7/10
CALL SCORE
Strong discovery, weak close
This was a masterclass in generosity that forgot to ask for the sale. The rep built massive trust with a founder who's charging half the market rate and bleeding goodwill. They diagnosed the underpricing problem, delivered a complete pricing framework, offered strategic direction, promised warm introductions to key players, and delivered a custom coaching package—all while making the buyer feel seen and capable. The call worked because the rep made the buyer feel like the hero of their own story. But they never closed.
"This is the sales equivalent of cooking someone a five-course meal and forgetting to ask if they want dessert."
The Peer Validation Engine
The rep immediately positioned themselves as someone who gets it. They mentioned direct experience in the sector, named the bad actors, and dropped cultural shorthand that said: I'm not here to sell you. I'm here because I've been adjacent to your pain. This wasn't credibility theater. It was earned trust.
"I've worked with organizations in your space. The sector is full of people who don't actually care about the work."
"I have direct experience. These clients are needy, they're underfunded, and they expect miracles."
The Pricing Intervention
The rep didn't dance around the money problem. They did the math out loud and showed the buyer they were charging half the market rate. They didn't shame. They just made the ceiling visible. This is the move that separates coaches from consultants: making the problem visceral without making someone feel stupid.
"If you're maxed out at your current rate, you're capping yourself. That's not sustainable."
"That's half of what people with your experience should be charging. I'm not saying that to be a jerk—I'm saying it because you need to see the gap."
The Immediate Value Bomb
The rep gave warm introductions, a pricing strategy, a service packaging framework, and a hiring roadmap before the buyer paid a dime. This is dangerous generosity—it builds trust fast but can backfire if you don't close. In this case, it worked because the buyer explicitly said the intros alone justified the program. But the rep never asked them to commit.
"The connections you mentioned—those alone would make this worth it for me."
The Advice Avalanche
The rep gave away the entire strategy session during discovery. They diagnosed the pricing problem, restructured the service packages, explained the growth stages, and handed over a roadmap for scaling. This is the classic consultant trap: proving your value by solving the problem before they pay you. The buyer now has everything they need to execute without you.
FIX: Save the strategy for after the sale. In discovery, diagnose the problem and name the pattern. Don't solve it. Say: 'This is the Hourly Rate Trap, and it's why you're stuck at your current revenue ceiling. I can show you how to break it, but that's what we'd build in the program.'
The Soft Close Fade
The rep spent 54 minutes building trust, then ended with 'let me know what you think' and hung up. No ask. No timeline. No next step. They gave the buyer permission to ghost them. This is the nice-guy close: so afraid of being pushy that you don't actually close. The buyer said yes to the value. They said the connections alone justified the investment. The rep just needed to ask.
FIX: End with a decision point. After laying out the offer, say: 'So here's what I'm thinking. We start with three months, then move to ongoing support. That gets you the plan, the one-on-ones, and the introductions. Does that feel right, or do you need to think about it?' Then stop talking.
The buyer came in looking for a business coach. They got a mentor who saw them. The rep didn't sell a program. They reflected back the buyer's own potential and gave them permission to charge what they're worth. This is The Mirror Close—when the buyer sees themselves differently because of how you see them. The buyer revealed they'd never had a positive work experience. The rep told them they're a natural leader and that people like them are rare. That's not flattery. That's pattern recognition. And it's why they'll probably buy.
The other thing the rep did brilliantly: they made the sale feel inevitable without making it feel urgent. They said 'I never ask for a commitment in the first meeting' and 'you can cancel anytime.' This is anti-pressure selling. It works because it removes the buyer's fear of being trapped. The buyer can say yes without feeling like they're making a permanent decision.
But here's the tension: the rep gave away so much value that the buyer might not feel urgency to act. They have the introductions. They have the pricing framework. They have the roadmap. The only thing they don't have is accountability. And that might not feel urgent yet.
Buyer self-diagnosed before the call (found rep through research)
Buyer revealed financial situation unprompted (revenue, runway, constraints)
Buyer named the exact problem ('I don't know where to go from here')
Buyer asked how you build systems (buying signal)
Buyer said the introductions alone justify the investment (explicit ROI confirmation)
Buyer revealed emotional wound (bad experiences, toxic environments)
Buyer stayed engaged for 54 minutes (high interest)
Buyer asked zero pricing objections (money isn't the blocker)
Rep never asked for the sale (missed close)
Rep gave away the entire strategy session (devalued the offer)
Stop giving away the strategy session in discovery. You're not proving your value. You're eliminating the buyer's need to hire you.
TRY THIS:
"Here's what I'm seeing. You're in the Hourly Rate Trap, which means you're capped even if you work full-time. The fix isn't complicated, but it requires restructuring your entire offer model. That's exactly what we'd build in the program—your pricing, your packages, and your positioning. Want me to walk you through what that looks like?"
You built massive trust and gave them a vision for their business. Your blind spot is you never asked them to start. Fix that and this becomes a case study in how to sell through generosity. This was a strong call. Let's make the next one undeniable.
→ The exact moment the buyer decided to buy (and why the rep didn't see it)
→ The three times they asked to be sold (and how to recognize the pattern)
→ The Generosity Trap and how to give value without giving away the sale
→ The Mirror Close framework and when to deploy it
→ Pattern library + trust curve + close map
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