Back to Basics – Week 3

Picture this: You jump on a discovery call with a promising prospect. After quick pleasantries, they say, “So, tell me about what you do.”

Your stomach drops. You’re already behind.

Here’s what just happened: Your prospect is now running the meeting. And when prospects run sales meetings, two things happen:

1. They stay in their comfort zone (which means surface-level conversation)
2. You look like every other vendor who shows up without a plan

There’s a better way.

In their book, Jolt, Matt Dixon and Ted McKenna zoom in on an emotional mindset that he believes is the biggest challenge facing B2B sellers today: Buyer indecision due to fear of making a mistake.

Let’s pause for a moment and really take that in.

Dixon is saying that providing world-class services to solve intricate business problems isn’t enough — those are just the table stakes.

You could be in a room with an ideal buyer in massive pain, wrestling with a challenge you can solve — and even if you perfectly pitch your solution, and even if the buyer believes you can do the job at a fair price, they may still say no.

Why? Because they’re terrified of making a mistake.

Think about it: Most buyers have been navigating unprecedented terrain since the start of the pandemic, and it’s not letting up. They’re overwhelmed, exhausted and might be fearful of things like job security or creating even more work by deviating from the status quo (even when the status quo is detrimental to their success).

In the sales process, your job isn’t only to solve their business problem — it’s to help them feel SAFE making a decision.

One simple way to do this? Set the agenda at the beginning of every sales call.

When you take control of the structure, you’re demonstrating that you know how to do this. You’re the expert. You’ve guided dozens of other companies through this exact process.

Here’s the language I use:

“Thanks for making time today. I know we have about 45 minutes together, so let me suggest how we use our time. I’d love to spend the first part learning about your situation and what’s driving this conversation. Then, if what I’m hearing sounds like something we can help with, I’ll share some thoughts on how we might approach it. At the end, we can talk about whether it makes sense to continue the conversation. Does that work for you?”

Notice what just happened:

✓ You’ve positioned yourself as the expert who knows how these conversations should flow
✓ You’ve given them permission to relax because someone competent is driving
✓ You’ve set the expectation that there will be mutual evaluation (not just you pitching)
✓ You’ve made it safe for them to say no at the end

When you let prospects run the meeting, you’re actually perpetuating their fear. They’re already overwhelmed and anxious about making the wrong choice. The last thing they need is another vendor who shows up without a clear process.

But when you confidently take the reins, something magical happens: They exhale. They start thinking, “This person knows what they’re doing. Maybe they really can help us figure this out.”

Your homework: Before your next sales call, write out your agenda-setting language. Practice it until it feels natural. Then watch how different the energy feels when you’re in the driver’s seat from minute one.

Remember: You’re not being controlling — you’re being helpful. There’s a big difference.