Selling with integrity isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a necessity. With the world noisier than ever, especially with the rise of AI, trust has never been more valuable.
If you want better customers, faster sales, and healthier margins, you need a checklist. Here are five questions at the core of Integrity First Selling.
1. Am I willing to tell a customer my solution is not the correct answer for them?
This one is tough. It’s easy to fall into the trap of selling just because you can. Real integrity means being upfront. If your solution isn’t the right fit, tell your customer. Point them in the right direction—even if it’s not toward you.
You might lose a sale today, but you’ll earn trust. That trust will bring them back when the time is right, and they’ll refer others, too. Play the long game.
2. Will I refer a customer to a competitor if they can serve them better?
This step goes even further. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is send your prospect to someone who can truly help them—even if it’s your competition.
Maybe they need a lower price, a service you don’t offer, or a different approach. Don’t bend over backwards or discount your value. Guide them honestly. You’ll be shocked at how often this comes back to you in referrals and future business.
3. Do I resist pressure to reduce a price or offer more to close a sale?
Discounting isn’t integrity. It only cheapens the solution. When you cut price to win a deal, you dilute both your value and the customer’s commitment to success.
Hold your ground. Offer options, yes. But don’t fall for the myth that the lowest price wins loyalty. Stay focused on delivering the right solution, not just the one they think they want at a bargain.
4. Do I make special exceptions to close a sale without a solid reason?
Ever been tempted to make just one tiny exception “just this once”? Don’t do it.
Making special deals creates confusion, overcomplicates your process, and chips away at your value. It signals to your customers that the first offer is never the real offer, and encourages endless negotiation.
Stay consistent. Protect both your brand and your sanity.
5. Will I help the customer after the sale to ensure their expectations are met?
The sale isn’t done when signatures hit paper. Following through—and following up—may take more work, but it pays off. Customers notice when you’re there to make sure they succeed.
Handle problems after the sale. Stick with them long enough to help them achieve the value they expected. This creates raving fans and leads to more sales, better referrals, and shortens your sales cycle in the long run.
Integrity First Selling isn’t about doing what’s easy in the moment. It’s about doing what’s right. When you put these five questions at the heart of every deal, you build trust, create loyal customers, and stand out for all the right reasons.
Pre-Order Mark’s new book today, also available on Kindle!
Ready to make integrity your number one sales tool? The results speak for themselves.
The New Secret to Earning Customer Trust
Mark unpacks what it truly means to sell with integrity in a rapidly changing sales landscape.
Find episode #373 wherever you download podcasts!
Leveraging Neuroscience and Psychology in Sales
w/ David Hoffeld
David reveals why the fundamentals of how our brains make buying decisions have never changed, even as the world of sales keeps evolving.
Episode #374 is out THURSDAY!!
Copyright 2025, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of A Mind for Sales and High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.
