THE LAW OF ETHICAL SALES™ A 7-Part Framework for Ethical Sales Mastery
By Russ Smithson | Sales PSI™ Sales Pressure Done Right™
WHAT IT IS, WHO IT'S FOR & WHY IT MATTERS
The Law of Ethical Sales™ is a seven-part sales framework that makes clear whether a customer's Needs, Wants and Means™ are properly aligned with the solution, financing, and price offered by a company.
Created by Russ Smithson for application across industries, it gives sales professionals, sales leaders, trainers, consultants and organizations a practical standard for pursuing revenue without compromising customer interests.
The framework has been applied with great success in roofing, solar and HVAC sales efforts. It is intended for industries in which sales professionals, or consultants, work to address consequential customer problems involving genuine needs.
The standard raises the bar such that either the customer receives the right solution or, when possible, they are educated and protected from the wrong one — as a matter of process.
The Law of Ethical Sales™ serves as the definitive alternative to adversarial sales tactics. As a clearly defined process, aimed at securing winning outcomes for all parties involved, it brings the interests of the customer, company and consultant into mutually beneficial alignment.
THE LAW — IN PLAIN LANGUAGE Illustrated in the PSI TRIANGLE™
Price — a fair price — is supported by the stability and integrity of the product, process, company and consultant where a comprehensive need meets its comprehensive and corresponding solution — never forgetting that a fair price is only truly fair if all that it promises to deliver holds true.
THE LAW OF ETHICAL SALES™ And Its 7 Requirements
§ I. When logic and emotion demand that fairness and stability be established, or restored, a need is apparent and compelling.
§ II. When a compelling need can be further understood comprehensively, as defined by the consumer's needs, wants and means, it deserves a corresponding solution that is equally compelling and comprehensive — if one exists.
§ III. The consumer must receive the right solution — or be educated through the process and protected from the wrong one when possible.
§ IV. That right solution must be found in accordance with The Golden Ethic™, which asserts that seeking the truth is more important than merely knowing it, as it is exactly that effort, seeking the truth, which requires one to pursue whatever is truly best for the consumer — as a matter of process.
§ V. As a result, the solution shall be demonstrably warranted and feasible, and one for which the consumer is qualified.
§ VI. Delivery of that solution will require the deployment of specific product(s) and process(es) to establish, or to restore, fairness and stability for the customer — fairness and stability which can only be realized as such if both the product(s) and the process(es) are additionally supported by the integrity of the company and consultant.
§ VII. Finally, that compelling and comprehensive solution can be attained and delivered for the best of the customer at an agreed-upon fair price — never forgetting that a fair price is only truly fair if all that it promises to deliver holds true integrity itself.
© Copyright 2026 Russ Smithson. All rights reserved.
APPLY IT IN THE FIELD
FOUNDATIONS & APPLICATION
Every principle above, and more, is operationalized into a working process in a 53-page Multi-Industry Field Manual, called The Law of Ethical Sales™ — Win Without Compromise™ — Powered by The Golden Ethic™. It's available for purchase to guide you through your own implementation of these principles and processes.
Deployed With Coaching: Details available on the author's LinkedIn profile.
- 12 mo. - 22 Roofing & Solar reps - run rate increased from $9M to $36M.
- 6 mo. - 38 Solar reps - sales increased from $2.4M/mo to $5.2M. Close Rate from 24% to 34%
- 3 mo. - 10 Solar & HVAC reps - increased run rate from $12M to $20M.
- The above is not a guarantee. Results vary based upon supporting implementation.
- The Warranted Feasible Qualified Gateway™ - Know if the opportunity is viable.
- The Needs, Wants and Means Analysis™ - Identify the full scope of what needs solving.
- The PSI Triangle™ and the Seven Integrities™ - Define the comprehensive Right Fit™.
- Rightly answer the Essential Sales Question™ - Why Should I Buy This From You Now?™
- Offer your best for those you serve, including yourself.
THE GOLDEN ETHIC™
The Golden Ethic™, referenced in the Law above, was written in 2026 by Russ Smithson. It answers a first principles question that Smithson began asking in his sales training efforts in 2014 — one he believed to be a critical driver towards proper orientation in effort; not only in sales but also in life.
The question: "Which is more important, to know the truth or to seek it?™" The Golden Ethic™ substantiates Smithson's view that seeking the truth, as a matter of process, is far more important than merely knowing it. One's choice in the matter is the fundamental driver of what we produce for those we serve, and/or those we love.
The Law of Ethical Sales™ defines what an ethical sale requires. The Field Manual defines how to apply it.
It's the difference between agreeing with the law and practicing it.
"Earn a meaningful yes as a matter of process." - Russ Smithson
Send your inquiry for team implementation or other to info@salespsi.com
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IT IS
What is The Law of Ethical Sales™?
The Law of Ethical Sales™ is a seven-part framework for determining whether a customer’s Needs, Wants and Means™ are properly aligned with the solution, financing and price being offered. It gives sales professionals and organizations a practical standard for pursuing revenue without compromising the customer’s interests.
What makes it different from a sales script or a closing technique?
It is not another talk track, objection-handling formula or set of tactics designed merely to move a prospect toward a close. The Law is built upon first principles thinking, not surface level verbal ploys. It establishes the conditions an ethical sale must satisfy. The Field Manual turns those principles into a repeatable process for identifying and delivering the desired outcome for all involved.
What is the PSI Triangle™?
The PSI Triangle™ is a model used to define the comprehensive Right Fit™ between the customer’s situation and the proposed solution. It examines whether the solution and price are supported by the stability and integrity of the product, process, company and consultant.
What is The Golden Ethic™, and how does it relate to the Law?
The Golden Ethic™ holds that seeking the truth is more important than merely knowing it. Within The Law of Ethical Sales™, that means actively pursuing what is truly best for the customer—even when doing so may not produce a sale. This directly impacts the Law's application as the process of seeking the truth of what is best for a potential customer requires one to use the very best of what they know to search it out. When pursued honestly, this effort is precisely what prevents reps from manipulating the truth, or worse, weaponizing it—it is not merely the aim towards truth, but the process of seeking it out for the best of the customer that compels the result.
What are Needs, Wants and Means™, and why do all three matter?
Needs, Wants and Means™ provide a comprehensive view of the customer’s situation: what problem genuinely needs to be solved, what the customer wants from the outcome and what is realistically feasible for them financially. All three must be understood before a solution can be considered a corresponding, comprehensive Right Fit™.
WHAT IT'S FOR
Who is this framework designed for—reps, managers or business owners?
It is designed for sales professionals, sales leaders, trainers, consultants and organizations. Individual representatives can use it to guide customer conversations, while managers and business owners can use it as a shared standard for sales training and execution.
Which industries is it built for?
The framework was created for application across industries, particularly those in which sales professionals or consultants address consequential customer problems involving genuine needs. It has been applied in roofing, solar and HVAC, and the Field Manual also identifies insurance and other high-ticket, necessity-focused industries as relevant applications.
Why draft it for multiple industries?
It was created as a multi-industry framework to codify and define exactly what an ethical sale is. Rather than leaving organizations and customers to rely on the ethical nature of a given rep, at a given time, and hoping for the best, it not only defines what an ethical law of sales is, but additionally sets the stage for the process required to carry it out. As a result, its principles apply to any seller who delivers solutions that are genuinely needed, who also desires to deliver solutions that are appropriate, financially feasible and supported by a trustworthy delivery process.
Is this for individual sales reps or for training a whole team?
Both. The Field Manual is available for individual self-guided ethical sales mastery, and coached implementation is available for teams and organizations.
HOW IT WORKS
How is “an ethical sale” actually defined by the seven requirements?
- A genuine and compelling customer need actually exists.
- A comprehensive understanding of the customer’s Needs, Wants and Means™ is discerned.
- The right solution, or education to protect the customer from wrong one, is procedurally executed.
- A truth-seeking process guided by The Golden Ethic™ is pursued throughout the process.
- A solution offered must be warranted and feasible, and one for which the customer is qualified.
- Products and processes offered are supported by the integrity of the company and consultant.
- A fair price is given in exchange for a promised outcome that can actually be delivered.
What is the Warranted Feasible Qualified Gateway™?
The Warranted Feasible Qualified Gateway™ is used to determine whether an opportunity is genuinely viable. It asks whether the proposed solution is justified by the customer’s situation, realistically achievable and actually attainable for the specific customer with their specific qualifications.
How does the framework decide when a customer should be protected from a solution rather than sold one?
The process evaluates whether the offering comprehensively addresses the customer’s Needs, Wants and Means™ and whether it passes the Warranted Feasible Qualified Gateway™. If it does not, the representative’s responsibility is to educate the customer and, when possible, protect them from the wrong solution rather than force the transaction.
What is the “Right Fit™” solution, and how is it determined?
The Right Fit™ is the solution that appropriately addresses the customer’s full situation, their Needs, Wants and Means™, because it is Warranted Feasible Qualified™ to do so. Not only is it a comprehensive solution but it is the solution that directly corresponds to the customer's situation. It must be deliverable through products and processes supported by the integrity of the company and consultant, at a fair price.
How does the Law address “Why Should I Buy This From You Now?™”
It answers the Essential Sales Question™—“Why Should I Buy This From You Now?™”—by establishing five things: 1. That a general need exists. 2. That the specific version of that need, for this specific customer is understood and addressable. 3. That the proposed solution is the comprehensive and corresponding Right Fit™ for their unique situation. 4. That the company and the consultant are the exact, integral experts needed to deliver all that is promised. And 5. That the time to successfully correct the problem they're facing is now. The objective is to earn a meaningful “yes” through the process rather than merely manufacturing urgency.
What results have companies seen after implementing it?
- A 22-representative roofing and solar team increased its annual run rate from $9 million to $36 million over 12 months.
- A 38-representative solar team increased monthly sales from $2.4 million to $5.2 million over six months, while its close rate increased from 24% to 34%.
- A 10-representative solar and HVAC team increased its annual run rate from $12 million to $20 million over three months.
These are reported examples from specific implementations and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of identical results. Further details of each are available at the author's LinkedIn page.
Does it work for teams that are already experienced, or only new reps?
The framework is not limited to new representatives. It establishes a common decision-making and execution standard that can help experienced teams examine how they qualify opportunities, define the Right Fit™, establish value and pursue customer commitments effectively and ethically.
How long does it typically take to see results?
The published examples report meaningful changes over periods ranging from 3 to 12 months. As with all coaching or educational efforts, results depend heavily on those learning the new concepts and applying them in the field. We cannot promise a standard timeline, as actual results will depend on the team, market, implementation accountability, and consistency of application. Though, in some cases reps have seen improvement after only one 4 hour session, as what is often lacking is the clarity of a defined goal that reps understand and can commit to fully. The Law provides that, the coaching sees it through.
THE FIELD MANUAL—GETTING STARTED
What’s included in the 53-page Field Manual?
The Field Manual operationalizes the principles of The Law of Ethical Sales™ into a working sales process. Its featured concepts include:
- The Implementation Guide for Consultants and Sales Leaders
- The Sales PSI™ Origin Story
- The Law of Ethical Sales™
- The Golden Ethic™
- The Warranted Feasible Qualified Gateway™
- The Needs Wants and Means Analysis™
- The PSI Triangle™
- The Seven Integrities™
- The Right Fit™
- The Referral/Integrity Close™
- The Sales PSI Sales Process™
- The Essential Sales Question™ & Full Answer - “Why Should I Buy This From You Now?™”
- The Complete List of Methodological Vocabulary, Concepts & Definitions
- A Path Forward to Certification & Licensing
- And More.
Is the Field Manual enough on its own, or is coaching required?
The Field Manual is available to guide readers through their own implementation or in conjunction with our coaching efforts. As with any transformative endeavor, the more time one invests, the greater the results and the longer those results last. If sales-mastery is the goal then coaching is recomnended and is available for teams wanting support in deploying the framework in the field.
Do you offer team implementation or company-wide training?
Yes, we can help with both. For more information contact us directly at info@salespsi.com. The exact training formats, scope and engagement terms are not listed publicly.
How much does the Field-Manual cost, and how is it purchased?
The Field-Manual, "The Law of Ethical Sales™ - Win Without Compromise™," can be purchased at SalesPSI.com and costs $47.00 US.
What's the difference between reading the Law and applying it?
The Law defines what an ethical sale requires and is useful to read through and consider. However, the Field Manual defines how to put those requirements into practice and that has proven to be transformative for those who've done so.
CREDIBILITY AND BACKGROUND
Who is Russ Smithson, and what’s his background?
Russ Smithson is the creator of The Law of Ethical Sales™, The Golden Ethic™, The Law of Ethical Sales™ Win Without Compromise™ Multi-Industry Field Manual and the Sales PSI™ Sales Pressure Done Right™ methodology. He's a family man who loves Christ, a 20-year High School Wrestling Coach, lifelong competitor, entrepreneur, singer-songwriter and graphic artist.
In 2011 he transitioned into the solar/energy efficiency industry, landing an independent sales position at Verengo Solar. In an effort to understand and remember the vast array of new industry terms, which were totally foreign to him, Smithson saw a pattern in what was being presented: a price that was better than what it replaced, a form of stability that was restored, or established, where lacking, and a form of integrity that was delivered to the customer as a matter of process.
Coming from a construction background, his father was a general contractor, Smithson liked the idea that P.S.I. reminded him of pressure per square inch and could help him remember the industry terms and their applications. And because the "I" represented Integrity, it implied the right kind of pressure.
From that point on in his new endeavor, he'd place anything having to do with price in its category, anything that helped deliver stability, in the stability category and anything that delivered it all with integrity, in its category. Though only in its infancy, Sales PSI™ Sales Pressure Done Right™ was born.
In Smithson's first year in the indusrty he performed in the top 10% of all sales reps, throughout his time at Verengo and became the Central Valley Team Lead. As C.V, Team Lead he worked directly with valley reps to refine their sales presentations. Next he managed the state of CA at PetersonDean Roofing & Solar where he oversaw the fourfold increase of sales revenue in the state. Then he was hired as an independent sales coach by Sunrun, where he deployed his methodology fully, to restore the struggling Northern California Super region to excellent standing, outperforming all other regions nationally by 5 to 11% in close rate. In the early days as a rep his close rate was consistently around 35%. As his knowledge solidified in the industry, his close rate jumped to the high 50% range, and in his last year selling directly, he earned his top monthly close rate of 64%.
Further professional background and implementation details are available through his LinkedIn profile linked from the site.
What is Sales PSI™ / Sales Pressure Done Right™, and how does it relate to the Law?
The Law of Ethical Sales™ provides the ethical structure and defines what a proper sale requires. Sales PSI™ Sales Pressure Done Right™ was created in 2011 and is the sales methodology used to apply that structure in the field. It is also the origin of the Law itself as it was created in real world coaching and sales efforts over the years.
How long has this framework been in development?
The Sales PSI™ Sales Pressure Done Right™ methodology was created in 2011 and has been under constant refinement and application since. The Law of Ethical Sales™, shown here, was finalized in 2026 and is the culmination of that effort into a codified, easy to understand structure that the Sales PSI™ methodology helps consultants to deply.
Similarly, the ideas that have become known as The Golden Ethic™ have always present in the methodology, as seeking the truth about what was best for prospects was a driving personal ethic of Smithson's throughout. However, realizing that something so foundational to the approach could not be left to chance or to the whims of a reps personal choices, Smithson realized the need to define and codify the ethic such that it could be deployed as a matter of process.
Is this framework proprietary, or based on an existing methodology?
The Law of Ethical Sales™, The Golden Ethic™, the PSI Triangle™, and related analyses, definitions and concepts herein are the proprietary work of Russ Smithson. The Law of Ethical Sales™, The Golden Ethic™ and the PSI Triangle™ can be shared, utilized in social media, and reference material as well, so long as the material is properly linked to this site, an authorized site, such that proper credit to the author is given and Smithson's sole right for monetary gain from the reproduction, and/or training others seeking to deploy the concepts, is fully respected.
PRACTICAL AND LOGISTICS
How do I contact you about team implementation?
Team implementation and other inquiries can be sent to info@salespsi.com. Visitors can also follow the implementation link on this website.
Is the Field Manual delivered digitally?
Yes, the Multi-Industry Field Manual, The Law of Ethical Sales™ - Win Without Compromise™, is available for download, “Instant Access,” as a PDF SalesPSI.com Checkout.
Can this be combined with our existing CRM or sales process?
The framework is presented as a sales methodology and decision-making process rather than CRM software. Its qualification standards, Needs Wants and Means Analysis™, Right Fit™ criteria and related steps can potentially be incorporated into an existing sales process or CRM. Specific integrations, fields and implementation requirements would need to be determined during a team implementation discussion.
© Copyright 2011, 2026 Russ Smithson. All rights reserved.