This past Saturday, I spent the afternoon with a room full of vibrant rainmakers. Our discussion reminded me of something I wish more people would do: get real about the kind of sale your product requires.
It sounds simple, but it’s not. Most people rush into the “how” of sales without ever fully grasping the “what.” And that’s a problem. Because the what—what kind of sale you’re in—determines everything. It determines the strategy, the systems, the psychology, and the kinds of people you need to talk to.
Think about it like this:
In retail, the sale might happen because of product placement, signage, and shelf space. No person is actively “selling.” The environment is doing the heavy lifting.
In luxury retail, the opposite might be true: the sales assistant is part of the brand. Their demeanour is cool, almost indifferent. They're not chasing you. In fact, they may seem like they don’t care whether you buy or not. And guess what? That works. Their very aloofness creates a kind of reverse psychology—making you feel like you want to belong to this brand. That’s what gets you to say yes.
In budget retail, that approach would backfire. Try acting indifferent to a price-conscious customer and you’ll lose them instantly. These customers expect attentiveness, price clarity, and value-driven service. It’s a totally different playbook.
Same industry. Completely different psychology.
I gave an example on Saturday that really landed: Imagine you’re getting your hair done. You’re in a luxury salon. The stylist suggests a treatment mid-service. Most people will say yes without asking about the price. Not because they don’t care, but because they don’t want to seem unsophisticated. There’s an implicit social contract happening. Now flip that. You’re in a budget salon. If the same tactic is used and the stylist doesn’t explain the price, it could lead to conflict or mistrust. That’s a different psychology at work.
This is why you need to study the game before you play. What’s the psychology of your customer? Are they seeking exclusivity or affordability? Do they want hand-holding or autonomy? What makes them feel smart, seen, and safe? If you don't understand that, you’ll apply the wrong techniques—even if they're good techniques.
And that brings me to something else that gets overlooked far too often: define what a closed deal means in your context. Is it when the invoice is sent? When the PO is received? When the payment lands? When a signature hits the contract?
I was surprised to hear how many people didn’t have clarity on this. You cannot systemise your sales until you have a clear endpoint. It’s like trying to build a funnel without knowing what “done” looks like. If you leave it vague, you’ll forever be chasing shadows—and wondering why revenue is unpredictable.
But this goes deeper. Because once you define your close, you can backtrack and systemise the steps leading up to it.
If you’re in a B2B environment, maybe it’s:
Reach the right contact
Conduct a discovery session
Deliver a proposal
Navigate decision-makers
Receive formal agreement
Process paperwork
When those stages are clearly mapped, your sales team isn’t guessing anymore. They’re executing. It’s no longer “sales by vibes.” It’s sales by system.
And while systems are critical, so is mindset. One of the biggest shifts a seller needs to make is understanding this:
The job of sales is to change someone’s mind.
That’s it. Everything else flows from that. Your pitch, your materials, your follow-up—it’s all in service of helping someone move from indecision to action.
Too many sellers forget this. They hear a “no” or a delay and report it back like a weather update: “Sorry, the client says they’re not ready.”
Okay... but what did you do about it?
Because if your job is to relay the customer's position, you’re not in sales—you’re in customer service. Sales is about shifting the position. It’s about earning that willingness. It's about changing hearts and minds, not just filling out CRM fields.
And finally, let’s talk about positioning. If you want to change someone’s mind, you have to show them that you understand their world better than anyone else. That’s what makes you credible. That’s what gives you permission to challenge, to suggest, to advise. This applies to marketing and sales alike.
So before you dive into another week of outreach, think about this:
Have you studied your game?
Do you know the psychology you’re selling into?
Have you drawn the boundary lines so everyone knows what “winning” looks like?
If not, you’re playing barefoot in a stadium you haven’t measured. Get your field ready. Throw some lime powder. Lay down the lines. And then step in and play like someone who came to win.
See you Tuesday,
Kerushan