Sales professionals are often stereotyped as slick and pushy rogues who bamboozle, charm, and mislead to win sales. And while some people who fit this description do work in sales, I believe they are in the minority, especially today, when internet review sites enable customers to wield significant power. After all, one of the things you need to succeed in sales is a good reputation. And an essential component of that is honesty. This is particularly true in the payments industry. Word, both good and bad, gets around our realm at lightning speed.
In Good SellingSM: Thirteen Weeks to Personal Success, Paul H. Green wrote, "The foundation of any good salesperson is solid credibility. A prospect needs to believe not just in your products and service but also in you. Tell the truth and you'll always be able to look each prospect squarely in the eye."
Now, if you are reading this, you are likely an earnest person seeking to continually develop in your career. And, while you do not fit the negative stereotype of a salesperson—not even close—it's still a good idea to conduct a self-assessment periodically that includes an honesty checkup. See, you don't need to outright lie to be dishonest. It's all too easy to omit certain facts or fudge the truth, especially if you're under pressure to produce. This could, for example, involve telling a merchant an appealing new functionality is expected to go live within months when it's still in development and hasn't even been beta tested yet.
So when assessing your honesty, remind yourself that honesty actually sells. Colleen Francis, sales coach and founder of The Sales Leader, summed it up well. "By focusing their efforts on creating a positive customer experience based on openness and trust, top performers almost always enjoy an extraordinary level of repeat sales," she wrote. "So what's the 'secret' to establishing and maintaining credibility in the eyes of your clients – and maximizing your repeat business? Don't lie. Ever. End of story."
So be passionate about what you offer. Know your products. Use them. Why? Because when you're passionate about a product or service, know it inside out, and use it yourself, you will have absolutely no need to lie about it to get your prospects enthused about it, too. This passion will also enable you to put more effort into your work, which will lead to further success.
Another time when salespeople are at risk of sliding into lying is when they are having trouble meeting their quotas. This can create negative energy that turns into panic and soon spirals out of control. To prevent yourself from ever getting close to this state, rely on tried and true goal-setting practices. Map out incremental goals that cover your daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly goals. When you break up that all-imposing sales quota into specific, easy-to-reach goals, each small success builds on the last, your work improves, and you won't have to lie to hit your mark. And you can rest easy knowing you are highly credible indeed. 
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