--- title: A Real Sales Conversation description: A sales conversation that doesn't sound like a sales conversation. --- # [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/) [![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml) # [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/) ## [A Real Sales Conversation](https://www.rickroberge.com/real-sales-conversation) ![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg) By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Mar 28, 2014, 4:04:00 PM Here's the story. Mr. Curious used my scheduler to [schedule a call with me](https://rickroberge.youcanbook.me/) after an exchange on LinkedIn. We ran out of time on the call. So, he used my scheduler to finish a wrap up call for this morning. I replied: *Looking forward to it, but let me sharpen our focus.* *If you look at [this page](https://www.rickroberge.com//Blog/bid/341268/Pricing-Page-for-RainMaker-and-Sales-Rock-Star-Coaching) and [this page](https://www.rickroberge.com//Blog/bid/336348/What-Makes-a-Sales-Rock-Star-Candidate), you'll be able to almost figure it out yourself and save us time on the call. Reading between the lines on your LinkedIn profile, it looks like you've got most of the attributes nailed, but what about #5 and #2?* *If you can quantify them, that would help you out.* *Until then....* *BTW, if I got you thinking and you need more time, just reschedule the call.* Anyway, yesterday, I noticed that this morning's call had been cancelled. So, I sent this email. *I just noticed that our call on Friday is cancelled. If you did it, OK. I just want to make sure that I didn't do it and you're still expecting to talk.* *Let me know?* He replied: *Hey Rick,* *I did  cancel our meeting. I received your email, started reflecting and then thought we'll maybe I'm not prepared just yet. Because I respect your knowledge and expertise, I don't want to waste your time.* *I also wanted to get clear about my goals in terms of earnings and lifestyle. As you mentioned in our call, things might feel a little fuzzy right now. They do but... I want to earn as much as possible. That's to say if I can earn 100k but I could earn 200k then I want to be all I can be.* *Ultimately, my goal is to have a business that works for me and not the other way around. And to earn a net income of 100k per year as efficiently as possible. I personally think it's all tied to leads and sales. My client fulfillment (process) is in place .* *I've been experimenting with (redacted offering) and had some success. I received a call yesterday from the campaign and thought of you because although the conversation went fairly well I felt like something was missing. Not quite the connection.* *Make sense?* To which I replied:  *Yes it does make sense. I'll add that the "Why?" is more important than the number. What's different about your life at $200K vs. $100K or even $15K. I have a brother-in-law on Social Security that's living his dream.* *Enjoy!* He replied: *Hey Rick,* *I totally understand and agree with your point. I think the disconnect for me is what is possible and what is realistic. Although I know that I wouldn't settle for 15k and in which case I would do something else.* *I also think that creating a business that serves me and not the other way around is extremely important. to me too. All the while earning at least 100k* Me: *You married? Kids? House? Vacation home? Travel? Parents alive? Nearby?* Mr. Curious: *Not married, planning on it though, no kids, Own House + 3 Rentals, Parents alive but divorced, one close, the other within 2hrs. I like to travel.* Me: *Pretend that you hit the lottery and win $10 million. What would you do? How old are you?* Him: *I'm 39.* *I would build the house of my dreams. Take little shit from people. Not work with people I don't enjoy.* *Honestly, I don't care about the money, only what the money will buy me which is freedom to do what I want when I want. It's not the money itself.* Me: *I have two sons. [Mark](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge) told me when he graduated from college that he was looking for one $10 million hit. He's 37. Do you know him? [Matt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattrobergeslcbookkeeping) is 34. [His opinion on dreams](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/168718/incorporating-dreams-into-your-small-business). Owns a condo at the base of Alta in Utah. So he can ski all winter. Owns a 3,800 square foot house on Rock Creek in Montana so he can fish all summer.* *I'm not bragging. I didn't do anything for them. They had a dream. They figured it out and they did it.* *The dream comes first and it's not the money, it's how it makes your life better.* *Not taking shit. OK.* *House of your dreams? What would it look like? What would it cost?* *Not work with people that you don't enjoy? Did you see this [article on the LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140328164645-197161-my-sales-mindset)?* *In addition to goals, you need to decide what business you're in. I coach. I don't train, recruit, or work with companies. I work with individuals that want to be rock stars and one of my first questions (which you've already answered) is "Are you after a life style or world domination?" [Kuno](https://www.kunocreative.com/resources), and many other [VARs](https://app.hubspot.com/partner-directory/229131), are clearly full service. Some, like my [daughter-in-law](https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=77459729), do one thing well. She is the best in the world at putting a website on the [Hubspot COS](https://www.hubspot.com/). You have to know what your business is. How you help customers. What prospects you don't help.* *Finally, when those two things are done, We figure out how many clients/customers do you need to attain your goal, what needs to be done to do it and we decide whether or not to do it and do what we decide.* *It's that simple. Realistic does not matter. Doable does not matter.* *I hope this helps. If you want to schedule a phone call, so that I can drag this stuff out of you, you know how.* He replied: *OK, I've answered two questions:* *1. What I'm after is lifestyle, not world domination.* *2. What business am I in?*  *I absolutely love (redacted, but it was good)* *I booked you for next week.* *BTW, I didn't take you as beingbraggadocious. I'm also impressed with your family. Very respectful. Sounds like everyone is fulfilled.* I'd like to share two ideas, That last email is just two hours old. I'm gonna send this article to Mr. Curious. He's not a client. I don't even know if he's a prospect yet. We're having a conversation. However, regardless of whether we work together or not, he's already in a better place than he was on Tuesday. I've already helped him and that's [Pete's point #2](https://www.collaborativegrowthnetwork.com/blog/bid/104615/3-Theories-I-d-like-to-Prove-About-Selling). He'll also remember me and mention me when he sees his friends struggling with what he's struggling with. Remember that this is by email, but compare it to your sales conversations. Did he feel any pressure to buy frome me? Did I ever talk about how I work with my clients? How they improve? What we do? It's all about him? How about asking personal questions? This whole thing was a conversation between two guys, but it was mostly about Mr. Curious. At what point did Mr. Curious become Mr. Engaged? BTW, you might ask, Why is Rick gonna send this article to Mr. Curious? What if he gets upset? First, I doubt that his mother could figure out it was him. Second, I'm totally transparent and insist that my clients are. Finally, if gets upset, he could yell at me and cancel the appointment, but if he cancels the appointment, I'm all done helping him. So, tell me. Can you do that? - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Want updates as they're published? #### Enter your email: BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**. **[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)** ## About this blog *This blog is for, by and about Sales Rock Stars, RainMakers, Entrepreneurs (and/or those that strive to be)* ## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge) ## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me) **[The Original](http://therainmakermaker.com/)[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)** [**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[**Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy) [**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/) Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars Search ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Month - [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11) - 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