---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man is trying to sell you…"
description: "\"When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine he is that polite all the time.\" — E. W. Howe"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png"
---

#  When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine…

![“When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine he is that polite all the time.” quote by E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png)

> “When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine he is that polite all the time.”

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often mask their true demeanor when selling, so stay skeptical of apparent politeness.

**In simple terms:** Salespeople may hide their real attitude.

Key Takeaway

Question motives, not just manners.

Themes

skepticism sales perception

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

advice observational

When to use this quote

- shopping
- business negotiations
- marketing
- customer service

Key Concepts

psychology social behavior

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you differentiate genuine courtesy from manipulation?
- What signs reveal true intent?

A Different Perspective

Politeness can be a tactic, not genuine.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commerce/) [E commerce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/e-commerce/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine that he is polite all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-that-he-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I was back to being polite, the well-tempered paranoid. I didn't have much of a choice. If I wasn't polite, they could stick me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/i-was-back-to-being-polite-the-well-tempered-paranoid-i-didn-t-have/)

[Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/)

> [I'm not out there picking out every single item that we sell, and also we don't even make every single item that we sell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-m-not-out-there-picking-out-every-single-item-that-we-sell-and-also/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [ It's a little different when you spend 30 years developing all these companies that we just ask \[Donald Trump\] to sell them. So I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/it-s-a-little-different-when-you-spend-30-years-developing-all-these/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [I can never sell something that I don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nandita-mahtani/i-can-never-sell-something-that-i-don-t-believe-in/)

[Nandita Mahtani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nandita-mahtani/)

> [I could do what a lot of people are doing and that's sign the best Nicaraguan fighters and then sell them to Don King,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arguello/i-could-do-what-a-lot-of-people-are-doing-and-that-s-sign-the-best/)

[Alexis Arguello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arguello/)

> [I just want to do movies, and I want to sell them. I don't want to link up with some product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-just-want-to-do-movies-and-i-want-to-sell-them-i-don-t-want-to-link/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [Sell. Don't apologize for it and don't be afraid to beg with a positive, up-beat attitude. Tell prospects you want their business and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-gimbel/sell-don-t-apologize-for-it-and-don-t-be-afraid-to-beg-with-a/)

Thom Gimbel

> [I don't know how to sell out. If I tried to sell out I don't think I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/i-don-t-know-how-to-sell-out-if-i-tried-to-sell-out-i-don-t-think-i/)

[Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/)

> [“Sell it, don't Smell it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandeep-singh-malik/sell-it-don-t-smell-it/)

Amandeep Singh Malik

> [I believe in that one-on-one sell. I don't really believe in flooding the market with loads of goods that don't mean much, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mcqueen/i-believe-in-that-one-on-one-sell-i-don-t-really-believe-in-flooding/)

[Alexander McQueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mcqueen/)

> [Best way to sell something: don't sell anything. Earn the awareness, respect and trust of those who might buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-belfort/best-way-to-sell-something-don-t-sell-anything-earn-the-awareness/)

[Jordan Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-belfort/)

> [“the man was trying, but it was still good, easy for Jesse to get into. The show was half the fun, and Scott used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-jacks/the-man-was-trying-but-it-was-still-good-easy-for-jesse-to-get-into/)

Marcy Jacks

> [For quite a few millennia, the man has been trying to restrain souls, striving to keep himself outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariana-fulger/for-quite-a-few-millennia-the-man-has-been-trying-to-restrain-souls/)

[Mariana Fulger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariana-fulger/)

> [Outside every fat man there is an even fatter man trying to close in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-amis/outside-every-fat-man-there-is-an-even-fatter-man-trying-to-close-in/)

[Kingsley Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-amis/)

## More by E. W. Howe

> [There is always a type of man who says he loves his fellow men, and expects to make a living at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-always-a-type-of-man-who-says-he-loves-his-fellow-men-and/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [I believe in grumbling; it is the politest form of fighting known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/i-believe-in-grumbling-it-is-the-politest-form-of-fighting-known/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [A theory is no more like a fact than a photograph is like a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/a-theory-is-no-more-like-a-fact-than-a-photograph-is-like-a-person/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Few men progress, except as they are pushed along by events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/few-men-progress-except-as-they-are-pushed-along-by-events/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Men are a good deal better collectively than they are individually. Many a man will do that privately which he will denounce in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/men-are-a-good-deal-better-collectively-than-they-are-individually/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [The modest person is usually admired, if people ever hear of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-modest-person-is-usually-admired-if-people-ever-hear-of-them/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-for-a-man-to-be-able-to-do/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-would-listen-to-you-talk-if-he-didn-t-know-it-was-his-turn-next/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [People never have confidence in a Big Talker. They know his statements must be cut down, but they can never tell how much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/people-never-have-confidence-in-a-big-talker-they-know-his-statements/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [The only gambling tip which amounts to anything is to keep out of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/the-only-gambling-tip-which-amounts-to-anything-is-to-keep-out-of-the/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [One has fear in front of a goat, in back of a mule, and on every side of a fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/one-has-fear-in-front-of-a-goat-in-back-of-a-mule-and-on-every-side/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [No man's credit is ever as good as his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-s-credit-is-ever-as-good-as-his-money/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/some-men-storm-imaginary-alps-all-their-lives-and-die-in-the/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [There is something in the red of a raspberry pie that looks as good to a man as the red in a sheep looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/there-is-something-in-the-red-of-a-raspberry-pie-that-looks-as-good/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

> [Love affairs have always greatly interested me, but I do not greatly care for them in books or moving pictures. In a love affair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/love-affairs-have-always-greatly-interested-me-but-i-do-not-greatly/)

[E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

[Explore all 149 E. W. Howe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine he is that polite all the time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "E. W. Howe"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-he-is-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-he-is-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/e-w-howe-2815_business_when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-somethi_2851249.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine he is that polite all the time.” — E. W. Howe",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "E. W. Howe",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When a man is trying to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-he-is-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-he-is-that/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
