A manager might be  prejudiced, but if this individual does not discriminate, legally it does not make any difference.   We don’t care what people think, we care what they do!   Know the difference between these two unfortunate situations and know what might be actionable if it affects you.  When it comes to prejudice, thicken your skin  and know the rules. Be knowledgeable and … always be the professional!

_________________________________

If you have read Black Sales Journal before, you recognize that I frequently comment on racial prejudice, racial preference, and the effects of negative racial perceptions.  It is natural to provide comment on these topics as they represent the 8,000-pound elephant in the room and as a result are not discussed openly in most forums.

We spend time discussing how the Black sales professional can successfully use tactics to neutralize racial preference and how we all (all Black professionals) can nullify and improve negative racial perceptions.  We also face the fact that racial prejudice is a different and difficult beast and that we may never change it.   Psychiatrists often characterize prejudice as a deep-seated attitude.  We all are aware that something negative has been cast into someone’s personal life, it can have a permanent effect.

Importantly, we should recognize the relationship between racial prejudice and racial discrimination and how they manifest themselves in sales.

The Attitude versus the Action!

For the purpose of this explanation let’s define both of these:

Prejudice – Unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.

Discrimination – Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit:  racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

(Courtesy of Dictionary.com definitions 3/5/2012)

So there you have it, racial prejudice is an attitude.  It can reach deep into ones fiber, but an individual will never be tried in a court based on this attitude, as it is not a crime.  If a customer has this attitude, they still remain a viable customer for someone, but possibly not for a Black sales professional.  If your employer has this attitude it is unfortunate yet as long as they make objective and meritorious decisions, they are not guilty.   In other words they can be prejudice but not discriminate strange as it may sound.

Racial discrimination is a different animal as it is action oriented.  A distinction made on the basis of race can potentially be afoul of the laws and regulations, and is almost always ethnically wrong.  It goes without saying that racial discrimination is unfair and although a customer is free to do anything they want, in the case of an employer it could be legally actionable.

The Vicious Circle

The relationship between prejudice and racial discrimination is suggested to be ‘circular’; meaning one leads to the other.  You document racial discrimination but you talk about prejudice as someones disposition or attitude.  Racial discrimination might mean that you get no ‘call-in’ prospects, bad territories, or no house (orphaned by another rep leaving) accounts.  Discrimination may be hard to prove, yet there is evidence, especially when you are able to compare the situation on a relative basis between all sales professionals at a location.  Know what extras you get and how well you performed when you get the chances and if you feel aggrieved read Black Sales Journal 3/9/2011 When You Feel Screwed  – Three Steps to Getting Help.

I make the suggestion that from the standpoint of professional sales that we realize that the most important activities that we can undertake are as follows:

When Bad Gets Worse – Racial Harassment

The unfairness of racial discrimination creates frustration and ill will.  Things are even worse when there is racial harassment.  Racial harassment normally comes from the employer and can emanate from management or coworkers.  A strong example of this is the Montrelle Reese vs. ThyssenKrupp (see Black Sales Journal February 13, 2012).

Racial harassment has a primary purpose of demeaning and driving an individual out of the particular work environment.  It is akin to racial bullying and has no place anywhere, especially in the work environment.  Making someone miserable is awful, and anyone who witnesses it and does nothing is full of fault as well.  It makes no difference as to the colors involved.

Know the facts and know your options.  Most importantly, recognize that acts of discrimination, harassment, and bullying may be actionable, but prejudice is not.  It is an attitude.

Additionally, always be the professional.

Your comments are welcome.

Don’t be confused.  The most effective move to get business preference and stronger relationships is to be the customers expert regarding a subject, discipline, product, or territory!  Experts generate ideas, create confidence, and build interdependence.  Read this, and make a decision on what will make you indispensable to your customer.  If you are not the customers expert…someone else is!

_____________

In our continuing quest to gaining a business edge I want to discuss the advantages of being an expert. In this case we are talking about being either a product expert, or an industry expert, or both. This tactic can not be taken lightly. These can be a game changer!

These tactics for increasing customer and employer confidence are extremely effective. They can be used separately, or together, and either way are powerful. If used together they can reduce the effects caused by both preference andperception.  They don’t change or negate the prejudice that lies deep down in individual, nothing does. But combined, these two items create a “preference” of their own. The preference is real when you have something that others don’t have.

I’m going to touch on both of these for you.

The Power of the Product Expert

Your customers need a product expert. I’m not talking about just having product knowledge; I am speaking of you being a true product expert. The following scenarios note a true product expert.

What a product expert does:

• Is continuously sought out by customers and your own coworkers for advice, opinions, and interpretations
• Knows more than product features and benefits, he or she knows every nuance of the product’s attributes and functionality
• Is knowledgeable about competitor’s products and the competitive landscape
• Is prepared to admit competitor’s strengths and his/her product’s weaknesses when they are well defined
• Researches, researches, researches, then shares the knowledge with deserving parties, even if there is a little self-promotion in the process
• Gets designations, certifications, and degrees if necessary to show the expertise

Product experts are as important to the organization that they work for as they are to the customer.

The Power of the Industry Expert

Attaining status as an industry expert is an equally powerful position.  It involves not being just familiar with the industry (banking, insurance, automotive parts, hospital products, healthcare, telecommunication, etc.), it involves having a recognized ‘database’ of information, ideas, and suggestions built around your prospect, industry, and product.  How do you get there?  You get there by study, research, maintaining logs and notes, participating and hard work.

What an industry expert does:

• Studies the competitive landsccape and knows each competitor’s strengths and weaknesses
• Knows how your product helps the industry, including the niches which fare best with your product
• Knows the economics and financials of the industry
• Is up to date on the legislative environment and any developments
• Is sought out by others for their industry knowledge

A Word of Advice

The most important thing to realize is that most buyers in need of expertise don’t care what color you are if you can help him/her gain a competitive advantage when no one else can. He or she may or may not develop loyalty to you, but will do business with you.  Your job will be to cultivate that loyalty during the course of your relationship to win the buyer over.

You potentially can reduce the effects of two of the racial preference, gender preference, and even discrimination with these two essentials.  Being an expert does not alter racial preference, but can get you a sale. Experts get a line on new relationships with buyers and create a sound footing that can result in deep enduring relationships.

I am looking  forward to hearing your thoughts on this issue.