The Buyer’s Journey ≠ Your Sales Process

Welcome to Sales Skills For Founders, a weekly newsletter with one actionable skill for sellers who are tired of tips, tricks, and scripts. AI isn’t going to close deals for you so let’s master sales, one skill at a time.

Today’s Skill: Understanding The Buyer’s Journey

If you don’t understand the complexities of the Buyer’s Journey, you’ll struggle in sales.

Most Founders assume it looks like this…

You get a lead → You talk to the buyer → You share pricing → They say yes or no.

There is this thought that the Buyer is starting their search as they meet you and you’ll be walking with them, hand-in-hand, throughout the process. You’ll give them guidance, build rapport and get them over the finish line.

It’s a wonderful fairy tale.

Sadly, it almost never happens that way.

It’s more complex than that.

Buyers aren’t all starting from the same place.

They move through different stages of awareness:

• Some don’t even realize they have a problem yet.

• Some are casually curious but haven’t fully explored their issue.

• Some know they have a problem and are actively looking for solutions.

• Some are desperate for a fix (ever hear the “I needed something yesterday” line.

And that’s just the beginning.

Now, layer in buying behavior:

• Some make decisions quickly.

• Some ask endless questions.

• Some need approval from others before moving forward.

• Some want to test the product, while others rely on case studies or client testimonials.

Then add their knowledge level and personal preferences:

• Some show up with extensive research already done.

• Some are tech-savvy and love diving into features.

• Some buy based on relationships and trust, while others focus on price alone.

And we’re still just scratching the surface. Fun, right? 😅

Your Sales Process doesn’t always align perfectly with their Buyer’s Journey.

• You might have time to build a strong relationship and guide them through a thoughtful decision.

• Or… you might meet them when they’ve already done an extensive search and have another vendor in mind.

I’ve seen it all. There’s no “one size fits all” approach. You catch Buyer’s at random times throughout their buying process.

This is more of how the Buyer’s Journey looks 👇

It sounds exhausting but it’s actually good news.

Because you can take a different approach then every other seller.

Most sellers are looking for the quick win so they ask general questions, pitch their products and hope for the best.

You’re different. You’re not going to do that.

What can you do to make this easier on yourself?

→ First…

Sellers often miss easy chances to learn more about their Buyer’s Journey. You need to know where they’ve come from so you can help them forward.

2 questions I love early in a discovery call to tease this out:

1. “Have you been searching to solve this problem for a while or have you just started to look?”

2. “How have you tried to solve this problem in the past?”

→ Then…

Be A Detective

Ask deeper, more meaningful questions → Stop asking surface level questions that don’t dive into the pain. Start asking questions that bring clarity to the problem.

You should be able to go 3-4 levels deep with a question you ask and the answer they give. Don’t take the first answer as the full story and move on. Pry a little.

Be Consultative

Stay curious about how you can help

→ There are many ways to solve the same problem. Look for the clues in their current situation and how that can be solved in unique ways. It may be your product, it may not be. Stay open to all possibilities.

Then, be prescriptive with the various approaches they should consider.

Be Flexible

Stop treating sales like a rigid, step-by-step template. It’s a dance so let it flow with the music.

→ Some clients will talk to you once, get it and be ready to move.

→ Others need 3 demos, 4 other team members on the call, a business case for the budget, etc.

It’s great that you have a sales process to help guide you but don’t be afraid to stray from it when it makes sense. Remember, the Buyer’s Journey is not always the same as your Sales Process.

You have no idea at what point your Buyer is at on their journey until you’re able to uncover more details. So, meeting them where they are is how you bring empathy into your interactions and shift your thinking from selling to helping.

It changes your entire approach by looking at it from that lens. It helps build a deeper rapport, quicker.

Remember, your Buyers won’t care about you until you make them want to care about you.

Action Item:

On your next discovery call, I want one of your opening questions to be, “So tell me, have you been searching to solve this problem for a while or have you just started to look?”.

Then, listen intently to their answer and ask deeper questions to gain more clarity.

This helps you pinpoint where they are on their journey (like my silly map above) and gives you a clearer starting point for the conversation.

The more you understand where they are, the better you can guide them!

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