■ · Customers
A simple sales process: investigate, then propose
Many owners hate selling because they picture pushing people into things. Good selling is the opposite. It's investigating whether you can actually help someone, and if you can, making it easy for them to say yes. If you can ask good questions, you can sell.
Sales is detective work
A detective doesn't decide who's guilty and then look for clues. A good salesperson doesn't decide what to sell and then push it. They ask questions until they understand the problem, what it's costing, and whether they're the right fit. Neil Rackham's research for SPIN Selling found that in larger sales, the most successful salespeople asked more questions about the buyer's problems, what those problems were costing and why solving them mattered, rather than leading with their product.
Ask about the past, not opinions
Rob Fitzpatrick's The Mom Test warns that people will politely say they love your idea. Opinions are cheap. Facts about what they actually did are evidence. Instead of "Would you use this?", ask "When did this last cause you a problem? What did you do about it? What did that cost you?"
■ In order
The five-stage pipeline
- 1
Lead
Someone who might need you: a referral, inquiry or contact. Write down where each one came from.
- 2
Discovery
A conversation to learn their problem, what it costs and who decides. Decide together if you're a fit.
- 3
Proposal
A short written offer built from their own words: the problem, the result, the price and the next step.
- 4
Decision
Follow up on a set schedule. Answer concerns honestly. A clear "no" is better than a maybe that drags on.
- 5
Onboarding
The sale isn't done until the client gets a first win. See Keep Your Clients.
| Discovery question | What it uncovers |
|---|---|
| "Walk me through how you handle this today." | Their current situation, in facts |
| "When did that last go wrong? What happened?" | The real problem, from past behavior |
| "What has that cost you, in time or money?" | How much solving it is worth |
| "What have you already tried?" | What didn't work, and why |
| "If this were solved, what would be different for you?" | The result they're really buying |
| "Who else is involved in deciding?" | Who has to say yes |
Follow up like a tight ship
Most lost sales aren't lost to a competitor. They fade away because nobody followed up. Put every open proposal in a simple list with a next follow-up date, and check it in your weekly checklist. A polite, scheduled follow-up isn't pushy. It's professional.
Handling objections
Treat an objection as new evidence, not an attack. Ask a question before you answer it: "What makes you say that?" Often the stated objection, usually price, isn't the real one. Sometimes the honest answer is that you're not the right fit, and saying so builds trust and referrals.
Write proposals in their words
The best proposals repeat the client's own description of the problem and the result they want, then show the plan and the price. Keep it to one or two pages. If you need more, the discovery wasn't finished.
Sell like a detective, follow up like a tight ship
Go into every discovery call to find the truth, not to win. You'll lose a few deals you shouldn't have taken, and win more of the right ones.
Don't nod along to a bad fit because you want the revenue. A client you can't serve well costs more than they pay.
Run the sales math before you set a revenue goal. If the goal needs more leads than you've ever had, the plan needs a marketing priority, not hope.
Review lost deals in your monthly engagement, in the third person: "Why did Dana lose the last three proposals?"
Go deeperCase file, step-by-step how-to, common mistakes and questions to work through
Case file: The discovery call that changed the deal
A fictional example
Omar sells IT support to small offices. A dental practice calls asking for a quote on "new computers." The old Omar would have sent a price list for ten computers the same day. This time he booked a 30-minute discovery call.
He asked how they handle things today. They had computers from different years and no backups. He asked when it last went wrong. Two months earlier, the front desk computer died and they lost a day of appointments. He asked what that cost. The office manager estimated a full day of patients, plus the stress of calling everyone to rebook. He asked what they'd tried. A relative "who's good with computers" helped sometimes. He asked who decides. The two dentists, together, based on the office manager's recommendation.
The real problem wasn't old computers. It was a fragile setup with no backup, and one bad day cost more than the computers themselves. Omar's proposal used their own words: "Make sure a dead computer never costs you a day of patients again." He offered three options, from just backups up to a full refresh with monthly support, and recommended the middle one.
He followed up on a schedule: a thank-you the same day, a check-in after three days, and a short note after a week with one useful tip. They chose the middle option, and a year later referred two other practices.
How to run a discovery call, step by step
- Set the agenda at the start using the wording below, so they know you're not about to pitch.
- Ask about the current situation, then the last time it went wrong.
- Ask what that cost, in time, money or stress. Let them put the number on it.
- Ask what they've tried and who else decides.
- Summarize back in their words: "So the real issue is…" Wait for them to confirm or correct you.
- Agree on the next step before you hang up: a proposal by a specific day and a time to review it together.
- Follow up on a schedule: same day, three days, one week. Put each one on your calendar.
"Thanks for making the time. My goal today is to understand what's going on and whether we're a good fit. I'll ask a few questions, then share whether I think we can help. If we're not the right fit, I'll tell you, and if I can, I'll point you to someone who is. Sound good?"
"Hi [name], just checking whether you had a chance to look at the proposal, and whether any questions came up. If now isn't the right time, that's completely fine. Just let me know and I'll check back in a month."
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Pitching in the first five minutes | Questions first. You can't recommend the right thing before you understand the problem. |
| Accepting "Sounds great!" as a buying signal | The real signal is a commitment: a next meeting, a decision date, a signed proposal. |
| Sending a proposal and waiting | Agree on a review call before sending it. Follow up on a schedule. |
| Dropping price at the first objection | Ask what's behind it first: "What makes you say that?" |
Questions to work through
- In your last three sales conversations, who talked more, you or the customer?
- What questions could you ask that would reveal what the problem really costs?
- How many open proposals do you have right now with no follow-up date?
- Why did you lose your last three deals? How do you know?
- What's your close rate, and which step of your pipeline loses the most people?