Why 90% of sales calls go wrong... #145
- Adrian Dionisio - business737 owner
- Jul 13
- 4 min read
I work with founders, solopreneurs, and experts selling their knowledge — people who’ve built great products, positioned strong offers, and done the hard work of building a presence.
They post. They get views. But revenue? It’s a problem.
Sales calls go nowhere. Conversions fail.
When we dig into why, it almost always comes down to this:
The content doesn’t reflect how their buyer makes decisions — and the sales process is full of silent sabotage.
Let me clarify.
They’re talking more than they’re listening
I’ve sat in on mock sales calls with clients who’ve said all the right things — but never asked the buyer anything that matters.
Instead of uncovering pain, they’re pitching features. Instead of asking about business problems, they’re showcasing qualifications.
One of the first things I coach clients on is strategic listening. Your content should start the process — but your conversation needs to finish it.
We fix this by building questions into your sales content — so your prospects are already thinking deeply before the call.
They assume too much
One client — a leadership consultant — was certain her buyers cared most about her method. She had an entire funnel about it.
But on reviewing her call transcripts and conversion data, we saw it wasn’t landing. Her buyers were overwhelmed, not intrigued.
We rebuilt the strategy around the client’s priorities, not her process. That started in the content and flowed right into the pitch. Your job isn’t to educate. It’s to understand.
They don’t follow up (or they do it badly)
Here’s a hard truth I share with every client: The sale usually happens in the follow-up. Most founders give up after one or two “no’s.”Pros don’t.
We install follow-up cadences that stretch for weeks — even months — with value-first content, check-ins, and useful nudges. This is how I helped a solo advisor land a £35k corporate contract after six months of strategic follow-up — content-led, no pushiness.
They wing it
If you’re going into a sales call without a script, a map, and a game plan, you're not being creative — you're being careless. Most people I work with are improvising without realising it. That’s why they struggle to handle objections, close decisively, or adapt under pressure.
We fix this by creating sales scripts, messaging frameworks, and content that supports the conversation. That’s the backbone of consistency.
They focus on price, not value
If your LinkedIn post says “affordable” or your sales page leads with discounts, it’s not surprising people hesitate. One founder I worked with offered high-impact strategy sessions but kept comparing himself to cheaper coaches.
We rebuilt his offer narrative and focused on the results.He went from charging £500 per project to closing £5k retainers.
We don’t sell discounts. We show value. Over and over again.
They lack emotional control
This shows up more than people think — especially when a prospect pushes back. One client confessed they dreaded sales calls. They’d get defensive or go quiet when objections came up.
We didn’t just work on “rebuttals” — we rewired the emotional frame of the conversation. Instead of pressure, we coached curiosity. Instead of fear, we practiced clarity.
They skip relationship-building
Sales is human.Content is connection.Buyers want to feel understood, not managed.
The founders I work with often treat sales like a series of steps. It’s not. It’s a relationship — one that starts long before the call.
That’s why we build trust into every part of the process:
Personalised outreach
Relevant content
Proof of outcomes
Stories that resonate
You don’t sell to companies — you sell to people inside companies.
They refuse to roleplay or rehearse
This is one of the first things I change. Top athletes train. Top actors rehearse. Top founders? They often “just talk.” That’s a problem.
In my programs, we roleplay actual sales conversations. We rehearse hard objections. We sharpen answers until they land. When you know the playbook, you don’t panic under pressure. You lead.
They don’t track the data
If you don’t know how many calls you’ve had, how many follow-ups you’ve sent, or what your close rate is — you’re not running a sales process. You’re gambling.
I make all my clients track their metrics. Even solo experts.Why? Because data drives decisions. And decisions drive profit.
They fear rejection and avoid tough conversations
This is a silent killer.Most people I work with are great at giving value — and terrified of asking for the sale. We don’t ignore this. We coach through it.
I help clients script their close.We work through the emotions.We separate “no” from “not now.”
What to do?
Here’s how I solve these issues when clients come to me:
Diagnose the real problem.We don’t guess. We listen to calls, review content, and track data.
Map the end-to-end customer journey. From first touchpoint to final close, we align messaging, expectations, and timing.
Design content that supports conversion. No vague value posts. We write content that builds belief, breaks objections, and increases readiness to buy.
Train the conversation. We rehearse, refine, and test. You don’t go into another call unprepared.
Build a repeatable system. So you’re not relying on energy or luck. You’re executing a plan.
The real problems it often a positioning problem. A process problem. A conversation problem.
If your content is bringing in leads but they’re not converting, there’s a deeper issue we need to solve.
And when we do?Everything changes.
✅ Higher close rates✅ Better-fit clients✅ Confidence on calls✅ Consistent revenue
Questions for You (if you're still reading):
What are your sales conversations missing right now?
Are your posts building readiness — or just visibility?
Do you have a repeatable, scalable way to convert interest into income?
If this post hit a nerve, message me.Let’s close the gap between visibility and revenue.
Comments