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What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call

by | Sep 24, 2026 | Podcast Episode | 0 comments

What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call
What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call

What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call

There are two conversations happening during every sales call.

There’s the conversation you’re having out loud.

And then there’s the conversation happening inside your customer’s head.

Here’s the problem: the buying decision is usually being made in the conversation you can’t hear.

I think this is one of the biggest things people miss when they’re trying to get better at sales.

We get so focused on ourselves.

What should I say next?

How should I respond to that?

Did I explain this clearly enough?

When should I talk about the price?

How do I close this?

Meanwhile, the person sitting across from us has an entirely different set of questions running through their mind.

And if you spend the entire sales conversation focusing on your half of the conversation, you can completely miss theirs.

That’s why understanding what your customer is REALLY thinking during a sales call can completely change the way you sell.

Not because you need another trick.

Not because you need a better script.

And definitely not because you need to become more pushy.

You need to learn how to create the kind of conversation where your customer feels safe enough to tell you what is actually happening.

That’s what the SERVICE framework is designed to help you do.

Your Customer Is Having an Internal Sales Conversation

Think about any important conversation you’ve ever had.

There are the words being spoken, and then there’s everything you’re thinking while those words are being spoken.

Sales calls work exactly the same way.

Your potential customer may politely answer your questions while internally thinking:

What is going to happen on this call?

Are they going to pitch me?

Can I trust this person?

Do they actually understand my business?

Can they really help me?

Is this going to turn out like the last thing I paid for that didn’t work?

And eventually:

Is this something I should actually buy?

Those questions matter because your customer’s answers to them are shaping the buying decision long before you ask them to make one.

This is also why I don’t believe a sales framework should turn you into a robot.

A good framework should do the exact opposite.

It should give you enough structure that you no longer have to spend the entire call wondering what you’re supposed to say next.

That gives you the freedom to actually listen.

Why Sales Scripts Can Make You Miss Half the Conversation

When someone is overly dependent on a script, they tend to listen for one thing:

Their opportunity to say the next line.

That isn’t really listening.

You can technically ask all the “right” questions and still completely miss what someone is telling you.

The SERVICE framework is not meant to be a checklist where you mechanically move from one question to another.

It gives you guardrails for the conversation so you can stay present.

Because ultimately, trust isn’t built because you perfectly memorized a script.

Trust develops when people realize:

You understand me.

You’re listening to me.

You’re not trying to force me somewhere I don’t want to go.

And when people begin to trust you, the internal conversation changes.

Here’s how that happens.

1. At the Beginning of the Sales Call, They’re Thinking: “What Is Going to Happen?”

The first part of the SERVICE framework is Set Expectations.

And there’s a reason this comes first.

At the beginning of a sales conversation, most people are trying to determine what they have gotten themselves into.

They’re wondering:

  • How long is this going to take?
  • What are we going to talk about?
  • Are you going to pitch me?
  • Am I going to have to get on another call just to find out how much this costs?
  • What is expected of me?
  • Where is this conversation going?

You may think this only happens with cold leads.

It doesn’t.

I’ve seen this happen with referrals.

I’ve seen this happen with people who already know you.

I’ve even experienced it with friends.

The moment someone believes a conversation may turn into a sales conversation, there can be a little wall that goes up.

They’re waiting to see what happens next.

When you clearly set expectations for the conversation, you start removing that uncertainty.

They know what to expect.

They can relax.

And when people relax, they listen differently.

They also become much more willing to engage honestly with you.

That’s important because you are going to need that honesty later in the conversation.

2. Then They’re Thinking: “Do You Actually Understand Me?”

Once someone understands how the conversation is going to work, their internal questions start changing.

This is where we move into Establish Rapport.

And when I say rapport, I’m not talking about spending ten minutes asking about the weather or admiring the picture hanging behind them.

I mean creating connection and relevance to their actual business and situation.

At this point, your customer is beginning to ask:

Do they understand me?

Do they understand what I do?

Can I trust them?

Are they going to be honest with me?

One of the easiest ways to immediately create the wrong impression is to come into the call knowing absolutely nothing about the person.

If the first thing you say is essentially, “So, tell me about your business,” you may accidentally communicate:

I didn’t bother learning anything about you before this conversation.

Do some homework.

Understand who you’re speaking with.

You don’t need to know every detail of their company.

But showing up with context allows you to establish relevance much faster.

The goal isn’t to impress them with how much research you did.

The goal is to create enough connection that they begin feeling comfortable telling you the truth.

Because polite answers don’t close sales.

Real conversations do.

3. Then They’re Thinking: “I Really Need This Problem Fixed”

Now we move into what I believe is one of the most important parts of the entire sales conversation:

Recognize the Problem.

This is where you’re trying to understand what is actually driving and motivating someone to make a buying decision.

And here is something I want you to remember:

The first problem someone gives you is almost never the real reason they will buy.

They may initially tell you:

“We need more leads.”

“We need help with our sales process.”

“We need a better website.”

“We need to improve our team.”

But underneath that first answer, there is usually more.

Maybe they’ve already spent money trying to solve this problem and it didn’t work.

Maybe they’re exhausted.

Maybe the problem has been getting worse for months.

Maybe another provider disappointed them.

Maybe they’re scared of making the same mistake twice.

So internally, they may be thinking:

I am so frustrated with this.

I already paid someone to fix this once.

Is this just going to happen again?

Can I trust this person enough to tell them what is really going on?

If I spend this money, am I actually going to get what I need?

Your job is not to rush past those questions so you can get to your pitch.

Your job is to understand them.

Because if you recognize the wrong problem, everything that comes after it starts falling apart.

4. Now They’re Finally Thinking: “Can You Help ME?”

This is the point where so many salespeople want to start.

But your customer usually isn’t ready for it at the beginning.

Once expectations have been established, rapport has started developing, and you’ve uncovered the real problem, the customer can finally begin asking the question you’ve been waiting for:

Can you help me?

This is Verbalize the Value.

Notice something important about that question.

It isn’t:

Have you helped 100 other people?

It isn’t:

How impressive is your company?

It isn’t:

How many awards have you won?

The question is:

Can you help ME?

That distinction matters.

I think businesses often make the mistake of getting to this point and immediately launching into a presentation about themselves.

We start talking about our experience.

Our process.

Our clients.

Our results.

Our return on investment.

And yes, there can be an appropriate time for proof.

But when you are verbalizing value, I want you thinking about the person sitting across from you.

It needs to be about their problem, their desired outcome, and how what you do connects those two things.

Your customer has trusted you enough to tell you what they actually need.

Don’t reward that trust by turning the next ten minutes into a speech about how great you are.

Make the value personal.

Your Customer Is Not Asking, “Are You Great?” They’re Asking, “Are You Right for Me?”

That shift sounds small.

It isn’t.

There is a huge difference between proving that your company is impressive and helping someone understand how your solution applies to their situation.

Imagine someone tells you they’ve hired two people before to solve the same problem, spent a significant amount of money, and still don’t have the result they need.

And your immediate response is:

“We’ve worked with hundreds of companies and have generated amazing ROI.”

Maybe that’s true.

But you didn’t answer their internal question.

Their question is:

How do I know this isn’t going to happen to me again?

Those are completely different conversations.

One is about you.

The other is about them.

And effective sales conversations need to stay centered on them.

5. When an Objection Appears, They’re Telling You Something Important

The next part of the SERVICE framework is Identify Objections.

An objection means there is something stopping your customer from buying right now.

Many salespeople get uncomfortable here.

They either try to avoid objections completely or immediately jump into “overcoming” them.

But think about the internal conversation again.

If someone raises a concern, they’re giving you information.

They may be trying to determine whether the solution really fits.

They may still have unanswered questions.

They may be comparing you to another option.

They may be thinking through an earlier experience that went badly.

Whatever the concern is, your goal shouldn’t be to win a debate.

Your goal should be to understand what is actually preventing them from moving forward.

That requires listening again.

Sometimes what sounds like the objection isn’t the real objection at all.

Just like the first problem isn’t always the real problem.

6. They’re Also Thinking: “Why Should I Do This Now?”

Even when someone believes you can help, another question remains:

Why now?

That’s where Create Urgency comes into the framework.

And urgency does not have to mean artificial pressure.

You don’t have to invent a disappearing bonus, create a fake deadline, or make someone feel like their entire future depends on giving you a credit card before they leave Zoom.

Instead, help them understand what happens if the problem continues.

What is this already costing them?

What happens if nothing changes three months from now?

Six months from now?

A year from now?

The goal is not to manufacture urgency for them.

It is to help them clearly understand the urgency that already exists in their situation.

There is a big difference.

7. Finally, They’re Thinking: “What Happens Next?”

The last part of the SERVICE framework is Explain Next Steps.

When someone has reached a decision, uncertainty doesn’t suddenly disappear.

Now they may be wondering:

What happens after I say yes?

When do we start?

What do you need from me?

What should I expect?

You reduced uncertainty at the beginning of the conversation by setting expectations.

Do the same thing at the end.

Clear next steps reinforce the trust you’ve been building throughout the entire conversation.

The SERVICE Framework Helps You Hear the Conversation You Can’t Hear

The seven parts of the SERVICE sales framework are:

  1. Set Expectations
  2. Establish Rapport
  3. Recognize the Problem
  4. Verbalize the Value
  5. Identify Objections
  6. Create Urgency
  7. Explain Next Steps

But I don’t want you treating those seven steps like another script.

That misses the point.

The structure gives you the freedom to stop obsessing over what you’re going to say next and start paying attention to the person in front of you.

Because while you’re thinking about your next question, they may be thinking:

I’m not sure I trust you yet.

While you’re showing them another testimonial, they may be thinking:

But does this work for someone like me?

While you’re trying to close, they may still be thinking:

I don’t think you actually understand why this problem matters so much to me.

Those are the conversations we have to learn to hear.

How to Tell What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call

You’re never going to literally hear every thought happening inside someone’s head.

And you shouldn’t try to guess.

Instead, create a conversation where they don’t have to keep those thoughts inside.

Slow down.

Ask good questions.

Listen to the answer instead of preparing your next response.

Pay attention when something changes in their tone.

Get curious when an answer feels surface-level.

Make sure you understand the actual problem before you explain your solution.

And above all, keep bringing the conversation back to the person you’re trying to help.

Because sales should not be about figuring out the magic combination of words that makes someone say yes.

It should be about helping someone make a clear, informed decision about whether you can actually help them.

Stop Trying to Control the Sales Conversation

I think this is where the biggest shift happens.

When you stop walking into sales calls thinking:

How do I make this person buy?

And start walking in thinking:

How do I understand what this person needs and help them make the right decision?

You show up differently.

You listen differently.

You ask different questions.

And your potential customer feels that difference.

The best sales conversations don’t feel like someone is being dragged toward a close.

They feel like two people are getting clear about a problem, a possible solution, and what should happen next.

That is what the SERVICE framework is ultimately designed to help you do.

So before your next call, remember:

There are always two conversations happening.

Pay attention to the one you can hear.

But learn how to lead the conversation in a way that gives your customer room to share the one you can’t.

Because that’s where the buying decision is being made.

Want Help Improving Your Sales Conversations?

If you’re having sales conversations but know something isn’t clicking—maybe your prospects are interested but not moving forward, you keep getting stuck around objections, or you simply want your calls to feel more natural—I’d love to talk with you.

We can look at what is happening in your sales process, where conversations are getting stuck, and what you can change to make those conversations more effective without becoming pushy or scripted.

Schedule a call with me here:

https://buildingmomentum.info/meet

Let’s make your sales conversations feel more like service—and help the right customers confidently take their next step.

There are two conversations happening during every sales call.

The one you can hear.

And the one happening inside your customer’s head.

And guess where the buying decision is being made? 😬

While you’re thinking, “What should I say next?” your potential customer may be wondering:

Can I trust you?
Do you understand me?
Can you solve my problem?
Is this worth the investment?
What happens if I say yes?

If you’re so focused on performing your half of the conversation that you miss theirs, you’re missing some of the most important information on the call.

Good news: you do not need to become a mind reader.

You need a framework that gives you enough structure to stop obsessing over your next line and start paying attention to the person sitting across from you.

Episode Summary

After spending the last several episodes walking through the SERVICE Sales Framework, Brooke and Scott zoom out to look at what connects the entire process.

Your customer is having an internal conversation at every stage of the sales call.

When you Set Expectations, they’re wondering what’s about to happen.

When you Establish Rapport, they’re deciding whether you understand them and whether they can trust you.

When you Recognize the Problem, old frustrations, disappointing experiences, and deeper concerns start surfacing.

When you Verbalize the Value, the question becomes much more personal: Can you help me? 

Then come objections, timing, and the all-important question at the end: Okay…what do I do next?

 Brooke walks through all seven parts of SERVICE from the customer’s point of view and explains why becoming better at sales isn’t about becoming more persuasive.

It’s about becoming more curious, more present, and better at listening to what your customer is saying — and what they’re not saying.

Sales is a conversation. Not a performance. Thank goodness for that.

What You’ll Learn

  • The two conversations happening during every sales call
  • Why the buying decision is often made in the part of the conversation you can’t hear
  • What customers are likely wondering during each stage of the SERVICE Sales Framework
  • Why even referrals can enter a sales conversation with their guard up
  • How setting expectations helps people relax and engage
  • Why rapport is about relevance and trust, not random small talk
  • Why the first problem someone shares is rarely the whole problem
  • The shift from “Can you help people like me?” to “Can you help me?”
  • Why objections are information instead of something to fear
  • When urgency is helpful — and when it becomes manipulation
  • Why customers want the final steps to be ridiculously easy
  • How a framework gives you enough structure to stop performing and start listening
  • The one question Brooke wants you to ask after your next sales call: Who were you paying attention to?

Resources Mentioned

The SERVICE Sales Framework

Want to dig into the full framework?

SERVICE Sales Framework Overview

Then work your way through each part of SERVICE.

S — Set Expectations

Help your customer understand what’s going to happen so they can relax, participate, and stop wondering when the surprise sales pitch is coming.

E — Establish Rapport

Create real connection and relevance to your customer’s business.

This is not permission to spend the first ten minutes discussing the weather. 😂

R — Recognize the Problem

Discover the real problem driving and motivating the buying decision.

V — Verbalize the Value

Connect the problem your customer just shared to the specific way you can help.

I — Identify Objections

Understand what may be stopping your customer from buying instead of pretending the objection isn’t there.

Awkward strategy. 😂

C — Create Urgency

Help customers connect the future they want with the timing needed to reach it — with direction and hope, not fake scarcity.

E — Explain Next Steps

Make moving forward ridiculously clear.

Your customer should not need a treasure map to figure out how to buy from you.

Join the Conversation / Subscribe

Want more practical conversations about making sales without becoming someone you don’t particularly like? 😜

Subscribe to Sippin’ Matcha and Helping You Make More Sales, explore past episodes, and join the conversation:
https://buildingmomentum.info/matcha

Connect with Brooke on LinkedIn

For more practical sales help, encouragement, and reminders that you don’t have to be a jerk to be good at sales, connect with Brooke Greening on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/brooke-greening

Here’s to valuing your customers and making more sales.

When you’re ready to make more money, give Brooke a call. https://buildingmomentum.info/meet

What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call | Chapters

00:00 Highlights: What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking
01:21 Welcome to Sippin’ Matcha & Helping You Make More Sales
03:06 The 50% of the Sales Conversation You’re Missing
04:11 Why a Sales Framework Shouldn’t Sound Scripted
05:22 The 7-Part SERVICE Sales Framework Explained
05:57 Set Expectations: What Customers Are Thinking First
07:45 Establish Rapport: “Do They Understand Me?”
09:31 Recognize the Problem: Find the Real Reason They’ll Buy
11:09 Verbalize Value: Can You Solve My Problem?
14:17 Identify Objections: What’s Stopping Them From Buying?
16:29 Create Urgency Without Manipulating the Customer
18:32 Explain Next Steps: Make Saying Yes Easy
20:19 Why SERVICE Is Not a Sales Checklist
21:15 Great Salespeople Are Curious, Not More Persuasive
21:42 The #1 Question to Ask Yourself on Every Sales Call
22:48 How to Improve Your Sales Conversations and Revenue
23:38 Sales Is a Conversation — Not a Performance
24:13 How AI Is Changing the Future of Sales Conversations

What Your Customer Is REALLY Thinking During a Sales Call | Full Transcript

Brooke Greening:

Scott Greening: There are two conversations happening in every sales call: the one that you're having, and then the one that's going on in your customer's head, and the interesting part is that buying decision is always made in the half that you never hear.

Brooke Greening: That's exactly what the SERVICE framework helps you to prepare for, and we have been doing this all along.

And we're so focused on what we're saying that we are completely missing what's going on on the other side, and especially the types of questions that they're having inside of their head. And when we miss 50% of the conversation, it's going to be really hard to close sales.

So even if you have a referral, everybody is just, like, geared up if they think it's going to be a sales conversation. And so you have to realize that is what everyone is thinking.

Scott Greening: the first problem is almost never the reason that people will actually buy from you.

Brooke Greening: But it needs to be all about the client. It literally needs to be about them, not about me, not about how many people I've been able to help, not about how great I am and how much their ROI is coming back to them.

That is not where I'm doing this at, and we need to remember that. They are not wondering, "Hey, have you helped this, solve this problem for 100 other people?" No. They are really trying to figure out, "Can you solve my problem?"

Scott Greening: hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Sippin' Matcha and Helping You Make More Sales. I'm Scott, your host, and I'll be joined by Brooke, our resident sales expert. And while you enjoy your coffee or matcha break, she gives us some great advice on how to help our sales conversations. Because if you have to talk to people to make sales, how well you lead those conversations is going to make or break your revenue.

And Brooke, today we are talking about, uh, this other half of the conversation, and this is an experience that we all have in life, whether it's sales conversations or not. Often when you're, like, married and have a family and business, a great example is, like, when we have occasional disagreements with one another.

And that, that happened last week a little bit.

Brooke Greening: Oh, my word, we had a banner of a week last week. But yes, that, that did happen last week.

Scott Greening: Yeah, it didn't make probably our top 20 weeks of- ... of marriage, but it's all good. And but what happens is, like, there's two, maybe three conversations that are happening, right?

So there's the conversation, the words that are being spoken, and then there's the conversation that's happening in my head, and there's the conversation that's happening in your head.

Brooke Greening: Yes.

Scott Greening: And

Brooke Greening: then- And we have the other expectations that are coming in as well. And so even though we're talking to each other, it is not clearly communicated-

Scott Greening: Yeah

Brooke Greening: to be able to be all on the same page and move things forward.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and truth and trust and moving things forward, even within- Mm ... an awesome, loving relationship like ours- ... like, happens when we uncover some of those unspoken things. And that's- Yeah ... definitely happening in sales conversations.

So Brooke, we've spent the last 21 episodes walking through the SERVICE sales framework, and we've talked about tactics, we've talked about what not to do, we've talked about why each part of it is really important.

And we could sort of like finish things off just by recapping and reviewing that, and that's sort of what we're doing. But really we're trying to get to this idea that there's something bigger that is connecting all of this. there's another conversation that's happening.

Brooke Greening: Yeah. And the reality is that a lot of times we're so focused on, well, what do we say next?

Like, as the person leading the sales conversation, what do I say next? How do I respond to this? And we're so focused on what we're saying that we are completely missing what's going on on the other side, and especially the types of questions that they're having inside of their head. And when we miss 50% of the conversation, it's going to be really hard to close sales.

On top of, that is where the buying decision is made. It's being made in the part of the conversation we can't even hear. And so you have to learn how to listen for that. And that's where the sales framework comes into play because it gives you this framework, these guardrails. It's not a script. It's helping you to give space to be able to, one, learn how to listen for what they're thinking and feeling, and also how to be able to continue to guide that conversation without talking the whole entire time

Scott Greening: Yeah. And we've talked all along, we've re- used words like authentic and all of that but basically we're saying the framework isn't designed to make you sound robotic.

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm.

Scott Greening: It's not just a checklist to go through

Brooke Greening: No, it should be absolutely the opposite. The framework is giving you enough structure to be able to be present.

We hear hey, we always need to be able to buy people from who we know, we like, and we trust. And I don't disagree with that, but you can't have it both ways. You can't say, "Hey, I'm trying to cr- I'm trying to have this relationship where they know, like, and trust me, but I'm not leading a conversation that is resulting in those pieces," especially the trust aspect of it.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and the, the structure gives you the freedom to listen so that you can be known, so they can like you, so they can trust you, and you can do the same for the potential customer.

Brooke Greening: Right.

Scott Greening: So I think our strategy today is we're going to go through the seven parts of the framework, and it's kind of going to be like rapid fire, and I want you to highlight, I'll remind the people what the different parts are, um, but I want you to kind of highlight what are the questions, what are the internal monologue thoughts that people are having?

And obviously, this is based on, like, your 90,000 sales conversations and your master's in counseling and that type of thing, so you sort of have a unique experience of-

Brooke Greening: Yep

Scott Greening: ... uncovering this. are you ready? Let's, let's-

Brooke Greening: I'm ready. Let's

Scott Greening: go. Let's go. So the first one is the set expectations, the S, and that's where we let the customer know what's happening so that they can relax and engage.

So at the beginning of a sales conversation, what is our potential client or customer thinking about that they're not saying yet?

Brooke Greening: Yeah. The big one is they're just trying to figure out, like, what is going to happen. Are we going to end up having... Like, are you going to pitch at me? Do I have to get on another call to try to find out what the investment is?

How long is this going to take? Are you able to help me? But the biggest piece in this exact moment, and why we tell you to set the expectations, is 'cause they're literally trying to figure out, how is this conversation going to go? And if they don't know, walls are going to start going up. And I just want to encourage you that sometimes people will push back a little bit and they'll be like, "Oh, no, no, I understand that, but that's like for a cold call.

I have referrals." They still have those questions. I can't tell you how many times I have helped people, and they haven't necessarily paid me. I'm just trying to be helpful, supportive, whatever. And then if they think, and they're good friends of mine, if they think we're going to go into a sales conversation, then they start getting nervous.

So even if you have a referral, everybody is just, like, geared up if they think it's going to be a sales conversation. And so you have to realize that is what everyone is thinking. And then absolutely, if they don't know you very much, they are absolutely on the train of, what is going to happen in this conversation?

W- what are we going to be doing? What are we going to be talking about? That's literally what they're gearing up for

Scott Greening: Yeah, and the, the good news is when we set the expectations, like, people can... They listen differently. They'll be more receptive-

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm

Scott Greening: ... to having the conversation when they know what to expect.

And then when they can engage they'll feel safe to do that, and, and- Yeah ... they need to do that. So the next one then is establish rapport. That's the E. That's where we create connection and relevance to the customer's business, not necessarily small talk. We're creating connection relevance to the customer's business quickly.

So we've set the expectations. What are they thinking now?

Brooke Greening: The biggest one that they're beginning to think is, do they understand me? Like, is this, can I trust them? One, they're trying to figure out can I trust them? Are they going to be honest with me? But then two, they're trying to figure out do they understand me and what's happening?

Even before we've even talked about the problems, they are now in that mindset of, "Oh, okay, well, I can now know what this conversation is going to be." So now the walls are starting to come down. Now their questions are starting to be, are they going to understand me? Do they understand my business? And so just as a little pro tip, if you start things out like, "Hey, tell me about your business," that clearly tells them you don't.

You have no idea who they are. You have no idea what they're doing, and that is not a good way to establish rapport. You need to be able to do some homework, and we talk about that in our other episodes, but it's just really important in this moment. Those questions that are going through their head is do they understand me?

Are they going to be able to help me? And am I trusting them enough to get ready to start talking about my problems or the things that I need? And they may not think these things exactly word by word, but it is either happening consciously or subconsciously, but this the track of where their mind is going.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and so at the beginning stages of the conversation, you're, you're wanting to create enough connection where people can feel comfortable telling you the truth.

Brooke Greening: Yes

Scott Greening: Not just what is polite or the expected at that. So the, the next step is recognizing the problem, the R. That's we're discovering the customer's true motivations and desires for buying.

So this is a big s- part where we talked a lot about the internal conversation and that. Remind us what's supposed to be part of it

Brooke Greening: So in this regard, we are trying to understand what is that problem that's driving and motivating them to be able to buy, to be making this buying decision? And so the thoughts that are beginning to go into their head as we've been doing this correctly in regards to setting expectations, establishing rapport, now they're starting to think, "Okay, well, I'm really frustrated with having to deal with this problem.

I've worked with somebody else, and it didn't work." That's a huge one, where they may not even share that with you, but you just need to know that if they're talking to you, then something has probably gone on. Either the person they have worked with before is moving on or it didn't work. Something is causing them to have the conversation.

And so we need to realize these are the types of things that are going on in their head. "Can I trust them to be able to help me with this? Is this going to be just like last time where I spend a bunch of money and I don't get what I need back in return?" These are the types of things that are happening.

And if they've talked to a competitor, they already have in regards to what's happening with the conversation they've had with the competitor as they're getting ready to talk to you. And they're trying to remember also what's happening with the competitor 'cause they're going to start comparing really quickly

Scott Greening: Yeah, and I, the, I think the key that we shared before, and that is that the first problem is almost never the reason that people will actually buy from you. And what you're trying to do is uncover what's underneath. Yeah. So then once we've done that, we move on- Yeah ... to verbalizing the value, and this is how we connect how we help, how you help with the problem that the potential customer just shared.

So what, what are the p- the people have heard it, you've uncovered, you've built trust, they've shared what you think is the real problem. How do you share what you do?

Brooke Greening: Yeah. This is where it's now our turn to be able to talk, but we still need to be understanding that they have questions going on in their head.

So recognizing the problem is the most important thing, 'cause if you get the problem wrong, everything is going to start falling apart. You can go listen to those episodes to know how do you do that, how do you know if you've been doing that correctly. But when we are at this point and we said, "Okay, yeah, we have recognized the real problem that's happening," then

we want to be able to verbalize that. And what they're beginning to think is if they've trusted you enough to be able to truly share what's driving and motivating them, those underlying problems, not that first problem, but the ones that are keeping them up at night. If they're sharing those with you, these are now the thoughts that they're going to have.

Can they help me? How is this going to work? What does this investment look like? Now they care if you can help them. I just want to encourage you, so many times we think they're trying to figure out, can you help me, in the very first, like, two minutes of the conversation. But they're not. Because if they don't trust you, they're not going to have those thoughts.

It has to follow this flow in regards to, okay, now I'm trusting you enough. I've shared something with you that I need help in or support in, and now I'm beginning to wonder, can you help me?

Scott Greening: Yeah, and I think the, the key there is words like me and my. So people are- ... wondering okay, I get that you help people generally, or you've helped other people.

Are you going to help me?

Brooke Greening: Yes. And this is where it's not where we want to be sharing with a bunch of other examples of how we've helped other clients.

because they don't

care. And I know I'm probably stepping on toes, and I know there are sales trainings out there where they're like, "And share this, and share this, and share this."

I am not saying there is not a time for that, but in this regard when we are trying to verbalize our value, I just, I have this, like, '90s worship song in my head where it's like, "It's all about you, Jesus." not talking about Jesus in this moment. But it needs to be all about the client. It literally needs to be about them, not about me, not about how many people I've been able to help, not about how great I am and how much their ROI is coming back to them.

That is not where I'm doing this at, and we need to remember that. They are not wondering, "Hey, have you helped this, solve this problem for 100 other people?" No. They are really trying to figure out, "Can you solve my problem?"

Scott Greening: Yeah.

Brooke Greening: And that

is what we want you to focus on

Scott Greening: Yep. And so if you're playing Sippin' Matcha and Helping You Make More Sales- bingo. Just, we've talked about family drama. You can check that box off, and then now we've made a reference to- ... late '90s worship music. So you're well on your way to bingo. All right. And the next letter is I-

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm

Scott Greening: ... identify objection. Understanding what's stopping your customers from buying right now.

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm.

Scott Greening: Uh, we talked about actually asking for the objections. What, why is that important? What is, what are our potential customers thinking about when we get to this part of the conversation?

Brooke Greening: Because everybody has an objection. Everybody has objections. And if you want to argue with me, I'll be like, "If, did they buy from you?"

'Cause if they didn't buy from you, in that moment there is an objection. And it doesn't have to be a bad one, but the reason it's so important to, to know this, and we talk about how to be able to ask for objections, how to be able to walk through that, all of those in our previous episodes, you have to understand that they have objections.

So they're literally thinking of the objections in this moment. They're trying to figure out, "Okay, can I do this investment?" They're trying to figure out, "Is this a good idea?" They're trying to figure out, "Is this the right time?" They're trying to figure out all of these things. They have these different objections because now we're not just talking theoretically about how you helped other people.

We're talking about how I can help you, and so when we talk in that way, then they are beginning to think, "Okay, well then, what does that mean for me, and what are the objections that I have?" Before we start moving forward. So they have objections going around in their head. That is literally what they have.

It's too expensive. I'm trying to figure things out. I'm not sure exactly how this works. I have a couple of questions. Some of these things were unclear. I don't know about what my business partner is going to think about this. Like, all of these I'm going on vacation. Is this a good time to start?

These are the things that are going on in their head at this point. and you cannot just skip past this

Scott Greening: Yeah. And sometimes, like you said, like, they're, it's not always bad. So-

Brooke Greening: No ...

Scott Greening: they, if they're thinking about "I need to get my business partner, or my spouse's input," or whatever- Mm-hmm ... that's a, actually may be a good sign because they're like, "I think this is going to help.

I think I want to buy, I just gotta get the right people on board," um- Mm-hmm ... in that. So we're, objections aren't bad. They're information. No, not

Brooke Greening: at all. Mm-hmm.

Scott Greening: And customers need to know that it's safe to share them.

Brooke Greening: Yes. Yes.

100%.

Scott Greening: That takes us then to the urgency. So the C is create urgency. We're motivating action with direction and hope.

We- we're heading towards the end of the sales conversation. We've identified the problem, we've verbalized the value, we've talked about the objections. Now, what are people thinking?

Brooke Greening: Okay, now they're trying to figure out, "Well, what does this mean? When can we start doing this?" Now they want to know, like, the details of how this is all going to come together.

And I want to share with you, this is why we don't create urgency if, in regards with the handling the objections and verbalizing the value, that has not happened yet. In a lot of sales training, they're always like, "Well, you gotta create the urgency," and they use it to try to convince them to move forward.

No, no, no, no, no. We do not do this unless we know this is, we are moving forward. They want to move forward. These are now the things that they're thinking about. When is this going to happen? How can this happen? What do I need to do? Those are the types of things that are coming into play,

and that is, we only bring urgency into the sales conversation when we know they're wanting to be able to move forward.

And I, that is a big distinction, because a lot of people just use urgency to try to manipulate or try to convince them that they need to buy. We don't use urgency until we know that it's going to benefit them, and now we're going to help them know how we can start to do this sooner rather than later. Yeah, I- And it, it serves them.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and for some people, they just, they may be thinking like, "Okay, this is great. I know I need to do this, but-

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm

Scott Greening: ... do I need to do it right now?" And-

Brooke Greening: Mm-hmm

Scott Greening: ... we're saying, like, "Here are some great reasons why," not in an unethical way, not in a, like, just cutthroat, make a sale at any cost way. But there's legitimate-

Brooke Greening: No

Scott Greening: reasons why, for direction and hope, and accomplishing what they've been talking about now might be the great time.

Brooke Greening: And we would've uncovered those things when we were actually recognizing the problems and verbalizing the value. So you're not winging it. You're not trying to come up with, like- Urgency that might mean- Yeah

something to them. Yeah. It's directly connected to what we've just uncovered.

Scott Greening: All right, so then that brings us to the last part of the framework, E- Mm-hmm ... explain next steps. We're ensuring that our customer knows exactly what to do next. Mm-hmm. Th- this is the rubbers meet the road. There's going to-

there's going to be a contract, there's going to be a next step, there's going to be a sale- Yeah ... there's, what is the customer thinking at that point?

Brooke Greening: At this point they're like, "Please make this easy for me. Please." There are so many things that are going on, like I said, subconsciously or consciously, that is literally the thought that's happening at that point.

Because we've gone through, and they're like, "Yes I am doing this. I would like to do this." We're not meaning that we're signing the contract right then and there on the call. You can, depending on what it is that you're offering. But we want to make the next step incredibly easy for them to say yes to and for them to get excited about.

Because that's literally where they're at at this point. They're just like, "Okay, so how... I really hope I don't have to get onto another call. I really hope we don't have to, like, draw this out. I really hope we can just keep moving things forward." Those are the things that they're thinking about.

Because we, and we'll talk about this in a little bit, but by the time someone is talking to you and having a c- sales conversation with you, that is a big buying signal. A long time ago it might not have been, because they might have had to talk to you to get information. They don't have to do that anymore.

They can pretty much find whatever they want, wherever they need to, about you, and if they can't, then they're not going to have a conversation with you. So if they're having a conversation with you, they're usually not tire-kicking. There is something that's going on. And so this is where we want to make it just incredibly easy for them to be able to move forward.

So really the only thought at this point is they're just like, "All right, I hope we can get this taken care of- ... and I hope it doesn't take forever."

Scott Greening: Yeah, they just need to know who's doing what, how do we do this, what's, what happens, and, and- Yeah ... let's make it as simple as possible.

So Brooke, the, the SERVICE sales framework isn't meant to be a checklist of seven boxes that you just tick off as you go through the conversation.

Brooke Greening: No, it's not meant to be a checklist, and if you use it as a checklist, then we're missing the point. The framework is helping you to know where you're at in the conversation.

So it's doing two things. It's helping you know where you're at in the conversation, and it's giving the potential client the freedom to be able

to share.

It helps you to be able to listen to, okay, where did they hesitate? When did they start changing their tone? What's exciting them? What were they answering really carefully when I asked that question?

That's the type of thing that it's allowing you to be able to do. If you just use it as a checklist, you're missing the whole point.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and I, I think it's helpful. The framework helps you, helps me, so that you can know what to do next so that you can pay attention to what your customer actually needs next.

Brooke Greening: Yes, absolutely. And I think a lot of people assume becoming better at sales means being more persuasive, and the, I don't think that's it at all. At all. I think that's really bad advice, actually. I think you need to be more curious. I think you need to be more present.

and then when you're able to do that, then we can guide the conversation. And that's the goal, to help them, to guide them to a decision that is going to benefit them and you.

Scott Greening: All right. So thinking about the SERVICE sales framework as a whole, you've been helping by having people sort of reflect and ask themselves questions along the way. If we're going to do the whole thing, what should people be asking questions of themselves at this point?

Brooke Greening: Yeah. If I could only ask you one question for your sales call, I would just ask, who are you paying attention to? Are you paying more attention to yourself and what you're saying and what your next line is and what your deliverables are, or are you paying attention to your potential client, what they're saying and what they're not saying? That is the biggest difference between having like a pitch and actually having a real conversation that's going to build trust that can result in more sales.

Scott Greening: Yeah. So we're asking like, are we more worried about what we're saying or more worried about- Mm-hmm ... listening to what our customer is saying or maybe not saying as they have this conversation?

Brooke Greening: Because if you're still spending most of your energy trying to remember what you're supposed to say there is probably a gap going on in your sales process and that's exactly the kind of thing I love being able to help people work

Scott Greening: All right, everyone. We've found out this reality today that the buying decision happens in the convers- the half of the conversation that you may not even be hearing or listening to. And the reality is, is if you're not hearing your customer right, you're probably not saying the right things, and it's hard to correct that all by yourself.

And that's where Brooke, with her 90,000 sales conversations, her master's in counseling, is so good at helping you know how to have these conversations in a better way. So if you're ready to start making more revenue with your sales conversations, I encourage you to schedule a call with Brooke. You can set that up at a time that works with your schedule at buildingmomentum.info/meet.

And if you're ready to start making money, give Brooke a call

All right, Brooke we've made it to the end.

Brooke Greening: Yay.

Scott Greening: We've done it. It's a celebration. I know you'll be having an extra matcha- ... to mark this momentous occasion. What's s- kind of your parting wisdom for us?

Brooke Greening: I want you guys to remember that sales is a conversation. It's not a performance. It's not a pitch.

It's having a conversation, and our SERVICE framework allows you to be able to have a great conversation, where you're able to lead it but not talk the whole entire time, and guide them to be able to make a buying decision. That is what I want you guys to remember.

Scott Greening: Yeah, and your SERVICE sales framework helps us do exactly this.

While this is the end of this extended series that we've done, this is not the end of the Sippin' & Matcha and Helping You Make More Sales podcast. So we're actually headed in a neat direction, ex- one that we're excited about. Things are changing. There's so much information that's available on the internet and through AI that customers can find out about us, and we need to think through as service-provided businesses, like, how does that impact the sales conversation?

And so we're going to talk about that for another five episodes or so in the future, and headed that direction. If you want to listen to these conversations, be part of it, we encourage you to like, to subscribe. Leave a review, would be awesome. You can find all the, the links and how to do that at buildingmomentum.info/matcha.

That's the home base for this podcast, and we hope you'll check it out. So until then, we hope you make some great sales.

Brooke Greening: Bye-bye.