"To a person with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”
It's an old saying that describes one of the biggest things holding sales teams back right now.
👉 We try to fix the problem instead of understanding the person.
We hear a concern, a need, a hobby or interest. We immediately jump into “solution mode". We want to help. We also want to sell. But too often, we offer our solution before we even understand their situation.
What if, instead of trying to fix it, we got curious?
The interesting bits are when our Prospects think out loud, explore their concerns, and find their own path towards "ready" to make a life change. Are you ready to listen?
Can you avoid talking about the nail? Here’s what this sounds like in a real sales situation:
Reed: “Jim, I know you love your stuff and moving seems like a big lift—literally. Are you sure you can’t just stay and bring someone in to help you right-size?”
Jim: “That would certainly be ideal. I’ve thought about it, but it doesn’t solve the problem with safety in my neighborhood.”
Reed: (Avoiding giving a "solution"…) “What about just moving to a safer neighborhood?”
Jim: “I thought about that, too, but I haven’t moved in over 30 years. I’m no spring chicken, and I’d prefer to find a place where I know I won’t have to move again.”
Reed: (Still not "solution-ing"…) “When was the last time you had to make a big decision like this?”
Jim: “Ooofff, probably when I was deciding between moving back to Omaha or taking a job in California.”
Reed: “How did you make that decision?”
Jim: “I visited each place, made a pros and cons list, and picked the one with the longer list.”
Reed: “Do you think it might be helpful to do that again?”
Jim: “You’re probably right. I’ll sit down and do that tonight.”
Reed: “Would it be ok if I stopped by later this week to visit and ask about your list?”
Jim: “Sure—that would be fine.”
It's not magic, but here's the key to better sales:
When people come to their own conclusions, they move forward with more confidence, less hesitation, and fewer stalls.
Find your pace and a capacity for listening.
It may feel slower in the moment. You have calls to make, all kinds of duties to attend to. But by avoiding the hard sell and staying curious, we can actually speed up the overall process in senior living sales–inspiring confidence in our Prospects to make their own step forward.
No backtracking. No chasing. No pressure. Just real progress.
Let’s put the hammer down for a minute—and start having better conversations.