I love to cook. And when I say I love to cook, I mean I will happily spend hours preparing a beautiful meal for my family. I put time, effort, and a whole lot of love into creating something wonderful.
Then, the moment everyone sits down, I ask, “Do you like it?”
Here’s the ridiculous part. They haven’t even taken a bite! Not one forkful. Not one taste. Yet there I am, eagerly waiting for their approval. Why? Because I’ve poured my heart into that meal, and I want everyone to love it. I want to know that all my effort was worth it.
And guess what? I’ve caught myself doing exactly the same thing in sales.
After decades of experience, from selling Girl Scout cookies to closing multimillion-dollar sales around the globe, you’d think I’d have this one mastered. However, old habits have a sneaky way of showing up when you least expect them. Especially when you’re excited about helping someone.
When a Great Sales Conversation Goes Sideways
Have you ever finished a sales conversation feeling absolutely fantastic? You connected with someone, had a wonderful discussion, and could clearly see how your product or service would make a difference. You hang up thinking, “This is going to be a fabulous new client!” And then… crickets. No response. No next meeting. No sale. What the heck happened?
You replay the conversation, questioning what you said, what you missed, and whether you should have done something differently. Here’s what I want you to consider: The problem may have started long before the conversation ended.
There’s a common mindset trap that can quietly derail even the most promising sales conversation. And I’ve fallen into it myself.
The Mindset Trap: When Sales Become About You
Let’s return to my dinner table for a moment. When I ask whether everyone likes the meal before they’ve even tasted it, I’m not focused on their experience. I’m focused on getting approval.
In sales, this same pattern can appear when we start thinking:
- Do they like me?
- Do they recognize that I’m an expert?
- Am I saying the right things?
- Will they buy from me?
- How can I convince them that my solution is perfect?
Notice something about those questions? They’re all about YOU. And here’s the problem. Sales are not about you. They’re about your client. Your client makes the buying decision. Not you.
Yet when we’re excited about our solution, eager to help, or worried about bringing in revenue, we can unintentionally put ourselves smack-dab in the center of the conversation. I call this the Mindset Trap. You stop thinking like your client and start focusing on what *you* need from the conversation. That’s when things can go sideways.
Stop Being the Hero and Start Being the Detective
I see this happen all the time when evaluating sales conversations. A prospect describes a challenge. The business owner immediately recognizes the problem and thinks, “Oh my gosh! I know exactly how to help them!”
Bingo! The solution is practically jumping out of their mouth. Suddenly, they’re explaining what they do, how their process works, and all the incredible results they can deliver.
There’s just one tiny problem. Their future client isn’t there yet. They haven’t finished explaining what’s happening. You haven’t uncovered the full impact of their challenge, what they’ve already tried, or what solving the problem would mean to them.
You’ve jumped ahead to the solution before they’ve had the opportunity to fully explore their own needs and motivations. It’s like serving dessert before anyone has finished the main course. And while I happen to love dessert, that’s not how you create a fabulous dining experience!
The same principle applies to sales. You need to become a detective.
Your job isn’t to jump in and rescue someone the moment you recognize a problem. Your job is to get curious, ask the right questions, and genuinely understand what’s happening.
The Power of Asking One More Question
One of the simplest ways to transform a sales conversation is to resist the urge to solve and ask another question instead. When someone describes a challenge, rather than immediately explaining how you can help, try:
- “Tell me more about that. What’s happening?”
- “How is this impacting your business?”
- “What have you already tried?”
- “What makes solving this important to you right now?”
- “Imagine if that problem disappeared. What would change for you?”
And then listen. Really listen.
Pay attention to what they’re saying, the emotions behind their words, and the little breadcrumbs they’re dropping along the way. Those breadcrumbs reveal what’s really important to your future client.
Sometimes the initial problem isn’t the real problem at all. It’s simply the symptom of something much bigger. You won’t discover that by talking about yourself. You’ll discover it by asking questions that help your client explore what matters most. And yes, sometimes that means keeping your brilliant solution to yourself for another five minutes!
Worthy Intent Is Your Secret Weapon
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ve heard me talk about Worthy Intent. Worthy Intent means you genuinely desire to help and serve your clients. You care about their outcomes. You give a darn! It’s why you do what you do.
However, even with the best intentions, we can become distracted by our own excitement, expectations, and desire for approval. That’s when I have to catch myself.
There have been moments when I’ve literally thought, “Oh, shut up, Lynn!” Because I’ve recognized that I’m getting ahead of my client. I know I can help, and I’m excited about it. However, my client hasn’t finished their journey of discovery.
So I consciously redirect my attention. What haven’t I learned yet? What am I curious about? What’s the next question I should ask? That simple reset brings me back to my Worthy Intent and puts my client where they belong: at the center of the conversation.
And something wonderful happens when you do this consistently. Your future clients feel heard, understood, and respected. They become more comfortable sharing what’s really happening and why it matters. You’re building the foundation for trust. Not by showing off everything you know, but by demonstrating that you genuinely care.
Your Sales Conversation Challenge
I want you to think about your last three promising sales conversations, especially any that ended without a clear next step. Consider where the conversation shifted.
Did you start explaining your solution before you fully understood the challenge? Were you asking questions to learn more, or were you looking for an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise? Did you uncover why solving the problem mattered personally and professionally to your future client? And most importantly, were you focused on their journey or your desired outcome?
Be kind to yourself as you evaluate these conversations. Recognizing a pattern is how you begin to change it.
For your next sales conversation, I want you to practice one simple thing: When you feel the urge to jump into your solution, ask one more question. Then another, if needed. Give your future client the space to tell you what they truly want, need, or lack. You’ll be amazed at what you discover.
From Crickets to Clients
Not every great conversation will turn into an immediate sale. Sometimes the timing isn’t right, or you’re simply not the best fit.
However, when you keep your client at the center of the conversation, you’re far better positioned to recognize the right opportunities, build genuine trust, and create the momentum needed to move forward.
Remember, your job isn’t to convince someone to buy. Your job is to understand them well enough to determine whether you can help, whether you want to help, and how your solution aligns with the results they want to achieve.
That’s how you build lasting client relationships and sales momentum.
And as for my family? I’m still working on letting them take that first bite before I start fishing for compliments. Old habits. What can I say?
Imagine If Your Next Great Sales Conversation Didn’t End in Crickets
Imagine knowing exactly where your sales conversations are losing momentum and what you could do differently to keep them moving forward. If you’ve been having wonderful conversations that aren’t turning into clients, let’s discover what’s getting in the way.
Reserve a Get Sales Strategy Session with me, and let’s look at how you can build stronger connections, create momentum, and close more sales. Because helping more clients starts with understanding them.
And that, my friends, is how you turn crickets into clients.
Coming next in the series: They Like You. But That Doesn’t Mean They’ll Buy. We’ll explore why building rapport isn’t enough and what it takes to turn a great connection into genuine sales momentum.
Lynn Whitbeck is the co-founder and President of Petite2Queen. She is focused on identifying and evaluating opportunities for women at work, helping them define their personal roadmap. She dedicates herself to delivering tools and insights, embracing visualization of the big picture, and identifying and implementing the minutiae of detail. Lynn aims to share lessons learned along her journey and enable positive uplift for women.