While automation and AI have transformed the sales process, they’ve also detached us from the heart of what selling is all about: human connection. It’s all too easy to forget our simplest and most powerful tool – conversation!
Sales isn’t about scripts, pipelines, or dashboards. It’s about people, and people thrive on meaningful, genuine interactions.
Why Conversation Still Matters
Conversations build trust, create understanding, and unlock opportunities that data can’t deliver. A well-timed, thoughtful conversation can reveal the why behind a customer’s need, not just the want or what. It can also set your brand apart.
This is where the Unique Human Proposition® (UHP) comes into play. While your product or service might not be entirely unique, you are. Your personality, empathy, listening skills, and ability to read between the lines is what elevates your customer’s experience and keeps them coming back.
In a world of noise, your UHP® is your superpower – and conversation is how you can reach your target audience.
The Conversation Gap
Most business owners and sales teams have become so focused on the data, closing, and sales scripts that they’ve stopped truly listening. They might talk to customers, but they don’t have real conversations with them.
It’s time to bring that back.
I often hear phrases like ‘customers think they know what they want, but they don’t understand what they really need!’
This is real arrogance, and the danger is that if you believe this, you will leave the customer feeling unheard and misunderstood.
When done right, conversation creates connection, which drives sales. You can be the expert in that conversation without being pushy or ignorant.
How to Have the Right Conversation at the Right Time
Here are practical tips to help your sales team rekindle the lost art of conversation at key stages in the customer journey. And let’s elaborate on this: Everyone is at a different stage in that buying journey. Some may just be at the ideas stage, looking for inspiration, while others have done all the research, know just what they want, and are ready to buy.
Your human natural skills drive your ability to understand where they are at. Ask questions and listen!
Awareness Stage: Be Curious, Not Salesy
The goal here is to understand your customers and what drives their need to buy – DON’T pitch.
This is often the first real interaction between your brand and a potential customer. Remember, first impressions count! At the awareness stage, your customer is just beginning to explore their solutions. They may not even fully understand their problem yet, let alone know what they need to fix it. That’s why coming in too strong with a sales pitch can feel off-putting.
Instead, shift your mindset from “How do I sell to them?” to “How can I help them think clearly?”
Ask open-ended questions like:
- What prompted you to look into this now?
- What’s been the biggest frustration or challenge so far?
- What would a successful outcome be for you?
These types of questions open the door to meaningful and natural dialogue. You’re not trying to tick off qualifying boxes, you’re trying to learn about the human being in front of you. Their story. Their context. Their goals.
Avoid jumping into features or benefits
Don’t make the mistake of listing product features or service benefits. Your job is not to convince. It’s to connect.
By talking too soon about what you do, you skip the crucial step of understanding who they are, and that’s how you lose the sale before it’s even begun. Not to mention that your customers will always prefer to talk about themselves, so let them!
Be generous with insights, not pressure
You have knowledge. Share it. Not in a way that overwhelms your customer, but in a way that supports and educates. This could be as simple as:
- “That’s something we see a lot. One thing that can help is…”
- “A common challenge that some of my customers have in your situation is…”
- “Here’s a quick thought while you’re exploring options…”
When you give value without expectation, you build credibility. You become a trusted voice rather than a pushy seller, and that’s when you build the know and like elements.
This is also where trust begins. The awareness stage is your opportunity to stand out, not with outdated sales tactics but with authentic curiosity. When someone feels heard, not handled, they’re far more likely to continue the conversation.
And when the customer is ready to take the next step, guess who they’ll remember?
Yes, YOU, the person who listened, not the person who pitched.
Consideration Stage: Personalise with Purpose
The goal here is to show that you understand their world, and you can only do that if you have spent enough time learning about it!
At the consideration stage, your customer is no longer just browsing but actively comparing solutions. Now’s the time to personalise your approach and demonstrate that you’ve been paying attention.
They don’t want a generic pitch. They want to feel seen.
Reference past conversations to show you’ve listened
This is your chance to prove you’re not just another voice in the crowd. Bring their previous comments back into the conversation:
- “Last time we spoke, you mentioned your team is overwhelmed with manual tasks. Here’s a way we helped a similar customer streamline those processes.”
- “You said scalability was a big concern — let me share how we tackled that for someone else in your industry.”
These moments say, I heard you. I understand you. I care about solving your actual problem. Plus, you’ve demonstrated your expertise in solving their challenges with your story examples.
It’s a simple but powerful way to deepen the relationship and build credibility.
Use storytelling to create an emotional connection and illustrate value
Rather than rattling off specs or pricing, bring your solution to life through real-world examples. Facts tell, stories sell! Help people feel what working with you would be like.
Try saying:
- “Let me tell you about another customer who was in a similar situation…”
- “They were hesitant at first too, but after implementing [your solution], they saw X result.”
This creates relatability and positions your offer as something relevant, not just available.
To keep the conversation going, use the phrase, “What I am going to do for you is…”
This is an opportunity to send them a demo, a testimonial, set up a call with an existing customer, or even send a detailed proposal. What matters here are the words – you are going to do this for your customer. It is personal, and you want to spend time building that relationship and being the expert who helps them.
The key takeaway?
Make it personal. Make it real. Make it relevant.
At the consideration stage, your customers listen, but only if what you say feels tailored to them. When you connect their specific needs to your unique human proposition, you move the conversation from transactional to transformational.
And that’s where sales magic happens!
Decision Stage: Reassure and Clarify
The goal here is to reduce doubt, not push harder.
You’re almost at the finish line, but this is also where many sales fall apart.
At the decision stage, your customer is weighing everything: cost, risk, value, timing, and trust. Even if they’re 90% ready to buy, that last 10% is often a bundle of nerves. That’s why the worst thing you can do here is increase the pressure.
Instead, focus on easing their anxiety and reaffirming their confidence in the decision.
Ask questions like: “Is there anything else you need to know?”
Too often, we assume silence means the prospect is ready to close. But hesitation can be an unspoken worry. Open the door to an honest dialogue with gentle, non-confrontational questions:
- “Before we move forward, is there anything you’d like to revisit or clarify?”
- “What else do you need from me to help with your decision making?”
This helps position you as a partner, not a pusher.
Share social proof through customer stories, not just reviews
People want to know: “Has this worked for someone like me?”
Now is the time to offer proof in a human, relatable way. Don’t just point to testimonials or stats; share mini case studies that speak to your customer’s specific situation:
- “Another customer in your industry had the same concerns. After three months, they saw…”
- “One customer was unsure about ROI, but by quarter two they’d already…”
This reassures your customers that they’re not alone and that others have walked this path and succeeded.
People buy when they feel safe
Remember, people don’t just buy products. They buy certainty, and certainty comes from feeling safe. A calm, confident sales conversation that reassures rather than pressures creates that safety.
Things you might say:
- “There’s no rush. Take your time. I’m here if questions come up.”
- “Whatever you decide, I appreciate the time you’ve spent exploring this with me.”
Ironically, this non-attached approach is often what closes the deal because it removes the final layer of resistance. You are actively taking your customer from Hell to Heaven.
The bottom line?
The decision stage isn’t about tipping the scale. It’s about guiding your customer to a place of confidence in their choice and in you.
By staying human, calm, and clear, you give them the space to say yes for the right reasons. And that’s how long-term, loyal customer relationships begin. Patience really is the key, and that’s tough when your boss may be pushing the target agenda.
I’ll be writing a post on pipeline management in the next few months, so watch out for that!
And after the sale: Continue the Conversation
The goal here is to build loyalty.
Congratulations! The deal is done. But if you think your job ends here, think again.
The post-sale stage is where real relationships are built, and it’s also where your reputation as a sales professional is strengthened. Your next sale may depend on what happens after this one!
It’s not about delivering a product or service. It’s about delivering confidence in their decision and nurturing that trust into long-term loyalty. This sale can become your marketing department, and that’s a fact. Referral business is the most common and the easiest business to obtain when you get this right.
Don’t disappear after the sale
Avoid going quiet once the invoice is paid. Silence sends a message that ‘we only cared until you signed’.
Instead, stay connected. Not with automated check-ins, but with genuine curiosity:
- “How are things going since you got started?”
- “Is there anything we can help you with now that you’re up and running?”
- “Just checking in. Have any challenges come up since we last spoke?”
A simple, thoughtful follow-up can turn a customer into a raving fan.
Invite feedback and act on it
Asking for feedback post-sale does two powerful things:
- It shows the customer that their opinion matters.
- It gives you valuable insight to improve future experiences.
Go beyond a generic survey by asking specific, open-ended questions like:
- “What part of the process felt smooth, and what could we improve?”
- “Was there anything that surprised you either good or bad?”
Top tip! Don’t just collect feedback. Use it. Let them know if you make a change based on a customer suggestion. It shows you’re listening and builds trust far beyond the first interaction.
Offer value beyond the sale
After the sale, you can still offer value:
- Share tips on getting the most from their purchase.
- Send relevant industry insights, tools, or articles.
- Invite them to events, webinars, or networks they’d benefit from.
These ideas aren’t just goodwill gestures; they boost your role as a trusted advisor, giving you a chance to have another conversation. That’s how you stay top-of-mind for future sales, referrals, and testimonials.
Why this stage really matters
Acquiring a new customer is five times more expensive than retaining an existing one, and relationships outlast results.
By continuing the conversation post-sale, you transform satisfied customers into loyal cheerleaders. They become the ones who recommend you, refer others to you, and return when they need more help.
This is where the Unique Human Proposition® (UHP) shines brightest – not in how well you sell but in how well you stay connected and memorable.
Sales isn’t just a process; it’s a relationship built through conversation. Where everyone seems to be obsessed with automation and convenience, your human touch sets you apart.
Here’s my challenge to you: Pick up the phone, lean into the awkward pauses, ask the better question, and listen like it matters because it does.
Is it time to invest in your business? Book a Sales Day Trip with Jules.
The Sales Day Trip is a new way for us to work together. We spend a full day covering lots of things, including peeling back your business to discover your ideal customer and UHP® and building a sales strategy that will be life-changing for anyone who doesn’t like or know how to sell. This training day shares one simple message: ‘Sales is human, and you are unique’.
If you want to ‘Discover your UHP®’ with me, book a 1-hour personal coaching session HERE.
“Jules ‘The Dragon Slayer’ White is a skilled and passionate sales professional with a unique approach that combines a human touch with a strategic mindset. I’ve witnessed and enjoyed her coaching style that inspired our team to achieve excellent results. Her drive for continuous improvement and high standards of customer service make her an asset to any organization.” Antoine Metivier – Consultant Director of Online Partnerships – Fintech
Want to find out more? Schedule a virtual cuppa with me, and we can have a chat about my coaching services.
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