Why Professionalism Is Ruining Your Sales

In sales, they always say: stay professional and never rock the boat, right? But think about it. Who do buyers actually remember? The professional who checks all the boxes or the real human with smiles, energy, and personality?

In this episode of Sell by Being Human, host Alex Smith sits down with April Palmer, Account Executive at Duckbill, adjunct professor at VCU, and self-described "hot mess boss," to explore why showing up as your authentic self is not just good for your soul, it is good for sales.

April's path started in unexpected places. From selling mistletoe door to door as a kid to closing multi-million dollar enterprise deals, she has learned that the real secret to sales is not better scripts or sharper rebuttals. It is genuine human connection. With 20,000 "weirdos" following her late-night LinkedIn chaos, April has proof that people buy from real people, not robots or talking heads.

In this conversation, you will hear why she tells prospects not to buy from her, how a ruptured Achilles led to 12 job offers, and why the platinum rule beats the golden rule every time. She also shares her dad's most annoying and effective question, what hula hoops and cheesecake taught her about prospecting, and why showing up looking like a "cotton candy machine that turned into a human" is actually a calculated strategy.

If you have ever felt pressure to dim your personality at work, wondered if you could be "too much" for corporate America, or suspected that vanilla ice cream is not your flavor, this conversation offers a different way forward.

Key Takeaways

Why "professionalism" is often just fear in beige clothingHow being authentically you attracts the right buyers and repels the wrong onesThe platinum rule: Treat others the way they want to be treatedWhy "help me understand" is the most powerful phrase in salesHow to know when to tell a prospect not to buy from youThe importance of systems and transparency in building trustWhy calculated risks (like wearing a hot pink suit to a tech conference) pay offHow being vulnerable creates safety for buyers to open upThe art of connecting people and why introductions reveal how you really feel

In This Episode:

[00:00] Introduction to April Palmer

[01:29] April's legendary outreach email

[04:34] What "sell by being human" means to April

[05:26] Why rebuttals give her the "ick"