There are a number of beliefs about sales that are so well known that they become a matter of faith. Expressing a different belief or suggesting that it might not be true at all times and in every potential scenario makes one a heretic. The devotees observe axioms like, “You have to ask the client about their problem,” and “You have to ask the client to explain their pain,” as though problems and pain are the only keys to creating and winning opportunities. But neither a problem nor pain is always enough to cause the client to change. Instead, the impetus for change is often something—or better yet, someone.
