Honesty, Imperfections and the Art of Setting your own Frame

When prospects ask whether your product has a certain functionality and you don’t offer it — don’t lie. As much as it hurts to admit that you or your company might lack in some aspects, people respect honesty. In fact, it can build trust faster than trying to always present yourself and your product in the most positive light possible.

Research in social psychology supports this: people who admit to small imperfections are often trusted more than those who seem flawless — a phenomenon known as the Pratfall Effect. In sales, honesty can actually strengthen your credibility instead of weakening it.

The same goes for price negotiations. It’s okay to say outright that your product isn’t the cheapest — in fact, it might be on the more expensive side compared to other vendors. It’s the way you present the pricing that determines how your product is perceived.

For instance, if you subconsciously aren’t convinced that your solution is worth the money, it will bleed into how you present the pricing. The other side is very receptive to your energy. They might give pushback just to test you.

Studies on “emotional contagion” show that people subconsciously mirror the emotions and confidence of those they interact with — so if you project uncertainty about your offer, the buyer will feel it too.

The point is that the energy and conviction you bring into the call will dictate the outcome of the sale. Prospects — and life — will test to see who you really are and whether you can stand behind your service completely.

Too often, I made the mistake of thinking that sales is about being liked or being likable — but being likable and charming isn’t enough. That would be too easy. While likeability helps open doors, respect and perceived expertise are what close deals. People may enjoy talking to you — but they buy from those they trust to lead the conversation.

You have to be willing to challenge and hold your frame as a salesperson who brings value and can stay firm in your statements without losing credibility or trustworthiness.

So above likability, I’d say respect and trust are much more likely to get the deal across the finish line.

Let me give you an example: currently, I’m working on winning back a customer that used to work with us but switched to two other providers. Now they’d like to return — except that we’re competing against those same vendors, and the prospect told me, in full transparency, that much of the decision will be based on price.

Through a short discovery, we established a range of what would be acceptable to present to their board. I came back with a proposal that was at the upper end of that range, making it very clear that I couldn’t compete with the other vendors on price beyond that. That was me setting the frame for the negotiation going forward. From that point on, all conversations focused on the features that justified the price — shifting the discussion away from cost-cutting to the value we bring to their business.

This means I set the frame right from the get-go: I wasn’t willing to offer the cheapest solution, but I was focused on proving why we bring the most value — and why it’s worth paying for.

Of course, the buyer has leverage in setting the frame of the conversation — but not in all scenarios. You don’t need to fully abide by their frame; you can also guide where the conversation goes and the perspective you’re coming from. Counterintuitively, doing this can build a lot of trust and help you qualify or disqualify deals much faster.

At the end of the day, tough conversations aren’t about confrontation — they’re about clarity. The more comfortable you become with being honest about what you offer, where your limits are, and what your product is truly worth, the more magnetic your presence becomes. Integrity attracts the right customers and repels the wrong ones. In a world full of noise and overpromises, being the person who tells the truth — calmly, confidently, and without apology — is your real competitive advantage.