Hello Reader,

We’re now on week 4, and by now you should know how to build, think and find, but… None of that matters if you don’t truly understand your prospects.

So, this week we move on to understanding.

To truly understand people, you must (at least to some degree), behave like a therapist.

Have the patience and temperament to stay cool, calm and collected at all times, so you think before you talk. More strategy, less diving in headfirst!

To learn more about that, we need to break down Step D in the 7 Figure Sales Programme – Understanding.

Understanding is all about breaking down barriers, asking great questions, matching the right solution, and nurturing your prospect to a decision. It’s what separates salespeople who push for a deal from those who guide prospects toward a confident “yes.”

So let’s break it down.

D1: Breaking Down Barriers The first hurdle

Before a prospect buys, they need to trust you. But let’s be honest – many, if not most or all, arrive with their guard up. Why? Because they’ve been sold to before, and not always in the right way. So it’s sort of been etched into our brains to be on high alert whenever someone tries to sell us something.

How to remove resistance:

• Acknowledge their scepticism: Let them know that you are just there to find out more about them and their problem, not to sell anything. You want to decipher if you are what they need right now.
• Lead with curiosity, not a hard sell: Show genuine interest in their situation. For example, “When you experience [X problem], how do you currently go about solving it?”
• Prove you’re on their side: Position yourself as an advisor, not just a seller. We can follow from the previous point. For example, if the tell you what they do currently to solve [X problem], then you can advise “Have you tried [X]?”

Example: If a prospect says, “I don’t think we need this right now,” instead of pushing back, respond with, “That’s fair, can I ask what your biggest priority is right now?” This shifts the conversation to their needs, not your sale.

Action Step: In your next sales call, listen for hesitation and focus on lowering resistance by addressing it openly.

D2: Asking Great Questions The key to getting closer to the sale

Sales isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about asking the right questions. Great questions do three things:

1. Reveal pain points
2. Expose opportunities
3. Help prospects self-discover the value of your solution

Powerful sales questions:

• Pain-based: “What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?”
• Outcome-focused: “If we solved that, what would it mean for your business?”
• Consequence-driven: “What happens if nothing changes in the next six months?”

Example: If you sell marketing software, instead of asking, “Do you need help with marketing?” ask, “How are you currently tracking ROI on your marketing spend?” This question leads the prospect to recognise inefficiencies without you having to tell them.

Action Step: Before your next sales conversation, write down five open-ended questions designed to uncover real needs.

D3: Matching the Solution Make it feel tailored

Once you understand the prospect’s pain points, it’s time to connect the dots between their problems and your solution. The mistake most salespeople make? They list all their features instead of focusing on what matters most to the potential customer. Or they send out generic documents that aren’t always specific to enough to the prospect’s problem.

How to match your solution:

• Use their words: Reframe their challenges using their own language.
• Tie features to benefits: Don’t just say what your product does – explain how it solves their specific problem. For example, if you’re selling a phone that has a large battery – the battery size is a feature, the benefit is that it can last all day. You can also dig deeper into the benefit, adding another layer, by saying “You never need to carry a charger around.”

Here’s how that can look:

• Feature: “XYZ phone has a 5000mah battery”
• Benefit: “With it’s 5000mah battery, you can go full day of texting, scrolling through social media, filming videos, taking selfies, and gaming, and still have battery! You’ll never need to carry a charger again.” See how this sells the outcome and its benefits, not the feature?
• Tell a relevant success story: Show them someone in their situation or a similar one, who has succeeded with your solution.

Example: Now, let’s tie all 3 points together. Let’s say a prospect says, “We’re struggling with customer retention.” Instead of diving into all your features, say, “You mentioned retention is a challenge. One of our clients faced the same issue and saw a 30% improvement after implementing our automated follow-up system. Would you like me to show you how we helped them achieve this?”

Action Step: Practice linking your solution to a prospect’s specific challenge instead of just listing features.

D4: Nurturing to Decision Guiding, not pushing

Not every prospect is ready to buy today. But that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. The best salespeople stay top of mind without being pushy.

Effective Nurturing Strategies:

• Follow up with value: Send insights, case studies, or industry updates that align with their interests.
• Check in without selling: A simple “Hey [Name], saw this article and thought of you” keeps the relationship warm.
• Create urgency the right way: Instead of saying, “The price is going up soon,” frame it as, “We’re working with some companies who are seeing consistent and reliable results at the moment, would you like to see how they’re getting these results?”

Example: Instead of following up with “Just checking in – are you ready to move forward?” say, “Hey [Name], we just helped [similar company] achieve [specific result]. I thought you might find their story useful. Let me know if you’d like to chat.”

Action Step: Look at your pipeline and identify one prospect to follow up with using a value-driven message instead of a sales push.

So that’s Step D wrapped up. Now you have a framework to nail understanding in sales. Because sales isn’t about pushing – it’s about understanding. Just remember to break down barriers, ask the right questions, match your solution to their needs, and nurture them to a decision, and you’ll create a natural path to the sale.

Next week, we’re moving on to Step: E, where the action happens!

Can you guess what it is?

Okay, I’ll tell you… Next week, we dive into selling!

We’re getting into the main parts now, so we’re approaching the home stretch – hang tight. And until next week, keep focusing on understanding, channel your inner therapist, and maybe even become one for your prospects!

James

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