The Truth About Leaning Out in Sales
Intel Brief
Leaning out in sales isn't about pretending not to care, but rather telling the brutal truth about what makes your process hard and who usually fails.
Zach Brown
Founder, Sales Pipeline Pros
Operator Note
I think “leaning out” is a lot easier than people make it out to be.
You don’t need to pretend not to care (which isn’t even possible).
Too many gooroos teach “leaning out” like it’s a psychology trick.
They’ll tell you to lower your tone, slow your pace, and act like you’ve already moved on.
Because apparently pretending you don’t need the sale is the key to getting one.
B-movie.
A much better way to lean out?
Tell the truth.
Shocker, I know.
Tell them why your offer won’t work.
Tell them who usually quits.
Tell them what makes your process hard, frustrating, or slow.
Tell them what you don’t do.
“Leaning out” isn’t some power posture.
Nosireeee.
It’s just brutal honesty.
Painting both sides of the picture — the reward and the grind.
Showing the potholes before they hit one.
Because if we really believe in what we sell,we don’t have to hide the cost of winning.
The prospects who don’t want the bad with the good,or won’t pay the price of admission—they’ll walk.
Which means better buyers.
Less churn.
More su
Written by Zach Brown
1,100+ hires placed. 300 founders. Five years of reading people for a living. Need a sales hire?
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