Tough prospects aren’t just part of the game. They are the game.
Anyone can sell to a friendly lead nodding through your presentation. That’s easy. That’s autopilot. But when you’re face to face with someone who doesn’t care how great your platform is, doesn’t return your follow-ups, or questions everything you say? That’s where you find out if you’re just a talker—or a real closer.
Let’s go straight to the heart of it!
You don’t need to charm them. You need to show up with real insight, real timing, and real backbone.
Karim Mokhtar
Listen like someone who’s actually interested in winning
Forget the performative “active listening” script. This isn’t a networking event. When you’re dealing with someone who’s guarded, skeptical, or flat-out hostile, you don’t listen to react. You listen to understand why. You listen to figure out where the resistance lives. Not just what they’re saying, but how they’re saying it. Are they rushed? Are they defending themselves? Are they afraid of getting burned again?
When they pause, let it breathe. Give their thoughts room. Then mirror back the meaning, not just the words. That’s when things shift.
Connect like you’re not afraid to go deep
Small talk isn’t rapport. Don’t waste their time asking about the weather or their weekend. Connect through something that hits closer to home. Their industry. Their company. Their role. Their pressure. Do your homework and reference something that makes them think, “Okay… this person gets it.”
Maybe it’s something they said in a podcast. Maybe it’s a decision their competitors just made. Maybe it’s a headline they’re secretly stressed about. When you meet someone at the edge of their reality, that’s when they stop treating you like a salesperson and start seeing you as someone worth listening to.
Bring value like you’re solving a real problem, not selling a brochure
If your pitch sounds like it could be copy-pasted into a hundred other emails, it’s already dead. You’re not there to tell them about features. You’re not even there to tell them about benefits. You’re there to show them exactly what’s broken, and how you can fix it—better, faster, or with less pain than anyone else.
Don’t say your tool improves conversion. Show them how it’s bleeding them every week. Don’t say it saves time. Walk them through what they could be doing instead. Make it visceral. Make it immediate. Make it make sense in their world, not yours.
Stick around when it’s uncomfortable
This part separates the amateurs from the professionals. When the lead goes cold, when the response is vague, when the energy dips, most people retreat. They back off, assume the worst, and write it off. Don’t.
Tough prospects often need more time to process, more internal approvals, or more mental room to believe they’re not being sold. That doesn’t mean you chase. It means you stay close enough to stay relevant. A message with a fresh angle. A short video with a single new insight. A note that says, “Take your time, I’ll be here.”
That’s not persistence. That’s presence. And it matters.
Don’t wait for objections. Go looking for them
If you wait for them to raise concerns, you’re already behind. Ask first. Invite it. Name the elephant before they do.
Say it straight: “I know switching providers right now sounds risky.” Or “If I were in your seat, I’d be wondering if the transition would pull your team under.”
It’s not weakness. It’s leadership. When you name their fear without flinching, they stop hiding it. Now you’re in the real conversation.
Hold your ground, but lose the ego
There’s a difference between confidence and noise. Confidence says, “I know this works, and I’m here to help.” Noise says, “I need you to say yes so I can feel successful.”
You don’t need to push. You don’t need to prove. You stay steady. You show up calm, clear, and certain. Even if they hesitate. Especially when they hesitate.
And if they say no? You don’t crumble. You learn. You adjust. You stay ready for when they circle back, because the best ones often do.
Give them respect even when they’re difficult
It’s easy to respect people who like you. The real test is respecting the ones who don’t trust you yet. Or don’t answer your emails. Or interrupt you mid-sentence.
Respect doesn’t mean staying silent. It means staying human. You respect their time. Their role. Their reasons. And you respect yourself enough to walk away if you’ve truly reached a dead end.
But most of the time, what looks like resistance is actually hesitation. And if you treat that hesitation with intelligence and patience, you might just earn something better than a signature—you might earn long-term loyalty.
Hard prospects aren’t the enemy. They’re the invitation
They’re the ones who make you better. They force you to think sharper, speak clearly, and dig deeper. You don’t need to charm them. You need to show up with real insight, real timing, and real backbone.
Anyone can close the easy ones.
You? You’re here to close the impossible.
