“People buy from people” is the dumbest sales advice I’ve ever heard.

"People buy from people" is the dumbest sales advice I've ever heard.

People buy from whoever can fix expensive or time consuming problems.

Being likable helps. It gets you in the door. It is not the job.

Rapport can get you a meeting. It might even get you a chance. Clarity is what gets you paid.

"We had a great dinner and really connected."

Big deal. I have great dinners with my wife. Doesn't mean she's buying my SaaS solution.

What clarity looks like on a call

The reps we train don't open with a pitch and they don't open with small talk. They open with a question that shows they understand the prospect's world.

"Out of curiosity, are you guys handling that in-house right now, or bringing someone in?" Either answer is fine. Either answer starts a real conversation about a real problem, and the prospect does most of the talking.

That's the whole difference. A likable rep talks about the prospect's weekend. A clear rep talks about the thing that's costing the prospect money, in the prospect's own words, and then shuts up.

Why "relationship selling" keeps reps average

Because it gives them a reason not to ask the hard question. If the relationship is the strategy, then every uncomfortable moment is a threat to the strategy. So the rep stays pleasant, the prospect stays vague, and the deal stays open forever.

Reps who understand the problem ask the uncomfortable question early. "Is this actually a priority this quarter, or are we talking about next year?" They lose some deals faster. They win the ones that were real.

"People buy from people" is a mindset that keeps sellers average.

Am I wrong?