Are Salespeople Manipulative? The Truth About Influence & Trust in Sales

Is selling just another form of manipulation, or is it about real influence? In this episode, Kelly unpacks the fine line between persuasion and deception, exposing the biggest mistakes in sales training that are ruining trust and results.

Are salespeople manipulative? It’s a question that makes most sales pros uncomfortable, but the truth might surprise you. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly breaks down the real difference between influence and manipulation—why some sales tactics push prospects away, and what actually builds trust.

Too many sales teams are failing because they’ve been trained the wrong way. Instead of building credibility, they’re making exaggerated claims, forcing relationships, and talking way too much. Kelly explains why these common habits feel manipulative to prospects and how to fix them. Plus, he reveals the one thing that separates a true sales professional from a con artist—it’s not what you think.

Sales training has become a broken system, and it’s time to rewire the way we approach it. If you’re tired of hearing the same old sales advice that doesn’t work, this episode will challenge everything you know about selling.

And for sales managers: Are you afraid to confront underperformance? Kelly explains why ignoring low performers is the fastest way to kill your sales culture—and what to do instead.

If you want to sell with integrity, build real relationships, and actually close more deals, don’t miss this one.

Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. 

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. 

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. 

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson