In this episode of Selling What’s Possible, host Dave Irwin and guest Dave Brock dive into why traditional, product-pushing sales methods no longer resonate with today’s buyers. They discuss how most customers complete the majority of their buying cycle on their own—and why sales teams must engage earlier by understanding and solving customer problems. Dave Brock explains how adopting a “business focused selling” mindset, including using customer focus and problem focus questionnaires, not only builds trust but also dramatically improves win rates, shortens buying cycles, and increases deal sizes. Real-world examples and actionable advice offer account executives a roadmap to transform from transactional sellers into strategic problem solvers.

Guest:
David Brock, Author “Sales Manager Survival Guide”, CEO at Partners in Excellence https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebrock/
https://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/

Key takeaways:

Changing Buyer Behavior:

• Over 80% of buyers prefer a “rep-free” buying environment.
• Customers now navigate most of the buying process on their own. 

Early Engagement & Pre-Intent:

• The importance of engaging before solution selection.
• Intercepting the buying process early to shape outcomes. 

Business Focused Selling:

• Transitioning from a product-pitch mindset to a problem-solving approach.
• Building trust by understanding customer challenges and industry metrics. 

Sales Transformation & Metrics:

• Doubling win rates, reducing “no decision” outcomes by 25%, and cutting buying cycles by 30–40%.
• Real-world examples demonstrating dramatic increases in average deal size. 

Tools & Tactics:

• Using customer focus and problem focus questionnaires to build business acumen.
• Leveraging modern tools (e.g., AI like ChatGPT) to simulate customer conversations.