01 February 2026
Prospects are selfish.
That is not an insult. It is human nature.
So when we talk to prospects, what should we talk about?
We have two choices.
Choice one.
Talk about us and the things we offer, while the prospect is not listening and not caring.
Choice two.
Talk about the prospect and the prospect’s problems.
Which would we choose?
What most people do
Most amateur business owners choose option one.
They talk about how great they are.
They explain their branding.
They show company videos.
They talk about systems.
They use PowerPoint slides.
And they slowly put their prospects to sleep.
What professionals do
Professional business owners choose option two.
They talk about the prospect.
They ask about the prospect’s problems.
They listen.
A common worry
If we are new, we often think:
“But what about my video?”
“What about my presentation?”
Here is the good news.
There is no rule that says we must ruin a good prospect by forcing a boring presentation on them.
So stop doing it.
A better approach
Get prospects talking about themselves.
Ask about their problems.
Then ask a simple question:
“Do you want to fix this or not?”
That is it.
An example
Instead of saying “Let me show you a short video about our company.”
We say: “What is the biggest frustration you have with your current situation?”
Instead of explaining systems, we ask: “If nothing changes, where does that leave you in five years?”
Now they are engaged.
When to use presentations
Save your presentation and company videos for later.
Use them for training, after the prospect has already made a “yes” decision.
Until then, remember this:
They care about themselves.
They do not care about us.
They care even less about what we want to show them.
Why listening works
Business exists to solve people’s problems.
But how can we solve problems we do not understand?
The correct order is simple.
Listen first.
Present later.
Why listening works. Again.
Who do we like more?
A. People who talk to us?
B. People who listen to us?
Prospects join people they like.
Humour
Everyone wants to make a difference… until it’s their turn to replace the toilet roll.
Dear God,
You gave me childhood, then took it back.
You gave me youth, then took that too.
You gave me a husband.
Just checking… was that one meant to be permanent?
Until the next time, if you have friends who would like to get these newsletters, please send this link:
http://www.berniedesouza.com/coaching/professionals.aspx
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