The best sales strategy is to break your buyer’s journey down into its fundamental steps and then help prospects move across them.
I recently explained this to a student inside Salesman.com Academy who owns a business that sells physical goods into the fortune 100 and it blew her mind.
Before the consulting call where I ran through fundamental steps of her buyer’s journey, she was using a bunch of sales software tools, trying to implement fancy sales methodologies that she’d read online, and was constantly reinventing her sales process.
It was a mess, she was burnt out and she wasn’t closing deals.
After our consulting call, she got rid of everything and started from scratch. Within a week she’d build out her fundamental sales steps and instantly had clarity on what she needed to do each day to get deals over the line.
Now when she put energy into her selling system, she got equal reward out of it.
So, if you feel overwhelmed, have 6 sales cadences that don’t book meetings, and you’ve watched lots of sales videos, but nothing has changed for you…
Then you need to take a step back and realise that your buyers only have to pass through 4 steps before they pay you:
Step one – Find a person with a problem that you can solve.
So, getting practical here, is feasible to find a couple of people today who have an issue that your problem solves?
Yep, of course it is.
Step two – Help that person see that your product is going to solve their problem.
Now, outside of sales, have you ever helped someone change their mind about something?
Yep, of course you have.
That means that you can help your prospects agree with your perspective that your product can solve their problem.
Step three – Help them calculate whether the cost of their problem is more than the cost of your solution.
If you asked your prospects how much their problem was costing them each quarter, could you do then the math and see if they’d get a strong return on investment if they bought from you?
Yep, of course you can. The maths is simple.
Step four – Close the deal.
If it looks like your prospects will get a positive ROI if they work with you, are you capable of asking the question “does it make sense to get started?”
Yep, asking questions is easy.
And that is it.
You can run prospects through this sales process if you’re selling to one person. You can run the same process across multiple people and then bring everyone together at the end to ask the “does it make sense to get started” question in complex, multi stakeholder, B2B deals too.
When you really remove all the AI generated emails, the weird manipulative selling tactics and the emotional baggage that you have about sales being gross and slimy…
Selling really does become simple.
Find someone with a problem, help them see that you can solve the problem, calculate the ROI, and ask if it makes sense to get started.
That is it.
Thinking about sales this way instantly eliminates the most common issues that sellers have:
Struggling to book meetings?
It’s because you’re either speaking to the wrong people or you don’t know who your buyers are and the pains they are have.
Spending lots of time “nurturing” prospects?
It’s because you are bad at influencing them to see your point of view.
Your prospects jumping on the initial call and then ghosting you?
It’s because you’re unable to demonstrate the return on investment of your product and so there’s no logical reason for them to stay in touch.
Getting prospects right to the end of their buyer’s journey and then they never commit to getting started?
It’s because you’re not asking for the business as you have baggage in your subconscious about being a slimy salesperson.
Having trained thousands of salespeople and business owners over the ...

Most salespeople think their role is to complete a bunch of semi-random activities to “hopefully” get a deal over the line.

They set targets to complete a specific number of cold calls, business cases, sent proposals, discovery calls…
And this is not how high performing salespeople operate.
Having our focus spread across lots of non-connected activities each day leads to overwhelm.
This is why salespeople only spend 30% of their time each week actually selling (Salesforce, State of Sales Report) and burn out faster than any pretty much any other career.

 
I've trained over 2,500+ high performing sellers and the quickest way to improve sales performance for both teams and individuals is to get the sellers is to transform their list of random prospecting and closing activities into a defined, step-by-step sales process that they follow each day.

Each step of the sales process needs to have specific activities assigned to it. Each activity then moves the prospect to the next step of the process. Over and over until a deal is complete, or the prospect is qualified out.
This transforms sales performance because our brains love to follow processes as they have clear start and end points.
For example: I feel hungry, I go to the fridge and grab a snack, I eat the snack, I no longer feel hungry, I then get a spike of dopamine to celebrate.
I didn't get overwhelmed as to how to solve the problem.
I didn't go onto LinkedIn to look for new strategies or motivation.

I started the process, finished it and then had the reward of a full belly and a dopamine hit that motivates me to do it again.
Step-by-step sales process
All high performing salespeople and business owners running their own sales function follow a linear, step-by-step sales process.
So, let me ask you, could you draw out your sales process? Could you tell me the exact activities that have to occur at each step to move the prospect further along to the point where they commit to working with you?
Probably not. And that is OK. I'm going to explain how to build our your own step-by-step sales process in this video.
But first, when I train sellers I often get the pushback that they've been given a sorta, kinda, half-assed sales process to follow in the past, but they haven't managed to stick with it.
Well, it's easy to explain why.

The problem with traditional sales processes is that they're defined at a very high level, but they don't have enough detail to keep sellers on track day-to-day.
As incredible as our brains are, they're terrible at managing activities that span over anything more than a couple of days.
That cold call that you made 3 months ago that lead to the deal that you closed today are so far apart that our brains inherently can't connect them together.

So there is no dopamine spike and positive reinforcement for completing the steps that lead to the new customer.
However, with a step-by-step sales process, with specific defined activities at each step we can help bridge the time gap in our brains between all of those boring activities that we all want to procrastinate on doing and the results that we get from them.
This dramatically increases motivation to complete those activities because our brain can now see the full picture of the inputs that lead to the outputs that we desire.

* More motivation = Sales activities get started
* Simple, measurable activities = Sales activities get completed
* Completed sales activities = More deals completed

This is how you make selling simple and 2x-5x your revenue in weeks rather than years.
Building your sales process
OK, that's enough theory. How do we build a step-by-step sales process that delivers results and gets followed every time?

There is a sales skill that you probably aren’t very good at. And I’ve got data to back this up.
The lack of this skill is a problem for you because in sales no cash exchanges hands until a person says “yes”.
And people are all a little crazy…
We all think that we're rational but we're not.
And so, even when the right offer, at the right price is put in front of prospects, they still pass on it. Which is dumb but it’s the world that we live in.
So what sales skill is required to help buyers make the right purchasing decisions? Well, that’s the skill of influence and it might be the most important and underrated sales skill in 2025.
If you listen in for the next 10 minutes, I’m going to explain how I know you probably lack the skill of influence and how it’s the one skill that is becoming more and more important to sellers who want to find and close enough deals, to make enough cash to retire early.
Now, my name is Will and I’m the founder of Salesman.com. At Salesman.com we have an assessment that nearly 40,000 sellers have completed.
The SalesCode assessment asks 120 questions and then provides insights on the traits of high performance that the user has and is lacking:

Last week I pulled all the SalesCode data, formatted it in a new way that I haven't experimented with before and something became clear.
The trait of “influence” was much lower than I expected in the sellers who have completed the assessment.
It was so low in fact that I compared the data between 2025 and the first version of the assessment that we launched back in 2019 and the results were shocking.
87% of sellers who regularly exceeded sales quota scored high for influence back in 2019.
Only 35% of sellers who regularly exceeded sales quota scored high for influence in 2025.
So, has the social skill of ethically influencing buyers become less important over the past 6 years?
I don't think so.
Heck, in the Trust Crisis that we're currently selling into where everyone is more sceptical than ever, the ability to influence prospects and help them see the world from our perspective is more powerful than ever.
So, what is going on here?
I think from hiding behind email, attempting (and failing) to get deals done over social media and working from home has led a whole generation of sellers to deskill their ability to influence others.
That is the current state of affairs. Buyers are more sceptical of sellers than ever before and sellers are worse then ever at influencing buyers.
What does this mean for you?
It means that if you can learn the skill of influence then you have a massive competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Remember, influence is the ability to convince someone to believe something new or different to what they currently believe.
If your prospects believed that:

* Your product was the right product for them
* It was going to solve all their issues
* The price was less than the value delivered

Then you wouldn't have a job. You could be instantly replaced by an online order form.
But your job exists…
So inherently there is a need for you to influence your buyers to change their views and adopt your perspective to get deals over the line.
So lets now take a look at 3 ways that you can dramatically increase your ability to influence your prospects today.
Commitment
Once a prospect agrees that in theory our product can help them, they’re much more likely to continue to agree this as we increase the scope of our point of view over time.
Here’s why.
Humans don’t like to change our minds. Back in our tribal days, if we made a decision that didn’t harm us (or better yet, benefited us), we weren’t going to question making that decision the next time around.

Feeling completely drained by your sales job?
That constant rejection, endless objections, and quarterly quota increases can break even the strongest salespeople. I've watched it happen countless times over the past decade.
Burnout isn't about being weak, it's about running around like a headless chicken without a clear path forward.
After working in medical device sales for years I've discovered the real solution isn't grinding harder. It's about creating a systematic approach that eliminates overwhelm and gets you laser-focused on what actually moves the needle.
Your brain wasn't designed for this chaos, and that's exactly why you feel overwhelmed.
Sales shouldn't be a career you suffer through for decades – it should be your strategic stepping stone to whatever comes next.

Most salespeople struggle with objections because they’ve been taught to fight them head-on.
But what if there was a smarter way to handle them—one that feels natural and actually works better?
In this video you’ll learn a counterintuitive approach to sales objections that might change the way you sell forever.
Backed by real sales experience and thousands of calls this method helps you stay in control without sounding pushy or defensive.
If you’re in B2B sales taking discovery calls or handling cold prospects this is something you’ll want to see.
There’s also a surprising psychological insight that explains why most objections aren’t what they seem.
Watch now and rethink how you handle resistance on your calls.

Discover the 4 critical sales mistakes costing you thousands or even millions in lost revenue.
After training 2,500+ salespeople through my Salesman.com Academy, I've identified the fundamental errors everyone makes.
In this video, I reveal why sales success isn't luck but a strategic game with measurable inputs, the reality gap method that transforms how buyers see your value, how to overcome limiting money beliefs that sabotage your success, and why ego kills sales careers while high self-esteem is the real key.
Whether you're a seasoned professional or small business owner, these proven strategies will help you close bigger deals in less time.

Discover why some salespeople struggle while others consistently smash their targets.
After training 2,500+ sales professionals and analyzing data from over 20,000 assessments at Salesman.com Academy, I've identified the exact mistakes that keep most salespeople broke.
Are you wasting precious time without a defined sales process? Do you understand what actually makes your prospects buy?
The bold truth is that sales is a zero-sum game, and timidity might be your biggest enemy.
I had to overcome these challenges myself early in my career.
The transformation from average to exceptional doesn't take years – just the right adjustments to your approach.

Are you sabotaging your own sales success without even realizing it?
I've trained over 2,500 sellers through my Salesman.com Academy, and I've noticed these five critical mistakes killing deals left and right.
The truth is, most salespeople are unknowingly tanking their sales all the time.
In this quick 10-minute video, I break down exactly how to recognize when you're killing your own deals and what to do instead.
I'll show you why building a proper business case is non-negotiable, how to identify trigger events that turn “nice-to-haves” into “must-haves,” and why understanding the difference between major and minor ICPs will make or break your closing rate.
If your deals keep stalling or disappearing, this video might be the most valuable 10 minutes you spend this week. Want to stop leaving money on the table?
Hit play now and watch your deal closing rate skyrocket.

Transform your closing rate with my proven 3C Rule that I've developed after reviewing thousands of sales calls from my Salesman.com Academy members.
I've discovered that waiting until the end to close is killing your success rate.
In my experience coaching 2,000+ sales professionals, I've seen that every top performer uses “micro-closing” at least three times per call.
I personally use this approach to remove uncertainty, increase buying temperature, and create clear next steps that my prospects can confidently follow.
My micro-closing framework is straightforward: I simply ask “Does it make sense to…” followed by my proposed next action.
When they say no, I just ask what would make sense to move forward.
This pressure-free approach has transformed my awkward closing conversations into logical business discussions.
Stop risking rejection with one big close at the end – implement my 3C Rule to dramatically improve your closing rate, shorten your sales cycle, and qualify prospects more effectively.

Tired of fake gurus selling you dreams of fast money with no effort?
This video breaks down the truth behind all those get-rich-quick schemes and explains why almost all of them are setting you up to fail.
But there’s one path that consistently works for people who want to build real wealth without gambling everything—B2B sales.
No fluff no hype just a brutally honest look at why sales is the most realistic zero-risk high-leverage way to get rich fast if you're willing to do the work.
Watch this if you're serious about financial freedom and done chasing shortcuts.
It's not sexy – but it works.

Looking for a massive sales opportunity hiding in plain sight? In this video, I'll show you why Trump's tariffs could be your biggest revenue booster this year, regardless of your political views.
I'm sharing the exact strategies my 2,500+ sales coaching students are using right now to turn economic chaos into meetings and deals.
You'll learn how to use these tariffs as a powerful “trigger event” that breaks prospects out of status quo, the psychology behind why timing matters more than your message, and real email templates that are booking meetings right now.
Plus, I'll show you how to reconnect with ghosted prospects who suddenly need your solution due to tariff pain.
Whether you sell software, services, or physical products, this global economic shift creates leverage you can't afford to ignore.
Remember – in chaos lies opportunity, and the salespeople who act now will clean up while competitors freeze!

Stop settling for industry average cold email metrics (15% open rate, 2% reply rate).
At Salesman.com, we achieve 43% open rates and 9% replies by focusing on one goal: booking meetings.
This video reveals how to stand out in prospects' inboxes by avoiding generic templates that every sales blog pushes.
I explain why understanding your ideal customer profile deeply is crucial – their desires, problems, and responsibilities – and why focusing on their burning problems creates urgency that breaks through status quo.
Discover why successful emails evolve through continuous improvement rather than chasing perfection from day one.

Stop chasing the “perfect” cold email formula – they don't work because you're selling to emotional humans, not robots.
In this podcast, I reveal why generic templates fail in today's zero-sum sales game and share my proven approach that's booked countless meetings across industries.
Learn why timing matters more than perfection, why specificity drives responses, and how to leverage trigger events (industry, company, technological, and personal) to stand out.
The key isn't crafting the perfect email but developing an adaptable process that evolves with feedback.
I share a simple, effective template that focuses on prospect-specific pain points and delivers measurable value.
Ditch the perfect formula mindset and embrace a more human, responsive approach that actually fills your calendar with meetings.

Want more meetings from cold emails? Stop triggering the “salesperson alarm” that makes prospects instantly reject you.
In this podcast, I reveal why your emails aren't converting and how to fix them. Most salespeople make emails about themselves, send obnoxious bumps, and follow up without adding value – all triggering resistance.
Instead, build authority through social proof, nail the right message to the right person at the right time, and position yourself as a consultant who solves problems.
I share a proven email template that focuses on your prospect's challenges rather than your product features.
These simple shifts will dramatically increase your meeting conversion rates without sounding pushy or desperate.

Obsessing over perfect emails is usually just procrastination – salespeople afraid of rejection who hide behind formatting instead of doing real outreach.
When you have genuine value to offer, you don't need fancy formatting or perfect structure.
This podcast explains why “ugly” emails actually perform better: they have improved deliverability (fewer images/links means less spam filtering), better communication (simplicity removes barriers), and appear less salesy (they feel like notes from a colleague, not marketing).
Instead of perfect emails, focus on the trifecta: right message, right person, right time.
Most importantly, stop tweaking and start sending – good emails are good enough.

Summary
In this episode of the Salesman Podcast, Will and Liam delve into the intricacies of sales, focusing on the importance of identifying true champions within organizations, understanding the role of decision makers, and effectively navigating objections from prospects.
They emphasize the significance of recognizing pain points in sales conversations and the timing involved in changing a prospect's mind. The discussion also touches on the nature of business relationships and the inevitability of change in provider satisfaction. In this conversation, Will and Liam discuss the evolving landscape of sales, particularly focusing on the role of AI in lead scoring and outreach. They explore the limitations of current AI technologies, the importance of human intuition in sales, and the potential future of sales communication as AI continues to develop. The discussion also touches on the challenges of cold outreach and the necessity for sales professionals to adapt to changing market dynamics.
Takeaways

* A champion must have influence within the organization.
* Identifying decision makers is crucial for closing deals.
* Not all supporters are champions; influence matters.
* Finding pain points is essential for successful sales.
* Timing can significantly impact a prospect's decision.
* Business relationships often change over time.
* Sales strategies should focus on measurable outcomes.
* Understanding the psychology of sales can enhance effectiveness.
* Navigating objections requires skill and patience.
* Building multiple champions can strengthen sales efforts. People change jobs, companies' priorities
* change.
* Salespeople need to be proactive, not passive.
* AI predictions can be hit or miss; trust your gut.
* Human intuition is crucial in sales decision-making.
* AI tools are still in early developmental stages.
* The future of sales may involve AI handling outreach.
* Sales technology is evolving rapidly, but not all tools are effective.
* Cold outreach will become more automated and AI-driven.
* To succeed, salespeople must become a market of one.
* The sales landscape will continue to change dramatically.

 
 

Fred Copestake is a renowned sales expert and author who's revolutionizing the way we think about ethical selling in business.
As the author of three books, including his latest “Ethical Selling,” and founder of the Institute of Ethical Selling, Fred is pioneering the movement towards more transparent, integrity-driven sales practices.
His practical approach transforms ethical selling from a theoretical concept into actionable strategies that drive better results.