In a sales conversation, one truth stands out: when you first walk into the room, there’s no trust yet. Your first priority isn’t to impress with knowledge or jump into solutions – it’s to earn trust.
Why Curiosity Matters
Curiosity changes the dynamic of a meeting. Rather than assuming you know what the client needs, you take the time to step into their world. This means asking thoughtful, open-ended questions that uncover their challenges, priorities, and the drivers behind their decision to meet.
Hamish Wong, an experienced IT sales professional, describes spending the first 5–10 minutes in every meeting doing just that. By learning about their situation before offering advice, he shows that he values their perspective and sets the foundation for collaboration.
Listening Beyond Words
Many salespeople unintentionally dominate meetings, especially when they feel the need to impress. But talking too much can leave clients feeling unheard. Active listening – paired with reflecting their words, metaphors, and language back to them – builds connection and shows genuine understanding.
Listening also means being aware of the emotional layer: clients want to feel you “get” them. Without that, trust is hard to build.
From Problems to Partnerships
The consultative approach doesn’t stop at understanding, it’s about co-creating solutions. Instead of presenting a pre-packaged answer, you partner with the client to design something that works for their specific context.
Hamish recalls a client who had already chosen another provider. Instead of walking away, he invited them to a discovery session. That conversation revealed far bigger challenges than the initial issue, leading to a stronger, long-term partnership.
The Zoom In, Zoom Out Technique
One effective way to frame conversations is to “zoom in” on the individual, “zoom out” to see the bigger organisational picture, then “zoom in” again to focus on how solutions affect the person directly. This approach ensures you address both strategic and personal impacts, making the solution more compelling.
Moving from Selling to Solving
The shift from selling to solving requires:
- Curiosity as your starting point
- Questions that uncover hidden needs
- Listening that makes clients feel understood
- Collaboration in creating solutions
- When clients feel truly heard and involved, you stop being just another salesperson – you become a trusted partner.
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Step Up | Be Heard | Stand Out
