity means walking away from a deal when there’s a conflict of interest or being honest when you make an error instead of sweeping it under the rug.

Having integrity can require real courage and conviction. Like trust, it takes time to build but can be damaged in an instant. To be viewed as a person with integrity, you need to be consistently mindful of the decisions you make and the words you speak on a daily basis. This is as important in your personal life as it is in your professional life. If you don’t have integrity in one, it’s unlikely you’ll have it in the other.

Why do so many seemingly decent people struggle in this area? The unfortunate reality is that we live in a world  where we’re taught that the end justifies the means. Too many people overpromise and under deliver in order to meet their monthly quotas or cover up mistakes out of fear that their clients or customers will take their business elsewhere.

Most people who are less than 100% honest or feel tempted to cheat the system aren’t evil nor are they setting out to take advantage of people. Rather, they convince themselves that they have justifiable reasons for doing and saying what they do. Even when dishonesty has short-term gains, the moment you compromise your integrity, you declare yourself to be an untrustworthy individual. And word always spreads.

Similarly, when you treat clients, colleagues, investors, employees and new contacts with integrity, word also spreads quickly. Power and profit can be regained, but if people think you lack integrity, the damage is permanent.

When you earn that trust and develop a positive reputation, your business will flourish. People will seek opportunities to do business rather than look for excuses not to do business with you.

It’s also important to surround yourself with people who have integrity. When you associate with such people, they will inevitably rub off on you. Another benefit is that others will assume you share the integrity and values of the company you keep. If your friends or associates are always cutting corners, people will start assuming that you do the same to get ahead.

I have always been committed to having integrity at home and in my professional life. At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I teach my clients to stop before making decisions and ask themselves: Am I acting with integrity? I have watched many clients succeed as a result of doing the honorable thing.

Do you want to learn how to sell with integrity using techniques that will get you real results? To “Double-Plus” your income this year without cutting corners or compromising your values, contact me today.

I’ll close with a insightful quote from business author and speaker Tom Peters:

“There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.”