Stop Pitching. Start Selling.
🤔 Are your sales team being little pitches?
🤔 Are they too ‘smart’ for their own good?
Ever seen a new salesperson fresh from onboarding, stepping into their first customer conversation, only to turn into a walking brochure? We’ve been speaking with a client this week about their onboarding process. They’ve been doing all the right things: deep dives into the product, the market, the competition. Their new hires are loaded with information.
And yet, when they get into real conversations with customers?
❌ They talk too much.
❌ They list features instead of exploring needs.
❌ They lecture instead of listening.
Why does this happen? It’s the Little Professor taking over. The Know it All with the eager inner voice that wants to show how much it knows. The result? Salespeople shower customers with information instead of guiding a conversation. The antidote? Be more CURIOUS. Instead of proving what they know, the best salespeople:
✅ Ask questions that matter
✅ Listen more than they talk
✅ Guide, don’t overwhelm
If your team is drowning in knowledge and struggling in sales conversations, it’s time to shift gears. Less pitching, more probing. Less broadcasting, more discovery. Because the best way to sell? Is to stop being a pitch!
🔥 How to Build a Curiously Effective Sales Team (And Stop the Info-Dump!)
If you want salespeople who ask great questions instead of just pitching, here’s how to make curiosity the default:
1️⃣ Start with “Why?” in Training
Before they memorise product specs, help them understand the why behind the sale. Who are your customers? What frustrates them? Why do they care? If salespeople get obsessed with the why, they’ll naturally be more curious in conversations.
2️⃣ Remember the 80/20 Rule
Sales should be 80% listening, 20% talking. If they’re monologuing, they’re losing. Train your team to ask open, probing, defining questions, not just reel off a list of features.
3️⃣ Make Silence Their Superpower
Most reps fear silence, so they rush to fill gaps. Real curiosity comes from giving the customer space to think. Train your team to ask a question… then shut up and let the customer speak.
4️⃣ Reward Questions, Not Just Wins
If all your sales incentives focus on winning deals, salespeople will rush to pitch. Instead, celebrate great discovery conversations and celebrate those who uncover insights.
So, if your team is stuck in “Little Professor” mode, it’s time to dial up the Curiosity! More listening, more ‘why’ questions, and more real conversations.
What’s worked for you in building a more curious sales team? Let us know.
