Hot days, I bet there are a few ‘common people’ left with pink skin after last weekend in Somerset.
Last month I boldly ventured into the role of car salesman, and I must’ve taken that role very seriously at home because this month was Father’s day, and my daughter fed back to me exactly how I show up.
Amongst some very kind words she had written:
“A special thank you, Dad, for providing detailed pricing about the cost of energy use specifically between the hours of midnight and 4am.”
Nothing is truer than a teenager’s dry wit. And like any stereotypical dad who gets twitchy over the thermostat, I tend to become an “expert” on any considered purchase, just to make sure I spend wisely in a world full of overpromise.
That experience got me thinking about the customer journey last month, and how much it’s changed Sales & Marketing in the digital age this month.
There was a time (when my biggest purchase was strawberry bonbons from the happy shopper) when Swiss Toni could tell you everything you needed to know about selling (and, of course, beautiful women).
The path to new business was clear-cut: generate leads, pitch hard, and close the deal.
Marketing was there to aid: to design and print brochures, trade show banners, and the occasional direct mail campaign. Salespeople were the closers, the relationship builders, the heroes.
But that world has changed, dramatically.
Today, 81% of buyers research online before even contacting a company. By the time someone fills out a contact form or books a discovery call, they’ve already made a judgement about your credibility, values, and relevance.
Where sales teams once owned the relationship from first touch to final deal, now marketing influences up to 70% of the B2B buying process before a human-to-human conversation even happens.
In small teams like ours (and in many of our clients’ organisations too) this shift has led to hybrid roles. Project managers closing sales or dabbling in outreach. Designers and devs networking. Founders publishing content (Argh! Perish the thought). The old sales funnel has flattened into something more like a trust-building web.
We’ve found that most of our new relationships don’t start with a sales call. They start with a blog post, a LinkedIn comment, or a chat at a local event.
It’s about resonance, not persuasion.
Last week, I did a testimonial call with a client. He said, “Nine times out of ten, when the phone rings, we’re making a sale. I asked you to make that phone ring, and you delivered.”
The old model was simple, linear.
Awareness → Interest → Decision → Sale.
Today, it’s complex, circular.
Brands grow by building community, offering value upfront, and being discoverable before they’re needed.
Prospects are actually spending the time to qualify themselves now, to save everyone’s time and effort.
The question isn’t “How do I sell this?”
It’s “How do I help someone make a better decision?”
We all hate being sold to (probably the driver behind us doing so much research). But we do like buying, especially when we get to support someone or something we care about.
According to recent research, less than 5% of cold calls now lead to a booked meeting. And 94% of buyers actively avoid calls from numbers they don’t recognise.
That’s not just a drop in performance. That’s a collapse in trust.
You can take your pick of community-building benefits from this article, but the reality is this: show up and don’t sell.
Add value long before anyone’s ready to buy.
Host conversations, not sales meetings.
Have a personality and things you stand for.
In other words, be a friend.
If you want to be someone that someone else cares about, then you must earn their trust.
People buy when they feel aligned. Not just with your offer, but with your thinking. Your tone. Your intent.
And more often than not, they figure that out long before you’re ever in the room.
That’s why community action has become so important to organisations big and small. Community isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s trust, scaled.
In this ecosystem, the role of the “salesperson” has changed too. In this world, they’re less like a closer and more like a host.
Someone who welcomes people in. Curates conversations. Offers insight. Listens.
That doesn’t mean sales don’t happen. It means it happens much later (and much faster) because the groundwork has already been done. Not through persuasion. Through presence.
And the conversation might need to be different, too.
According to research for the book Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath, after a presentation, 63% of attendees remember stories, but only 5% remember statistics.
So, if you’re hiring a salesperson in 2025 your modern salesperson is part storyteller, part community DJ, less charisma – more care and 100% allergic to awkward follow-up emails.
Now perhaps I may be able to make your skin itch a little?
What if I said… sales is helping someone make the best decision they can right now – even if that decision doesn’t benefit you?
Have you said any of these things?…
“I don’t think we’re the right fit, but here’s someone who might be.”
You will need to approach your competition like they are collaborators and understand their USP’s, this can also help you identify where you sit in the market.
“I will publish my findings, invest in research, and take a neutral, customer-centric stance.”
Most people decide who they trust before they decide what they want. Your expertise doesn’t help anyone if it stays hidden behind a contact form.
“I will show up in places that don’t require a pitch.”
Community events. Values-led forums. LinkedIn groups. Shared workshops. These are the places where trust is built – not in a sales meeting, but well before it.
“I will make the sales process feel simpler, more transparent.”
Clear pricing. Honest timelines. No jargon. Just tell them how it works, like a human.
If you haven’t said one of these before, choose one now. Make it your own personal pledge. Just pop it on the to-do list. You can decide later whether or not you follow through.
But next time someone reaches out. Whether it’s a potential client, collaborator, or just a curious connection, try this:
Don’t sell to them.
Just help them.
Ask yourself:
What are they really trying to figure out? And what would actually help them figure it out faster, better, or more confidently?*
Because when you show up with clarity, generosity, and zero pressure you’re not just building trust.
You’re making the sale without ever having to sell.
And that’s the shift.
*What if you cross-examined your current content plan through this lense?
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