Sales 101
The Art of convincing people to give you their money
Foundations of Sales
In order for us to be able to sell we need to understand why people buy. People buy for one singular reason and that reason is pain. If what you are offering can solve someone’s pain, they will be willing to pay for it. Plain simple.
However, we can't just say “hey, yeah, our thing will solve all of your problems” and expect people to give us their money. If it was as simple as that, we would all be millionaires. We need to convince our prospects (potential buyers) that our solution is the answer to their problems and can actually solve their pains. And for that we need a sales process.
What is a sales process? It is an organised conversation to gain understanding and leverage to appropriately present value to solve a current pain point of your prospect. Here we dive deep into what the prospect is struggling with, expose the pain it is causing them, explore where they want to get to and what happens if they don't fix this problem.
Why do we need to expose pain? Humans operate from one main mode of activation: pain avoidance. We need to convince the prospect that staying in their current situation is going to be far more painful than paying us to fix it.
We need to position our solution as a golden bridge between where they are now (painful situation) and where they want to be (desired situation).
During the sales process we must also eliminate all other perceived bridges the prospect might have. We must invalidate them and make the prospect realize that the only way for them to escape their current pains and solve their problems is through what we are selling.
However, we can't just say “hey, yeah, our thing will solve all of your problems” and expect people to give us their money. If it was as simple as that, we would all be millionaires. We need to convince our prospects (potential buyers) that our solution is the answer to their problems and can actually solve their pains. And for that we need a sales process.
What is a sales process? It is an organised conversation to gain understanding and leverage to appropriately present value to solve a current pain point of your prospect. Here we dive deep into what the prospect is struggling with, expose the pain it is causing them, explore where they want to get to and what happens if they don't fix this problem.
Why do we need to expose pain? Humans operate from one main mode of activation: pain avoidance. We need to convince the prospect that staying in their current situation is going to be far more painful than paying us to fix it.
We need to position our solution as a golden bridge between where they are now (painful situation) and where they want to be (desired situation).
During the sales process we must also eliminate all other perceived bridges the prospect might have. We must invalidate them and make the prospect realize that the only way for them to escape their current pains and solve their problems is through what we are selling.
Discovery
Discovery is the part of the sales conversation where you gather critical information about the prospect’s current situation, challenges, and goals.
The goal is to:
Done right, discovery becomes the foundation for creating real urgency and positioning your offer as a necessary solution—not a nice-to-have.
Your Role: Diagnose, Don’t Convince
Approach the discovery like a doctor diagnosing a patient. You’re not here to sell or solve just yet - you’re here to understand.
That means:
The Purpose of Discovery
The key discovery frame: “If I don’t understand the root of their problem, I can’t confidently position a solution.” Discovery isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about making the prospect think differently about their current situation. Great discovery shifts the energy in the call—it gets the prospect to self-reflect, re-evaluate, and often admit they haven’t been able to fix the problem on their own.
Ideal outcome of discovery: a successful discovery sets the foundation for the entire sales process. If you understand why you’re asking each question, you’ll collect the right information to drive the sale forward with precision and confidence.
The ideal outcome of discovery is twofold:
Tangible Leverage:
Tangible factors that signal the real cost of staying stuck.
Examples:
Emotional Leverage:
Emotional drivers that give urgency and weight to your pitch.
Examples:
The more clarity you get here, the more personalized and effective your pitch will be.
Discovery gives you the material to sell the outcome.
The goal is to:
- Uncover pain points and doubts they may not even be fully aware of
- Exposing both the cost of inaction and their inability to shift these circumstances on their own.
Done right, discovery becomes the foundation for creating real urgency and positioning your offer as a necessary solution—not a nice-to-have.
Your Role: Diagnose, Don’t Convince
Approach the discovery like a doctor diagnosing a patient. You’re not here to sell or solve just yet - you’re here to understand.
That means:
- Maintaining emotional neutrality
- Asking deep, targeted questions
- Staying curious and detached from the outcome
- Listening more than you speak
The Purpose of Discovery
- Expose the problem clearly: Identify the real issues, not just surface-level frustrations.
- Reveal the cost of inaction: Help the prospect articulate what staying stuck is truly costing them.
- Show the gap: Highlight the distance between where they are and where they want to be.
- Build value early: When you truly understand the problem, your solution feels inevitable—not optional.
The key discovery frame: “If I don’t understand the root of their problem, I can’t confidently position a solution.” Discovery isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about making the prospect think differently about their current situation. Great discovery shifts the energy in the call—it gets the prospect to self-reflect, re-evaluate, and often admit they haven’t been able to fix the problem on their own.
Ideal outcome of discovery: a successful discovery sets the foundation for the entire sales process. If you understand why you’re asking each question, you’ll collect the right information to drive the sale forward with precision and confidence.
The ideal outcome of discovery is twofold:
- You confirm that the prospect or business is a good fit for your offer.
- You gain both tangible and emotional leverage to use in the pitch and during objection handling.
Tangible Leverage:
Tangible factors that signal the real cost of staying stuck.
Examples:
- Specific timeframes
- Financial costs or missed revenue
- Lack of clear systems or process
- Gaps in knowledge or strategy
Emotional Leverage:
Emotional drivers that give urgency and weight to your pitch.
Examples:
- Frustration or pain
- Doubt or uncertainty
- A sense of urgency to act now
- Deeper motivation behind their goals
The more clarity you get here, the more personalized and effective your pitch will be.
Discovery gives you the material to sell the outcome.
The Five Buckets
Discovery is where the heavy lifting happens. This is where the prospect’s perception of their current reality starts to shift. If you fail to shift that perception, your pitch won’t land with the weight it needs. The structure of discovery is built around five core buckets. These are the spine of the conversation.
1. Current Situation
Definition: The set of circumstances or conditions that exist at a specific point in time. What you’re aiming to understand:
2. Problem
Definition: A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome. What you’re aiming to understand:
Outcome to drive toward:
Important Rule: Do not solve the problem in discovery.
Avoid:
When you offer comfort or solutions too early, they feel like they’ve already made progress—just by taking the call. That kills urgency. The pitch won’t land as deeply because the brain believes the threat is already being handled. You don’t have to be cold—but you do need to be direct. You’re a doctor diagnosing a serious issue. Do not prescribe treatment until discovery is fully complete.
Problem Summary
Definition: A brief but precise account of the main points of the problem.
Outcome to drive toward:
3. Why Now
Definition: a question that seeks to understand why this moment is the right time to take action. What you’re aiming to understand:
4. Desired Situation
Definition: A strong feeling of wanting to have something or see something happen.
Motivation Definition: A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.
What you’re aiming to understand:
Important Insight: people are rarely driven by the number itself (e.g., revenue, followers, weight). They're driven by the emotional result underneath it. Ask questions that dig into the reason behind the reason.
Examples:
Outcome to drive toward:
6. Consequence
Definition: The effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier. Once both the problem and the desire are clearly defined, you need to expose the gap between them. It becomes clear that they won’t cross that gap alone.
What you’re aiming to understand:
Outcome to drive toward:
- Current Situation
- Problem
- Why Now
- Desired
- Consequence
1. Current Situation
Definition: The set of circumstances or conditions that exist at a specific point in time. What you’re aiming to understand:
- Who is this person or business?
- Why have they booked this call?
- Set a clear starting point.
2. Problem
Definition: A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome. What you’re aiming to understand:
- What do they believe their main problem is (if any)?
- How severe is it?
- How long has it been happening?
- What is the impact on their business?
- What is the personal impact?
- Do they believe they can solve it on their own?
- Do they even believe it's worth solving?
Outcome to drive toward:
- Dissect and clarify the problem.
- Expose the seriousness of it.
- Paint a picture that shows how much it’s already costing them—possibly without them even realizing it.
Important Rule: Do not solve the problem in discovery.
Avoid:
- Offering solutions.
- Soothing their pain.
- Minimizing their situation.
When you offer comfort or solutions too early, they feel like they’ve already made progress—just by taking the call. That kills urgency. The pitch won’t land as deeply because the brain believes the threat is already being handled. You don’t have to be cold—but you do need to be direct. You’re a doctor diagnosing a serious issue. Do not prescribe treatment until discovery is fully complete.
Problem Summary
Definition: A brief but precise account of the main points of the problem.
Outcome to drive toward:
- Show the prospect that you truly understand their specific situation.
- Deliver a personalized reflection of what they shared—never generalize.
- Get verbal agreement that this is exactly what they’re struggling with.
3. Why Now
Definition: a question that seeks to understand why this moment is the right time to take action. What you’re aiming to understand:
- Why now? Why today?
- Why hasn’t this been solved before now?
- What level of urgency exists?
- Have they sought help before?
- Get the prospect to admit that solving the problem alone hasn’t worked—or won’t work.
- Let them conclude that outside help is necessary.
4. Desired Situation
Definition: A strong feeling of wanting to have something or see something happen.
Motivation Definition: A reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a particular way.
What you’re aiming to understand:
- What does the prospect want out of this experience?
- Why do they want that outcome?
- Why now, specifically?
- Who are they doing this for?
- What will it mean for them personally?
- How will it feel to finally reach it?
Important Insight: people are rarely driven by the number itself (e.g., revenue, followers, weight). They're driven by the emotional result underneath it. Ask questions that dig into the reason behind the reason.
Examples:
- Freedom — to do what?
- Time — for what?
- Security — for who?
- Material gain — to impress who?
Outcome to drive toward:
- Understand the deeper emotional motive behind the goal.
- Help the prospect feel what life would be like if they reached their goal.
6. Consequence
Definition: The effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier. Once both the problem and the desire are clearly defined, you need to expose the gap between them. It becomes clear that they won’t cross that gap alone.
What you’re aiming to understand:
- How close do they feel to reaching their goal - given their current problem?
- What does life look like if nothing changes?
- Are they willing to settle for this reality and let it impact their future (or their family)?
Outcome to drive toward:
- The prospect openly admits they’re stuck.
- They acknowledge that staying here is not an option.
- They accept that it’s time to make a change.
Most common mistakes
1. Solving the Problem Too Early
What this looks like:
Why it’s a mistake: when you solve the problem too early—even subtly—you relieve emotional pressure. That reduces urgency and kills the impact of your pitch. Your job in discovery is to diagnose, not to treat.
2. Giving Solutions in the Problem Summary
What this looks like:
Why it’s a mistake: the problem summary is for validation and clarity, not pitching. The moment you drop a solution here, the emotional momentum of the discovery is disrupted.
3. Asking Vague or General Questions
What this looks like:
Why it’s a mistake: general questions get general answers. Specificity is where trust and clarity are built. Replace “What’s not working?” with “What have you tried in the last 3 months that didn’t work?”
4. Stacking Questions
What this looks like:
Why it’s a mistake: when you ask more than one question at a time, prospects tend to answer the easiest one and ignore the rest. You lose control of the conversation and miss deeper insights. Fix it:
Ask one clear question. Wait. Then stack the next one with intention.
5. Not Challenging the Prospect
What this looks like:
Why it’s a mistake: most prospects won’t give you emotional clarity on the first try. If you don’t challenge them, they stay comfortable—and comfort is the enemy of conversion.
What this looks like:
- Offering advice
- Giving strategy
- “Coaching” during discovery
Why it’s a mistake: when you solve the problem too early—even subtly—you relieve emotional pressure. That reduces urgency and kills the impact of your pitch. Your job in discovery is to diagnose, not to treat.
2. Giving Solutions in the Problem Summary
What this looks like:
- Wrapping up the problem by hinting at what could be done.
- Ending the summary with “and that’s exactly what we’d help with.”
Why it’s a mistake: the problem summary is for validation and clarity, not pitching. The moment you drop a solution here, the emotional momentum of the discovery is disrupted.
3. Asking Vague or General Questions
What this looks like:
- “Tell me more about the business.”
- “What’s the goal?”
Why it’s a mistake: general questions get general answers. Specificity is where trust and clarity are built. Replace “What’s not working?” with “What have you tried in the last 3 months that didn’t work?”
4. Stacking Questions
What this looks like:
- “How long has this been a problem, and how is it affecting your team and your growth?”
Why it’s a mistake: when you ask more than one question at a time, prospects tend to answer the easiest one and ignore the rest. You lose control of the conversation and miss deeper insights. Fix it:
Ask one clear question. Wait. Then stack the next one with intention.
5. Not Challenging the Prospect
What this looks like:
- Accepting vague or surface-level answers.
- Letting a prospect dodge or deflect without digging deeper.
Why it’s a mistake: most prospects won’t give you emotional clarity on the first try. If you don’t challenge them, they stay comfortable—and comfort is the enemy of conversion.
