How to Sell the Way Prospects Buy

Patrick McFadden

HubSpot’s  new study,  Buyers Speak Out: How Sales Needs to Evolve  shows that there’s a huge chasm between how buyers want to be sold to and the way organizations are actually selling.

Digging into this study I found some interesting data that shows a third of buyers want the opportunity to see a service/product in action very early on. They want a very tangible understanding of what they’re potentially buying, and they want it right away.

How can businesses rise to meet this new expectation around try before buy?

I’ve been promoting a new stage in the lead generation process that I refer to as”Lead Sampling.” Lead sampling acknowledges the fact that your job as a salesperson or marketer is to replicate the conditions of actually experiencing the service or product in action.

7 Ways Prospects Can Sample Your Service or Product

Today’s shift in buying now demands a very tangible way prospects can experience your offer.

Prospects want to be able to sample your expertise, product or service and it’s the easiest way to move people to actually buying all-in, particularly in highly competitive and highly priced situations.

  1. Demo— a group consulting model that would demonstrate expertise by offering advice and answering questions in a free weekly session that could be upgraded to one-on-one consulting
  2. 30 – 90 Minute Consultation or Coaching— A personal or life coach might create a “get unstuck” in 3 sessions mini engagement that allows someone to try out coaching without a long term commitment
  3. Audit— an marketing firm may offer a free or low cost audit providing solid recommendations that could turn into long-term paid projects
  4. Trial Offer— an home improvement contractor might create a 4-Hour You Point and We Fix starter offering
  5. Assessment— an structural engineering firm might sell a feasibility analysis as a product.
  6. Seminar or Workshop— an sales training and development firm might offer free a seminar with worksheets and CDs.
  7. Basic or Low Cost Version— an accounting firm might sell a certain type of low-cost tax return.

The reason this approach is so effective is that no hard selling has to occur, you get to control the sample offering, the client gets independent value whether they agree to hire you or not, and finally, you get a value-based start in the engagement.

So, the best way to effectively sell a service or product is to start by giving it away (slightly).

Forget “Perfect Workspaces.” Customers Want Perfect Installation Days — Here’s What Happened When One Furniture Installation Company Got That Right

By Patrick McFadden • March 31, 2025
1. The Challenge: VMI was like many service providers — positioning their value around what they thought clients wanted : “Office furniture installation and assembly — let us handle creating your perfect workspace.” But the actual buyers — facility managers, project managers, furniture reps — weren’t looking for “perfect workspaces.” They were trying to avoid installation nightmares . Their real priority? ✅ Great installation days. ✅ No chaos. ✅ No missed deadlines. ✅ No angry phone calls from clients. 2. The Insight: After conducting stakeholder interviews under our marketing strategy consulting engagement , the Indispensable Marketing team uncovered critical feedback: “We need installers who maintain a professional site and follow instructions.” “We lose relationships when installations go badly.” “I need quotes back quickly or I can’t sell the job.” This wasn’t just about services , it was about trust, problem-solving , and professional reliability . So we reframed their differentiators not by what they did, but how they showed up : Same-day project quotes Problem-solving on-site Update protocol with clients Professionalism guarantee Lasting Impression Insurance 3. The Shift: We shifted the positioning from vague benefits to real-world, emotional triggers : Instead of: “Let us create your perfect workspace.” Now: “Get the perfect installation day, every time.” That subtle shift aligns with who’s actually buying (and who feels the pain when things go wrong). The end-user may care about the workspace. But the buyer cares about the install . 4. The Lesson for Others: If you’re selling a service, don’t describe what you do. Describe what the client wants to avoid or achieve — and who the real buyer is. Then, systematize what you’re already doing well and give it a name. Just like our team did with: “Same Day Quotes” “Lasting Impression Insurance” “Reliable Presence Protocol” 5. The Outcome Within weeks of updating their messaging and positioning: The company reported more qualified leads asking the right questions Furniture reps began referring them because they were “easy to work with and made them look good” They were shortlisted for larger, multi-phase projects due to increased confidence in their process But most importantly, they stopped competing on price — because they weren’t selling perfect workspaces anymore. They were selling peace of mind on installation day.

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