Key Insight
"Buyers don't want to be sold to. They want to be understood. The moment you stop pitching and start diagnosing, everything changes."
There's a version of sales that feels gross. The pushy version. The one where you talk too much, listen too little, and leave people feeling like they just sat through a timeshare presentation.
And then there's the version that feels like a conversation between two people trying to solve a problem together.
The difference? One is about you. The other is about them.
The Diagnostic Selling Framework: Ask before you tell. Before you present anything, spend at least 60% of the conversation asking questions. Not surface questions — deep ones. 'What's the cost of not solving this?' 'What have you already tried?' 'What does success look like in 12 months?'
Reflect before you pitch. Summarize what you heard before you offer anything. 'So if I'm understanding correctly, the real issue isn't the tool — it's that your team doesn't have a consistent process. Is that right?' This builds trust and sharpens your pitch.
Prescribe, don't propose. Doctors don't say 'here are five medications, pick one.' They diagnose and prescribe. Your proposal should feel like a prescription — specific, confident, and tailored.
The Sales Personality insight: The best salespeople are the best listeners. Not because listening is a tactic — but because they're genuinely curious about the person across the table. Curiosity is your most underrated sales skill.
Michel Namora
Founder, NAMORA · Executive Coach · Cultural Intelligence Specialist
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