Anurag Harsh

Sales & Marketing is not what it used to be, not even a little bit. Long gone are the days of gimmicks, clever phrasing, and seduction. The well of false enchantment has run dry. Clients and consumers stare down attempts at persuasion and flashy marketing because they expect authenticity from salespeople and corporations alike. This shift in expectation comes on the back of the digital revolution and unilateral skepticism toward salespeople and companies. As consumer psychology changes, sales & marketing enters a new era, where human needs, values, and connections define success and failure. To meet this call to action corporations and salespeople must change their perspective toward their clients and consumers. They must see them as community members, tribes-people, as human beings who need trust, predictability, transparency, and respect. This is the pathos of the Relationship Era. Spending large amounts of money to buy "likes" and promotions from paid bloggers is not the way to go. "Money Can't Buy You Love, Not Even a Like" discusses the core philosophy that the more you “sell”, the more you scare. That relationship building ought to be embraced not as a strategy but as a pleasure. That salespeople and corporations must know what they stand for and champion it. That they should listen to their clients and customers, spreading content that is valuable and resonates with their customers’ feedback. Lastly—most importantly—not fabricate authenticity. Not even try.