You’re in the People Business First, Products Second

At Summit Solutions, every salesperson launched the day with product drills and feature debates. Yet, month after month, the closing rate lingered at 18%. Meanwhile, their top rep—new to the tech world—ignored specs. She started each call by asking, “How do you unwind after a long day?”

Prospects were disarmed. One director, nursing a love for jazz, spoke openly about burnout, then—after five minutes of real talk—welcomed a smart automation demo to reclaim time. Another, worried about team morale, leaned into conversation about his staff’s weekend soccer league before upgrading their messaging software.

Within six weeks, her closing rate soared to 52%, and her peers scrambled to copy her “human-first” script. Management recalibrated their entire training, making people auditing Step One in every product pitch.

Behavioral research shows that social connection precedes rational analysis. When you treat someone as a person first, you earn permission to guide their choices. That’s why people buy from people they trust before they buy products they need.

Today, open every prospect call with a genuine, personal question about their life beyond work—maybe it’s their hobby, family, or recent project. Listen more than you speak. Once you’ve connected, softly transition to the product by linking how it solves their real-world challenge. Over time, you’ll notice prospects letting their guard down and asking questions with ease.