Épisodes

  • Our Solution Provision

    Our Solution Provision
    Feb 11 2026
    The Five-Phase Sales Solution Cadence: Facts, Benefits, Applications, Evidence, Trial Close When you've done proper discovery—asked loads of questions about where the buyer is now and where they want to be—you earn the right to propose a solution. But here's the kicker: sometimes the right move is to walk away. If you force a partial or wrong-fit solution, you might "grab the dough" short-term, but you'll torch trust and reputation—the two assets that don't come back easily. Below is a search-friendly, buyer-proof cadence you can run in any market—**Japan vs **United States, SME vs enterprise, B2B services vs SaaS—especially post-pandemic when procurement teams want clarity, proof, and outcomes, not fluffy feature parades. How do you know if your solution genuinely fits the buyer (and when should you walk away)? You know it fits when you can map your solution to their stated outcomes—and prove it—without twisting the facts. If the buyer needs an outcome you can't deliver, the ethical (and commercially smart) play is: "We can't help you with that." In 2024–2026, buyers are savvier and more risk-aware. They'll check reviews, ask peers, and sanity-test claims through AI search tools and internal stakeholder scrutiny. In high-trust cultures (including Japan) and high-compliance industries (finance, health, critical infrastructure), a wrong-fit sale becomes a reputational boomerang. The deal closes once; the story travels forever. Do now: Write a one-page "fit test": buyer outcomes → your capability → evidence. If any outcome can't be supported, qualify out fast. What does "facts" mean in a modern B2B sales conversation? Facts are the provable mechanics—features, specs, process steps, constraints—and the proof that they work. Facts aren't the goal; they're the credibility scaffolding. Salespeople often drown here: endless micro-detail, endless Q&A, endless spreadsheets. Yes, analytical buyers (engineering-led firms, CFO-led committees) will pull you into the weeds—but remember: they aren't buying the process. They're buying the outcome from the process. Bring facts that de-risk the decision: implementation timelines, security posture (SOC 2/ISO), uptime/SLA history, integration limits, and measurable performance benchmarks. Then move on before you get stuck. Do now: Prepare a "facts pack" with 5–7 proof points (not 57 features). Use it to earn trust, then pivot to outcomes. How do you turn features into benefits buyers will actually pay for? Benefits are the "so what"—the measurable results the buyer gets because the feature exists. If you can't link a feature to an outcome, it's just trivia. A weight, colour, dimension, workflow, dashboard, or AI model is not valuable by itself. It becomes valuable when it improves a KPI: reduced cycle time, fewer defects, higher conversion, lower churn, faster onboarding, better safety, tighter compliance. This is where classic sales thinking still holds up—think **SPIN Selling and the buyer's implied needs: pain, impact, and value. In a tight 2025 budget environment, "nice-to-have" benefits die quickly; "must-have" outcomes survive. Do now: For every top feature, write one sentence: "This enables ___, which improves ___ by ___ within ___ days." If you can't fill the blanks, drop the feature from your pitch. What is the "application of benefits" and how do you make it real inside their business? Application is where benefits turn into daily operational reality—what changes in workflow, decisions, and results.This is the "rubber meets the road" layer. Don't just say "we improve productivity." Show where it lands: which meetings get shorter, which approvals disappear, which roles stop firefighting, which customers get served faster, which errors are prevented, and what leaders see weekly on dashboards. Compare contexts: a startup may care about speed and cash runway; a multinational may care about governance, change management, and multi-region rollouts. A consumer business might chase conversion and NPS; a B2B industrial firm might chase downtime reduction and safety incidents. Do now: Build a simple "Before → After" map for their week: processes eliminated, expanded, improved—and who owns each change. What counts as credible evidence (and what "proof" actually convinces buyers)? Credible evidence is specific, comparable, and close to the buyer's reality—same industry, similar scale, similar constraints. "Trust me" is not evidence. Bring proof that survives scrutiny: reference customers, quantified case studies, independent reviews, pilot results, and implementation artefacts (plans, timelines, adoption metrics). The closer the comparison company is to the buyer, the more persuasive it becomes. This is also where storytelling matters: not hype—narrative. Who was involved? What went wrong? What changed? What were the numbers before and after? Analysts like **Gartner or **Forrester can help with ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    12 min
  • The Sales Questioning Model

    The Sales Questioning Model
    Feb 3 2026
    Most sales meetings go sideways because the seller is winging it, not guiding the buyer through a clear decision journey. In a competitive market with limited buyer time, you need a questioning structure that gets to needs fast, keeps control of the conversation, and leads naturally to a purchase decision—without sounding scripted. Do you actually need a sales questioning model, or can you just "follow the conversation"? You need a questioning model because buyers will pull the conversation in random directions and you still need to reach a purchase outcome. A lot of salespeople have little structure because they're untrained, they're used to winging it, or they hate being "shackled" by a system and want to be a free bird in the meeting. The problem is: you don't have unlimited time, and competitors are offering similar solutions, so you must get to a clear understanding of needs quickly and match a solution precisely. A model gives you a logical cadence and a "track of your choosing" so you can steer back to what matters when the conversation wanders. Do now: Go into your next meeting with a written question flow, not just a list of topics. What are "As-Is" questions and why do they matter in discovery? As-Is questions establish the buyer's baseline—what they're doing now and how well it's working. You're mapping the current reality: what has the client been doing so far, what's working, what isn't working well enough, and what the situation inside the organisation looks like today. Sometimes buyers jump straight to where they want to be; that's fine, but you still need the "before" picture to measure the gap between current and desired states. Without the baseline, you can't diagnose properly, you can't quantify distance, and you're guessing at priorities. Do now: Ask three baseline questions before you pitch anything: current process, current result, current constraint. What are "Should Be" questions and how do you uncover real goals? Should Be questions reveal what outcomes the buyer is aiming for—strategic, financial, or operational. Clients have goals whether they publish them or keep them private, and you need to know them to judge whether you can help. These goals might be in an annual report, an internal plan, or just in the head of the decision-maker. Your job is to get them into the open so you can measure fit and value. This is also where you start building a clear "destination" so the buyer can see the difference between today and the target state. Do now: Ask: "What does success look like this quarter?" then "What metrics prove it?" What are implication questions, and why should you always include time? Implication questions create urgency by showing the downside of staying as-is—especially the cost of taking too long. The point is to plant doubt: can they hit the goal by themselves, fast enough, and cost-effectively enough? Time is the accelerator—because even if they could get there eventually, they usually don't have "100 years." Strong implication prompts include: "If things stay the way they are, will you still reach the target fast enough?" and "What happens if you don't meet the goal in the required timeframe?" You're not bullying them; you're helping them face the reality that no action has opportunity costs. Do now: Add one time-based implication question to every discovery call. What are "Change" questions and how do they uncover your real sales opportunity? Change questions ask the key truth: if they know where they are and where they need to be, why aren't they there already? This is where your value often appears, because their answer exposes capability gaps, speed gaps, political roadblocks, or resource limits—exactly the reasons they may need you. The companion implication here is serious: if they can't make the necessary changes, will it damage the business? Markets don't wait around, and delaying change isn't neutral—it has a price. Your role is to surface that cost clearly, then position your solution as the fastest, safest path to progress. Do now: Ask: "What's stopped you fixing this until now?" and then "What will it cost to delay another 90 days?" Payout questions identify what's personally at stake for the buyer if the project succeeds—or fails. The company expects outcomes, and the buyer is under pressure to deliver results. When you know what the buyer personally gains (reputation, promotion, risk reduction, credibility), you can frame your solution around what matters to them, not just the organisation. There's also an implication question here, but it requires diplomacy: "In the worst-case scenario, what would be the personal impact for you if this can't be fixed fast enough?" Done well, it makes you an ally in their success—not another vendor chasing a contract. Do now: Ask one personal-stakes question on every deal where multiple vendors ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    13 min
  • Shoshin: The Beginner's Mind

    Shoshin: The Beginner's Mind
    Jan 27 2026
    Sales gets messy when you're tired, under quota pressure, and running the same plays on repeat. Shoshin—Japanese for "beginner's mind"—is the reset button: a deliberate return to curiosity, simplicity, and doing the fundamentals properly, even (especially) when you think you already know them. Is "beginner's mind" actually useful in sales, or just motivational fluff? Yes—shoshin is a practical operating system for performance, not a vibe. In sales, experience can quietly harden into assumptions: "buyers always say no," "price is the only issue," "I can wing the prep." Shoshin cuts through that and forces clean thinking: What are we trying to achieve this quarter? What behaviours actually move deals forward? What am I doing out of habit versus impact? In Japan, you'll see disciplined fundamentals in everything from Toyota's continuous improvement mindset to how enterprise sellers prepare for a first meeting. In the US and Australia, the temptation is speed and hustle—great strengths, but risky when they become mindless motion. Shoshin blends both: high activity with higher quality. Do now: Pick one sales habit you've stopped doing well (prep, follow-up, referrals) and rebuild it like you're new. Why do experienced salespeople stop doing the basics that used to make them successful? Because pressure creates "running on the spot," and busyness disguises drift. Quotas, pipeline reviews, CRM updates (Salesforce, HubSpot), internal meetings, and end-of-quarter panic can turn a year into an endless treadmill. You're moving constantly, but not necessarily improving. Post-pandemic selling (especially from 2020–2025) added extra noise: more stakeholders, more remote calls, more procurement scrutiny, and more "ghosting." In big multinationals, process can crush initiative; in SMEs, chaos can crush consistency. Either way, people carry last year's baggage into the new year and simply "start again" without reflection. Shoshin is the interruption: stop, deconstruct the cycle, and decide what to stop, start, and double down on. Do now: Block 60 minutes to audit your sales cycle end-to-end—then delete one time-wasting activity. How do I use shoshin to improve my sales cycle without overthinking it? Break the sales cycle into components and interrogate each one like a beginner. Not "How do I sell better?" but: prospecting, referral asks, lead response, discovery, proposal quality, objection handling, negotiation, closing, and retention. This mirrors how elite performers operate in sport and in consultative selling frameworks like SPIN Selling (Neil Rackham) and Challenger Sale (Dixon & Adamson): diagnose what's actually happening, not what you hope is happening. In B2B enterprise, a tiny improvement in discovery quality can change deal velocity. In consumer sales, follow-up timing and clarity can lift conversions fast. Japan versus the US? Japan often rewards preparation and risk reduction; the US often rewards decisive action. Shoshin lets you choose intentionally, not culturally by default. Do now: Score each stage 1–10. Fix the lowest score first. What's the smartest way to ask for referrals without sounding awkward? Ask for a specific "group of faces," not an open-ended universe. The classic weak ask—"Do you know anyone who…?"—forces your client to scan their entire life and shuts them down. A shoshin-style referral ask is structured and easy: "In your Chamber of Commerce group… who else struggles with X?" or "In your golf group / industry association / leadership team… who's wrestling with Y right now?" This works across markets, but tone matters. In Japan, you'll often earn referrals through trust, consistency, and subtlety; in Australia and the US, you can be more direct—if you've delivered value and you ask with confidence. The point is: if you've served them well, you've earned the right to ask. Don't let past rejections train you into silence. Do now: Write two referral asks tied to specific communities your clients belong to. How fast should I follow up leads in 2025-style digital selling? Fast enough that you're top-of-mind while intent is still hot—usually within hours, not days. A common benchmark in digital funnels is a very short response window after someone opts in (newsletter, demo request, pricing page). The exact "best" timing varies by industry and region, but the principle is stable: speed signals professionalism and prevents competitors from getting there first. In startups, speed is easier because decision chains are short. In large enterprises, speed fails because lead routing is messy and ownership is unclear. Shoshin asks: do we actually have a system that gets lead details to the right person quickly—and do we treat that follow-up like a priority, not an afterthought? Do now: Test your lead process end-to-end today. Submit a lead and see how long it takes to get contacted. How much research should I do before contacting a prospect? ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    13 min
  • The Buyer's Gap

    The Buyer's Gap
    Jan 20 2026
    Clients don't need to do anything — and that's the brutal truth every salesperson meets early. If a buyer can stick with the same supplier, or do nothing at all, many will. The only thing that moves them is a felt gap between where they are now and where they want to be, plus a reason to bridge it now, not "sometime later". This piece unpacks how to surface that gap without bruising ego, how to test the buyer's DIY confidence with diplomacy, and how to quantify the pain of inaction so urgency becomes logical and emotional — the kind that actually triggers action. Why don't buyers take action even when they agree there's a problem? Buyers can agree there's a gap and still do nothing, because "no change" is often the lowest-risk option. In B2B and complex services, inaction is a decision: keep the incumbent, keep the budget, keep the politics calm. Post-pandemic (2021–2025), many firms tightened discretionary spend, so "we'll revisit next quarter" became a default script — whether you're selling into a Tokyo conglomerate, a US mid-market SaaS firm, or a European manufacturer. Procurement teams are trained to delay; senior leaders are trained to back their own judgement; and everyone is juggling competing priorities. Your job isn't to force urgency — it's to reframe the cost of waiting so the buyer persuades themselves. That's classic Challenger thinking and it pairs neatly with Dale Carnegie-style respect: tough on the issue, gentle with the person. Mini-summary: Agreement isn't action; urgency comes from reframing risk. Do now: Ask, "What happens if nothing changes by the end of this quarter?" What exactly is the "buyer's gap" in sales — and how do you diagnose it fast? The buyer's gap is the distance between the buyer's current reality and their desired future, measured in outcomes, not opinions. Think of it as a before/after delta: revenue leakage, churn, quality defects, compliance exposure, missed hires, stalled strategy. In Salesforce or HubSpot terms, it's the difference between "pipeline health today" and "forecast reliability we need by FY2026". In SPIN Selling language, it's the implication of the problem, expressed in business impact. Diagnosing it quickly means anchoring in concrete targets (KPIs, SLAs, customer NPS, cycle time, cost-to-serve) and a timeframe (this quarter, next six months, before a product launch). Compare contexts: Japanese decision-making often needs broader internal alignment; US teams may move faster but demand ROI proof; both still require clarity on what "better" looks like and what "staying put" costs. Mini-summary: A gap you can't measure becomes a gap you can't sell. Do now: Get the buyer to state one KPI and one deadline they'll be judged on. How do you test a buyer's DIY confidence without insulting them? You don't tell leaders they're wrong — you ask questions that let them discover the limits of "we can do it ourselves". Most executives have strong self-belief. If you attack it, you'll trigger defensiveness and stall the deal. Instead, use diplomatic, diagnostic questions that probe resourcing, capability, and trade-offs: "Who owns this internally?", "What will they stop doing to make time?", "What's the plan if your top performer leaves?", "How will you measure progress in 30 days?" That's subtle pressure, not arrogance. It's also psychologically smart: people trust conclusions they reach themselves (behavioural science 101, think Kahneman). In Japan, where saving face matters, this matters even more; in startups, the risk is overconfidence and bandwidth collapse. Your goal is respectful doubt — enough to show that DIY has hidden costs and timelines. Mini-summary: Self-persuasion beats salesperson persuasion. Do now: Ask, "What would have to be true for DIY to work on time — and what usually gets in the way?" How do you create urgency without sounding manipulative or desperate? Urgency isn't hype — it's a credible timeline tied to consequences the buyer already cares about. Manipulative urgency ("discount ends Friday") works in low-stakes retail; it backfires in enterprise sales. What works is a shared clock: contract renewals, regulatory deadlines, board reviews, hiring cycles, seasonal demand, or tech deprecation. As of 2025, AI and cyber risk conversations have made timelines sharper — but buyers still resist if the consequence is fuzzy. So you build urgency with cause and effect: "If implementation slips past March, your Q2 launch misses the marketing window", or "If churn stays at 12% for another two quarters, CAC payback blows out". Use comparative framing: multinationals have bureaucracy delays; SMEs have cashflow risk; both suffer when waiting compounds losses. Mini-summary: Real urgency is timeline + consequence, not theatre. Do now: Co-create a milestone plan and ask, "What breaks if we miss this date?" How do you quantify the cost of inaction when you don't have all the numbers? You don't need perfect data — ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    11 min
  • The Client Needs Analysis Process

    The Client Needs Analysis Process
    Jan 13 2026
    In the last episode we looked at uncovering any buyer misperceptions about our organisation and then dealing with them. How did that go? Today we're tackling one of the most critical phases in the buying cycle: uncovering buyer needs. Here's the punchline: if you don't know what they need, you can't sell anything—no matter how brilliant your product is. And buyer needs aren't uniform. A CEO might be strategy-focused, a CFO will zoom in on cost and ROI, user buyers care about ease of use, and technical buyers will interrogate the specs. That's the directional truth—then your questioning skills do the real work. How do you uncover buyer needs without guessing or pitching too early? You uncover buyer needs by analysing what you're looking for before you start asking questions or showing slides. Most salespeople do the opposite: they rock up, pitch hard, and hope something sticks. That's basically dumb. In Japan, especially, buyers often default to "safer" decisions—keep the incumbent, do nothing, delay, or create consensus through internal alignment (think nemawashi and ringi-style approvals). In the US or Australia, you might get faster objections; in Japan you'll often get silence, hesitation, or "we'll consider it." Same meaning: risk management. So don't wing it. Prepare a needs map first, then design questions that locate the priority need and the real decision logic across stakeholders. Answer card / Do now: Map needs first, question second. Don't pitch until you know what "success" looks like for thisbuyer. What is a buyer's "Primary Interest" and why does it matter more than product features? Primary Interest is the outcome the buyer cares about—not the tool, not the features, not your brochure. Buyers buy results: more revenue, improved efficiency, better safety, higher quality, greater flexibility, stronger ROI. If you spend the whole meeting talking about the "tool," you've missed the point. This is where B2B sellers get trapped—especially in tech, consulting, HR services, and industrial solutions. Features are easy to copy; outcomes are what justify budget. In a multinational procurement team, Primary Interest might be "standardisation across APAC," while an SME founder might want "cashflow certainty in the next 90 days." Same category, totally different language. Your job is to find the onehigh-priority outcome that makes the decision obvious, and keep coming back to it. Answer card / Do now: Translate your offering into a single measurable outcome the buyer cares about (time saved, risk reduced, revenue gained). What "Buying Criteria" do executives and procurement teams actually use? Buying Criteria are the must-haves that determine whether your solution is even allowed into the final decision. These are the basics: budget fit, required features, approvals, implementation effort, after-sales support, location constraints, quantity, quality, security, integration requirements, and vendor reliability. In enterprise deals, this often becomes a checklist: legal, IT, finance, procurement, and the business unit all have veto points. In Japan, buying criteria can heavily favour "proven suppliers" and "low disruption." In the US, you may see more appetite for a challenger vendor—if the business case is strong. In regulated sectors (finance, healthcare, infrastructure), criteria can be as much about governance and auditability as it is about performance. Quick checklist you can use in discovery: Budget range and approval pathNon-negotiable features / specsSupport expectations (SLA, training, local coverage)Timeline and resourcing constraints Answer card / Do now: Get the buyer's must-have criteria early—before you invest weeks chasing a deal you can't qualify into. How do you handle "Risk vs Reward" when buyers prefer doing nothing? Risk vs Reward is where deals stall—because "no decision" feels safer than change. In Japan, the safest move is often sticking with the current supplier or system. That inertia is brutal for salespeople. But here's the twist: doing nothing isn't free—it carries an opportunity cost. The buyer may lose market position, miss a turning point, or let a competitor strengthen their foothold. Post-pandemic, many firms tightened governance and became more cautious, even while digital transformation accelerated (a messy paradox in the 2020s). To shift this, you must quantify the return versus investment. If you can't provide credible numbers—time saved, defects reduced, revenue impact, risk mitigation—you're asking them to "trust you," which is not a strategy. Use conservative ranges if you must, but bring maths. Answer card / Do now: Reframe "no action" as a cost. Quantify the loss of delay in plain numbers the CFO can defend. Why should salespeople always ask "why" after an objection or hesitation? Because the first objection is often a symptom—not the real reason. I was talking to a President recently and he pushed for added value ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    12 min
  • Dealing With Misperceptions in Sales

    Dealing With Misperceptions in Sales
    Dec 30 2025
    Business is brutal and sometimes clients receive incorrect information about your company from competitors, rumours, or the media—and it can kill deals before you even get into features. Why do misperceptions about a company derail sales so fast? Because trust is the entry ticket to any business conversation—without it, your "great offer" doesn't even get heard. If a buyer suspects your firm is unstable, unethical, or incompetent, they'll filter everything you say as "sales spin" and you'll feel resistance no matter how good the solution is. This is especially sharp in relationship-heavy markets like Japan, where reputation risk is taken seriously, but it happens everywhere—Australia, the US, Europe—because buyers fear being blamed for a bad vendor choice. The worst part is misperceptions are often hidden: in strong relationships a client might tell you what they've heard, but in new relationships they may never mention it while silently disengaging. Do now: Treat "reputation risk" as a normal obstacle, not a rare exception—assume misperceptions may exist and plan to surface them early. What's a real example of reputation damage caused by misinformation? A single error can wipe out trust at scale, and recovery can take years. A famous case involved a Japanese TV news report in 1985 that linked a wine adulteration scandal to "Australia," when the scandal actually involved "Austria"—a mix-up made easier because the country names sound similar in Japanese. The result was devastating: Australian wine sales in Japan collapsed and took a long time to recover. That story is a reminder that "fake news" doesn't need to be malicious to be damaging; sometimes it's a linguistic slip, a competitor's whisper campaign, or a lazy assumption repeated as "fact." In modern terms (as of 2025), misinformation spreads faster via social media and industry chat groups, so the impact can be immediate. Do now: Collect 2–3 "reassurance proof points" (stability, client results, certifications) you can deploy if a rumour appears. How do you uncover negative perceptions the buyer isn't saying out loud? Ask directly, gently—and then shut up. The simplest line is: "So what are your perceptions about our organisation?" Then don't add a single extra word. Silence is the tool. If you soften it with excuses or explanations, you reduce the chance they'll tell you the truth. This matters because you can't fix what you can't see. Many salespeople are far too optimistic and assume the buyer starts neutral-to-positive. In reality, the buyer may have heard something ugly from a rival, read something outdated online, or had a bad past experience with someone "like you." Your job is to draw it out early, before you waste time presenting to a sceptic. Do now: Add the "perceptions question" to your first-meeting checklist and practise staying silent for 5–10 seconds after asking it. What should you say when the buyer shares a negative belief (without getting defensive)? Don't argue—use a neutral "cushion" to buy thinking time. When a buyer says something negative, your instinct is to correct them fast. That's dangerous: defensive reactions make your mouth outrun your brain and you can say the wrong thing. A cushion is a neutral statement that neither agrees nor disagrees, and it lets you stay calm and professional. Think: "I see," "That's helpful to know," or "Thanks for sharing that." Then you choose your pathway based on what they said. This works across cultures: in Japan it protects harmony and face; in Australia and the US it signals maturity and confidence. Do now: Write 3 cushion phrases you can say naturally, and ban yourself from instant "No, that's wrong…" reactions. What are the three best ways to respond: agree, dissociate, or correct? Pick the response that matches the type of misperception—partial truth, social proof gap, or factual error. Agree (with clarification): If it was true in the past, acknowledge it and update the reality (e.g., systems upgraded, issue eliminated).Dissociate (social proof): Show that other credible clients worked with you and got results—implying the fear didn't stop them.Correct (evidence): If it's factually wrong, provide hard proof to remove the concern. The skill is not choosing "the nicest" option—it's choosing the right option. If you try to "correct" something that's emotional or reputation-based without rapport, you can make them dig in harder. Do now: Build a mini playbook: one Agree line, one Dissociate line, and one Correct-with-evidence pattern you can reuse. After you neutralise the misperception, how do you rebuild credibility and move forward? Shift into positive territory by highlighting your most relevant USP and expanding their view of your strengths—without turning it into a pitch. Once the concern is handled, you reinforce why you're the best partner by selecting the USP that fits their situation (not your favourite USP). This ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    12 min
  • Designing Qualifying Questions and Our Agenda Statement

    Designing Qualifying Questions and Our Agenda Statement
    Dec 23 2025
    Most sales meetings go sideways for one simple reason: salespeople try to invent great questions in real time. You'll always do better with a flexible structure you can adapt, rather than relying on brilliance "on the fly," especially online where attention is fragile. Why should you design qualifying questions before meeting the client? Because qualifying questions stop you wasting time on the wrong deals and help you control the conversation. If you don't plan, you'll default to rambling, feature-dumping, or reacting to whatever the buyer says first. A light structure keeps you adaptable without sounding scripted: you set the parameters, then fill in the details as the conversation unfolds. Answer card / Do now: Build a reusable "question bank" and adjust it per client instead of improvising everything live. What is the "permission question" and why does it matter? The permission question earns consent to ask sensitive questions from someone who doesn't trust you yet. You're effectively asking a stranger to reveal weaknesses in their business—something people naturally resist—so you must frame it as: you've helped similar organisations, you may be able to help here too, but you need to ask a few questions to find out. This is especially important in relationship-driven markets like Japan, and still crucial in Australia and the US where buyers are wary of pushy sellers. Permission lowers defensiveness and increases honesty. Answer card / Do now: Memorise one permission line you can say naturally on Zoom, phone, and in-person. What "need questions" actually uncover the real problem? Start broad, then narrow—because the first issue they mention is often not the biggest one. A clean opener is: "What are some key issues for your business at the moment?" If they struggle to answer, prompt with a realistic scenario from similar clients (for example, sales performance in a virtual environment) and ask whether that's true for them or if they're satisfied. Then ask what other issues are priorities, so you don't anchor on the first answer and miss the real driver. Answer card / Do now: Prepare 3 "prompt examples" (common issues) to help buyers respond when your question is too broad. Which qualifying questions reveal the scale (quantity) and constraints (budget)? Use quantity questions to size the problem, and budget questions to test seriousness without triggering defensiveness. A quantity question gives you the scale, like: "How many salespeople do you have who could benefit…?" That helps you calibrate your recommendation. Budget can be asked directly ("How much have you allocated?"), but many buyers won't share it—especially early—so you can work indirectly from team size and solution scope to estimate what's realistic. Answer card / Do now: Write one direct budget question and one indirect "scope-based" alternative you can use when they clam up. How do you ask the authority question without making it awkward? Ask who else has the strongest input, framed as necessary to help them properly. Buying decisions usually involve multiple stakeholders now, so you need to identify who matters early. Use wording like: "In order for me to help you, may I ask, apart from you, who would have the most interest and input into the buying decision?" It's respectful, it doesn't challenge their status, and it surfaces the buying committee. Answer card / Do now: Add the authority question to every first meeting agenda—no exceptions. What is an agenda statement, and how does it help control the meeting? An agenda statement is a simple way to guide the meeting flow while still staying flexible. You remind them why the meeting matters, outline what you'd like to cover, and then ask if they want to add anything—so the agenda becomes shared, not imposed. A practical sequence is: check their familiarity with your company (to correct misconceptions), learn what they're doing now and what systems they use, clarify future goals, uncover challenges blocking those goals, and—if there's a match—discuss how you could work together. Then invite their additions. The conversation won't go in perfect order, and that's fine—your job is to ensure the key questions get answered while you still have the chance. Answer card / Do now: Use a 6-point agenda statement, get agreement, then work through your question bank calmly—even if the order changes. Simple meeting structure you can copy Permission question (earn consent) Need questions (broad → narrow) Quantity (size the issue) Budget (direct or indirect) Authority (map stakeholders) Agenda statement (control flow + invite additions) Conclusion: what salespeople should do now Qualifying isn't "being clever"—it's being prepared. Build a structure, customise it to the client, and then stay adaptable in the moment. The sellers who win in 2025 are the ones who can guide the conversation without sounding scripted, earn ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    13 min
  • Building Our Credibility Statement

    Building Our Credibility Statement
    Dec 16 2025
    Buyers are worried about two things: buying what they don't need and paying too much for what they do buy. Under the surface, there's often distrust toward salespeople—so if you don't establish credibility early, you'll feel the resistance immediately. A strong Credibility Statement solves this. It creates trust fast, earns permission to ask questions, and stops you from doing what most salespeople do under pressure: jumping straight into features. This is sometimes called an Elevator Pitch, because it must be concise, clear, and attractive—worth continuing the conversation. What is a Credibility Statement (and when do you use it)? A Credibility Statement is what you use at first contact—in person, email, phone, or Zoom—to establish who you are, what you do, and why it's worth talking with you. It's not a pitch of features. It's a trust-builder that sets up the next stage: questioning. Why credibility must come before questions Even if you love your solution and know your company is excellent, the buyer doesn't know that. They may be sceptical, cautious, and worried about getting "conned." So you have to put that anxiety to rest early—before you start probing into their problems. The simple Credibility Statement formula (use this every time) Here's a practical structure you can reuse so you're not winging it on every call: 1) Identity + Company + one-line "what we do" Example: "Hi, my name is ____. I'm ____. We help ____." 2) A hook that hits a real, current problem Use something buyers immediately recognise and haven't fully solved on their own. 3) Relevant proof (preferably numbers) Reference a similar client and an outcome. If you quote numbers, they must be real and provable—because if you're challenged and it doesn't hold up, trust collapses. 4) The permission bridge "Maybe we can help. I'm not sure yet—but if you'll allow me to ask a few questions, I'll know whether we can help or not." This earns consent before you dig into their situation. 5) If they don't have time: ask for the appointment (with alternatives) Offer a simple choice structure (this week or next week → day options → time). Credibility Statement example you can model "Hi my name is Greg Story. I am the President of Dale Carnegie Training Tokyo. We are global soft skills training experts and masters of delivery and sustainment. Do you have a moment to talk?" Then the hook (problem): "We have heard from our clients that salespeople are really struggling with virtual selling and getting through to their buyers. Have you found the same thing?" Then proof (numbers + similar client): "Recently, we worked with a large service provider like yourself… They reported that their appointment rate went up by 25% after the training and their closing rate tripled." Then permission bridge: "Maybe, we can do the same for you. I am not sure, but if you will allow me to ask a few questions, I will know if we are in a position to help you or not?" How to ask for the meeting (without sounding pushy) If they're busy, transition cleanly into scheduling using the "alternative of choice" approach: "Shall we get together? Is this week fine or how about next week? … Wednesday or Friday? … 10.00am?" This keeps it easy, natural, and structured—without pressure. Common mistake: skipping credibility and diving into features When salespeople miss this step, they make life harder than it needs to be. If you aren't asking questions and you're jumping into features, you're fighting distrust with information—and that rarely works. Build trust first, then earn the right to diagnose. Quick next steps (use today) Write your one-sentence "what we do" statement (a buyer should understand it instantly).Create 3 hook lines tied to common buyer problems (by industry/role).Prepare 2–3 proof stories with real metrics (and make sure you can back them up).Memorise your permission bridge (so questioning feels natural, not intrusive).Practise the "this week or next week" appointment close. FAQs Is a Credibility Statement the same as an elevator pitch? Often yes—the point is to be concise, clear, and compelling at first contact. Do I need numbers in my proof? Numbers are powerful, but only if they're real and provable. If you get caught using shaky data, trust dies. Why ask permission before questions? Because buyers don't normally share problems with strangers. Permission creates safety and cooperation. Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. Greg has written ...
    Voir plus Voir moins
    12 min