Any element in a sales process, from pitch to demo, that doesn't directly align with the customer's pre-existing demand creates "drag," slowing or killing the deal. The solution is not to push harder on the prospect but to re-engineer the sales motion to remove this friction by aligning with their goals.

Customers describe an idealized version of their world in interviews. To understand their true problems and workflows, you must be physically present. This uncovers the crucial gap between their perception and day-to-day reality.

Real demand isn't a wish list; it's an active struggle. "Coping" customers are fighting a subpar solution right now, while "blocked" customers would act immediately if a viable option existed. Both represent a "spring-loaded" market ready to adopt a new product that solves their problem.

Sales teams focus on out-competing rival products, but the biggest threat is the buyer's preference for their current "good enough" process. Losing to "no decision" is more common than losing to a competitor and requires a different strategy that focuses on the cost of inaction.

Most problems customers describe are "pain points" they won't act on. You can't distinguish these from real, actionable demand ("pull") through interviews alone. The only true test is presenting a viable solution and attempting to sell it. Their reaction—whether they try to pull it from you—is the only reliable signal.

When a clunky sales process fails, founders often incorrectly conclude their product isn't good enough and retreat to building more features. The real problem is typically the sales motion itself, which isn't aligned with customer demand. This leads to a cycle of building instead of fixing the sales process.

Sales conversations often rush to demo a "better" product, assuming the buyer wants to improve. The crucial first step is to help the prospect recognize and quantify the hidden costs of their current "good enough" process, creating urgency to change before a solution is ever introduced.

Businesses often fail to spot points of friction in their own customer journey because they are too familiar with their processes. This "familiarity bias" makes them blind to the confusing experience a new customer faces. The key is to actively step outside this autopilot mode and see the experience with fresh eyes.

Salespeople often mistake speed for velocity, leading to burnout. True velocity is speed with a clear direction. By shifting from pitching a product (e.g., a copier) to diagnosing the client's core problem (e.g., a communication bottleneck), the sale becomes the logical conclusion, not a forced pitch.