The Whisper

Prove You’re Different…By Being Different

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 02:16:24 GMT

Salespeople always tell me, “But I’m different. Once I get in front of a qualified prospect, they can tell I’m different. I just need help getting in front of qualified prospects.”

I have some bad news for you, Sparky.

#1: It’s your job to get in front of qualified prospects.

#2: You’re not different.

Here’s the deal. A salesperson’s #1 job is not to sell. It’s to prospect.

And the #1 job of prospecting is to disqualify. It’s to sort, sift, and separate.

When you find someone with real pain, you won’t be able to beat them off with a stick.

They’ll beg you to take their money.

But you’re not good at prospecting.

You’re inconsistent.

You’re bland.

You’re repetitive.

You’re too emotional and hyper.

You’re too calm and monotone.

You use industry jargon.

Your tonality is all wrong.

Your volume is all wrong.

You drone on and on.

You have a crappy headset.

You call from a loud office environment.

You’re insincere.

You give fake compliments and bullshit flattery.

You cannot read between the lines.

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You cannot communicate, umm, like, ahh, like, you know, like, ahhh, ummm, like a professional (said in a Valley Girl sing-song tone ending in a higher pitch so it sounds like, ahh, you, like, know…like a question?)

You treat every prospect the same.

You expect every prospect to understand what you meant to say.

You use weak words, so you invite the same objections repeatedly, so you get frustrated with the prospect you just met instead of yourself.

This is why you are not different.

You follow the same structure and talk track as every other B2B sales rep you’re up against.

You use the same cold email tools.

You use the same openings.

You use the same tie-down questions.

You use the same Canva designs.

You use the same LinkedIn pitch-slaps.

You use the same sugar-free post structure to appear enlightened and…different.

I tell my clients, “You prove you’re different by being different at every step of the process.”

It’s why I say, “To make any sale, you must make every sale.”

Small hinges swing big doors.

And now, more than ever, humanity is the new killer app.

It’s why I have you write every day in my 12 Weeks To Peak™ program.

You must learn how to communicate, which means you must learn how to think, which means you must recognize what you do actually think and believe.

But you’ve forgotten how to be human.

You only know how to be “social media visible,” which means you’re like everyone else, which means you are invisible.

You need to make some bold claims.

You need to slaughter some sacred cows.

You need to make a statement and stand behind it.

You need to be known for standing up for what is right.

Hell, you need to be known for simply standing up for something. Anything.

I’ve always equated selling with dating or courtship, because it is one and the same.

A boy proves he’s different and in love by being different every step of the way.

He showers.

He shaves.

He puts on clean clothes.

He brushes his teeth.

He washes his car before he leaves to pick her up.

He hangs one of those pine-scented things in his car.

He doesn’t honk the horn and expect his girl to run out to him.

He walks up to the door…carrying her favorite flowers or chocolates…with a love note.

He pets the family dog.

He brings a piece of candy for the little brother.

He looks the father in the eye, gives him a firm handshake, and tells him he’ll have his daughter home early.

He compliments her mom on how nice the house looks.

He proves he’s different by being different…at every step along the way.

Which is why I say to make any sale, you must make every sale.

Everything you say, do, write, post, create matters.

In courting and in sales—which is the same thing—there’s no knockout punch. It’s the consistency that proves you’re different and gets you the win.

Be intentional. Be consistent. Be sincere.

Need some help? Hit me up if you wanna talk with him.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Sitting In a Parked Car?

Wes Schaeffer — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:17:24 GMT

In the last year, I’ve let at least 25 domain names go.

All were forwarded to landing pages on one of my sites, usually for a free report or a book or my CRM quiz.

All were purchased with big dreams, goals, and aspirations.

Some got a little traction…for a moment…a decade ago. Maybe longer.

Most did not. They were just placeholders…bookmarks…reminders of how distracted I’d allow myself to get on a regular basis.

They were anchors slowing me down.

They were distractions.

They were “anti-goals.”

They were silent critics that I paid for annually to whisper in my ear, “Ha. Here’s something else you didn’t build, create, launch, monetize because you’re a fool.” (Why are our inner critics so harsh?)

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been jettisoning the dead weight, lowering my expenses, and using tools I want to use, enjoy using, proudly recommend, and that help me grow.

We don’t own ideas. Ideas own us.

We don’t own stuff. Our stuff owns us.

And “stuff” includes unused domain names, ridiculous software subscriptions, books you’ll never read, clothes you’ll never wear again, and that gift card with $1.88 remaining.

Throw. All. That. Crap. Away.

That includes your vision board with 37 things on it. Oh, and your bucket list that’s longer than your arm. Oh, and your to-do list with things on it from 2019.

Those are all anchors holding you back and slowing you down.

Those are the human equivalent of having 100 tabs and 30 apps open on your computer.

They use up valuable resources. They wear you down. They distract you. They slow you down.

So here’s your homework…watch “City Slickers” from 1991.

What’s that? You don’t have time to watch a movie? I know. You have a to-do list from 2019 and 200 domains to pay for.

Which is why you need to watch “City Slickers” today.

But here’s your spoiler.

You need to watch it for one scene, which goes like this:

It’s okay to question your life.

It’s okay to take a step—or ten—back.

It’s okay to start over.

But first, you must question everything.

You must be willing to throw everything away.

You must be willing to ignore the “experts” if their advice doesn’t resonate with you.

You must be willing to admit you are wrong and you’ve ignored the experts because you’re lazy or afraid or comfortable.

You must be willing to march to the beat of your own drum.

You must be willing to color inside the lines and follow directions.

But maybe you don’t know where you want to go.

If that’s the case, I guarantee there are things you don’t want to do and places and directions you don’t want to go.

So start there.

If you live in Appleton, WI, and you’re 100% done with the cold and the snow, but you don’t know where to go, start driving south.

Going in a general direction that feels right—and certainly feels “not wrong”—is fine to start.

As you stop for gas and for lunch, chat up the locals. You’ll get much-needed information that will guide your next move.

Before long, you’ll have an exact destination and path to get there.

With a vision that is coming into focus…

With a goal that is getting refined…

You’ll gain momentum…

Which builds…

When you stop going down dead ends…

When you stop looking for shortcuts…

When you look straight ahead…

When you keep your eyes on the road…

You’ll arrive exactly where you aim…

You’ll arrive exactly where you intended…

You’ll arrive exactly where you want to be.

And you’ll get there faster than you imagined.

But you can’t get there sitting in a parked car.

Need some help pushing your car? Hit me up.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Do What You Love…Blah, Blay, Blah

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 17:23:00 GMT

Roll your eyes with me if you’ve heard this before:

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

That bit of “wisdom” from a “certified inner goddess trauma-informed ADHD recovering vibrational universe expander” has ruined more lives, careers, hopes, dreams, and bank accounts than any politically incorrect, task-driven, bottom-line-focused, goal-oriented middle manager with a pocket protector ever has.

You shouldn’t pee in the pool.

You shouldn’t get your meat where you get your bread ‘n butter.

And you shouldn’t ruin the thing you love by forcing yourself to monetize it.

It’s entirely possible, even acceptable, and even recommended and encouraged to make damn good money at something you have a knack for and use that good money to blow, waste, and otherwise piss away on things that make you smile.

Oh, and here’s another shocking fact…

It’s entirely possible, even acceptable, and even recommended and encouraged to fall in love with that thing that you’re really good at, which enables you to make a lot of money, and turn that into your hobby and passion, or at least turn it into “not drudgery.”

Warren Buffett and Charley Munger loved analyzing and improving companies.

My good friend makes 7-figures doing IT/tech work for startups and turnarounds.

He’s paid by the hour.

He has some grinding days, weeks, and even months.

But he has paid off EVERYTHING, and only takes jobs he wants, takes time off in between projects, and can quit at any time, but he’s still young and enjoys what he does, so he just keeps on keeping on.

He and his wife hike, go camping, travel, etc. He hasn’t tried to turn his passion for camping into a side hustle or passive income stream or tripwire or whatever other nonsensical term the inflooincers are tossing around today.

He works hard.

He works hard at something he’s excellent at.

He gets paid A LOT to be excellent.

He then goofs off when he wants.

You. Are. Allowed. To. Do. The. Same.

The incessant, never-ending drumbeat of “follow your passion” has created a growing community of starving artists who become angry baristas who become parental-basement dwellers who regress into doomscrollers who become useful idiots for politicians, spammers, life-hackers, ponzi-schemers, and conspiracy theorists.

Money is not the root of all evil. (Pick up a Bible and read it for yourself…and block the a**holes who keep banging that drum. They’re stupid, manipulative, or both, but I digress.)

Money is merely a convenient medium of exchange.

Your bank balance is merely a reflection of the good or bad choices you have made.

Your bank balance is merely a reflection of the value you provide society.

Love may make “the world go ‘round,” but money is the fuel that keeps it spinning.

All love and passion, but no money?

Enjoy shopping at Goodwill (where I got my latest swimsuit…at half off on a Thursday since that was the purple tag day, but I digress) and *free wine in plastic cups from 5-7 pm at the Residence Inn.

*Lookey here. Don’t take this as shaming ya. I know these things because I’ve been there, done that, got the cheap wine and Costco snacks for free more than I care to admit. But that should not be your goal. It should be the bottom off of which you bounce back.

So, if your passion for braiding back hair you save from your job at the day spa into “organic sweaters” for Dachshunds isn’t paying the bill, maybe focus on being a better esthetician. Being more present with your clients and customers. Anticipating their needs, wants, and desires and meeting them before they even verbalize them.

Become so great that your work is undeniable. Legendary. Referrable. And price your services accordingly.

I’ll bet a dollar to a donut that if you were #1 in your company, #1 in your city, #1 in your region…if customers were begging you to take their money…if customers were happily signing on the dotted line and thanking you for taking the time to help them…that you’d have a lot of passion for what you do.

Give it a try.

What do you have to lose? Bitterness? Resentment? A bad attitude? Fear of looking at your bank statements?

Ready for a change?

Hit me up if you wanna talk with him.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Close First, Then Present

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 17:05:11 GMT

“You make your money going in.”

That’s true when buying real estate, businesses, and sales.

Old school goo-roos have told you ad nauseam to…

“Only ask open-ended questions.”
“Never ask a question they can say ‘no’ to.”
“Get them nodding by asking a bunch of questions they have to say ‘yes’ to.”
“Never discuss price until the end.”

Good golly, Miss Molly!

To hell with all of that. All of it.

But many, if not most, salespeople follow all of that advice to the letter to this day, which is why most salespeople do not hit their sales targets. (You don’t know how to prospect, or you know how but don’t want to do what it takes, so you hold onto these mediocre deals so your pipeline appears full, in a futile effort to keep management off your back for a month or two. How’s that working out fer ya? But I digress.)

To stop being a professional visitor…a free consultant…a starving salesperson…get to the important stuff right up front.

“Oh yeah, Wes? Just show up, take their money without so much as a ‘hello,’ and run?”

For you, Sparky, the answer is yes. For the adults in the room, continue reading…

In a complex sale, it takes time and consensus to get them to sign on the line which is dotted, so I’m not saying you’re closing major deals within ten minutes of your first meeting.

But what I am saying is that you can and should cut to the chase sooner rather than later with every prospect, and keep pushing the pace to ensure the deal is on track.

Rookies, shysters, and hustle bros will take this to mean to show up and ask, “So, are you the decision-maker on this project or do I need to go above you?”

Pros ask, “When you’re considering a training program/CRM like this, who on your team usually leads the discovery and evaluation?”

Same question, technically, vastly different question, stylistically and effectively.

There are only ever a few show-stoppers that would keep your prospect from moving forward.

If you have a $50k training program and they only have $5k, you need to have that discussion right up front.

If you sell Chevys and the fleet manager is a direct descendant of Henry Ford, you probably couldn’t give your trucks away, so move on.

If you sell solar, a renter ain’t gonna give you a nickel.

You get the point.

Your job is not to sell. It’s to prospect. And your job when prospecting is to sort, sift, and separate.

That’s what I mean when I say, “You make your money going in.”

Disqualify everyone you talk to, or get good at talking to recruiters, because your boss will soon stop accepting your excuses about why you keep missing your number.

Wanna sell big deals like it’s no big deal? Let's talk..

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Compliment, Never Criticize, The Competition

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:58:01 GMT

If you’re selling Fords and a guy pulls up in a Chevy, compliment him on his choice.

DO NOT say crap like,

“‘Like a rock’ is right. Those things ride like a rock!”
“Hey, that’s the first one I’ve seen this week roll up under it’s own power instead of being towed in!”
“A Chevy, huh? Well, we all make mistakes. At least you’re here now. Let’s get ya into something that won’t embarrass your wife and kids.”

Those sound cute and funny and pithy and innocuous, but they’re not.

Not-so-deep down, you’re insulting their prior decision-making abilities. You’re putting yourself above them, which is NEVER where you want to be in a selling relationship.

David Sandler was teaching this nearly sixty years ago.

You never want to be okay while your prospect is not-okay…okay? Okay. Which reminds me, I need to dive deeper into that soon. Thanks for the reminder. Okay, now where was I…?

You cannot make your prospect feel inferior, stupid, silly, ignorant, etc.

Well, you can…and you might even make a sale…but you won’t make a friend…and you won’t get a referral or a testimonial or repeat orders…and you’ll probably get some canceled POs and chargebacks and other nasty things like…but you do you, Boo.

Anyway. You need to stay a little less okay than your prospect. Help them feel good about what’s going on, or at least don’t make them feel worse!

They made a decision.

For whatever reason, it didn’t work out, or it didn’t go as well as planned, or maybe they’re just open to trying something new, and it’s your job to lead them to discover their true reason(s) for wanting to make a change now with you.

So, back to the guy pulling up in the Chevy.

Meet him as he gets out of his truck and say, “Nice ride. You’re not getting rid of that, are you?”

When you hit your prospects with a question they’re not expecting, you’re more likely to get the truth since they didn’t prepare for your unique question.

Prospect: “Hell no. I love my Chevy. I’m a Chevy man ‘til I die. I saw you had a used Chevy and wanted to take a look.”

Prospect: “This old thing? I’ve never liked it. Rides like a rock. Rebuilt the transmission. Burns oil like a tweaker. I’ll never buy a Chevy again.”

You’re looking for the truth.

They’re looking for someone they can trust.

By not criticizing their choices, you’re at least not starting at a deficit.

By allowing them to speak their mind, they feel heard, seen, and understood.

This is how I’ve sold SaaS, services, coaching, and consulting for decades, fast, at high margin, with no pressure or slimy tactics, while others struggle to sell over multiple calls while reducing their prices and damn near begging them to buy at the end.

Small hinges swing big doors.

You don’t need NLP, body language mirroring, hypnosis, handwriting analysis, feng shui, palm reading, FBI hostage negotiation tactics, tarot cards, or astrology.

Start well.

Compliment your prospect if you can do so sincerely.

Keep your prospect more okay than you.

Observe their mannerisms, their replies, their tonality, the words they use, their passion, their enthusiasm or lack thereof.

If there are multiple prospects, see who’s in control. There is always a leader in every pack.

Only show them what they want to see.

Determine what they want to see by asking better questions and listening to the full reply.

See how easy it is to sell?

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The BJJ and Biz Boardroom.

Be The Same, Before You Are Different

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:35:46 GMT

First, you need to be the same before you show how you are different to make the sale.

Never seen before!”

“First of its kind!”

“Bleeding edge!”

“Be the first in your field to leverage this technology.”

You see ads and promotions and promises like this all the time.

So much so, you may be tempted to use similar techniques to sell your stuff.

Before you do that, you need to understand people in general, and your customers in particular.

Most people are risk-averse, thus the sayings,

“Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.”
“The devil that you know is better than the devil you don’t.”
“One in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
“It’s easier to sell an aspirin than a vitamin.”

Earlier, I wrote about how you need to adjust how you sell to match how they buy and that you need to meet them where they are.

Along those lines, for most of your prospects, you need to convince them that you are the same before you show them how you are different.

“Wes, WTH? I’m not the same. If I’m the same, why do they need to talk to me? If I’m the same, won’t I have to sell on price to win the business?”

Easy, Sparky. You’re on the right track, but in the wrong lane…and going the wrong direction.

Let’s use CRMs and all-in-one software for an example, since I’ve been selling that since 2007.

Let’s say a prospect reaches out and needs help choosing the right solution for himself or his business.

A lot of times, I get an email or they start the call with, “Which CRM should I buy?” or “So, you sell ABC software. I’d like a demo.”

That’s like calling a realtor and asking, “So…you’re in real estate, huh? Which house should I buy?”

Anyone who answers that question is just looking to take your money. It’s like getting a prescription for meth from a doctor on a telehealth call when you say, “Hey, Doc, I have a headache. Can you prescribe me something for the pain?”

COME ON, BRUH!!!

Anyway…

In response to, “Which CRM should I buy,” I reply with, “I have no idea. What do you have now? What do you need your new platform to do?”

They reply with a big brand, “Oh, we use HubSpot/Salesforce.”

I reply, “That’s a great platform. Why do you want to leave them?”

(DO NOT start bashing the competition. More on that tomorrow.)

They reply, “Yeah. They’re fine. They’re just too expensive for our team. We’re not using their key features. We just need something simple and more affordable that everyone can use.”

I reply, “Yeah. I hear that a lot. That’s a great platform, but they charge accordingly. Other than the price, what are some of your most-used features or favorite things about your current platform?”

They reply, “We love the Google/Outlook integration. We love the dashboards and reporting. And we need a good mobile app.”

I reply, “Gotcha.”

(After a little more digging, I then show them the platform I recommend and how it integrates with Google/Outlook, its reporting, and the mobile app. Then I ask them for some more favorite features and demo them. When they seem satisfied and we have the big rocks covered, I show them that it’s 50% less or 80% less with no contract and SHUT MY TRAP!

There’s no need to get into the nuances and subtleties of the platform I’m recommending.

There’s no need to show the gee-whiz features if they didn’t ask about them or express a strong need, want, or desire for that capability.

When selling anything—ANYTHING—there are usually only one to three to maybe—MAYBE—five things the prospect actually wants and must have.

It’s usually ONE thing FOR SURE.

Two to three things that are important, almost vital, that could be deal breakers.

Two to three things that would make the decision much easier, but they’re not show stoppers.

Then three to ten things that are icing on the cake.

Find those one to three vital criteria and prove you meet the requirements.

Then AND ONLY THEN can you start to show what makes you different and unique and better and superior.

Which reminds me of the concept of “Close First, Then Present.” I’ll write about that soon.

There are only two ways to make more money in sales:

Sell at a higher price and/or
Sell more stuff.

You can both raise your prices and sell faster when you put proven processes in place that create predictable pipelines and profits.

When’s the last time you reviewed your processes?

When’s the last time you had a neutral expert review your processes?

Want to do that soon?

Check out 12 Weeks To Peak™.

It’s just what the whisperer ordered.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

Precision. Submissions. Commissions.

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Adjust How You Sell To Match How They Buy

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:19:25 GMT

You make a call and hear:

“Hi, this is Joe. How can I make this a great day for you?”
“This is Joe.” (Monotone delivery.)
“This is Joe.” (Said in a happy, upbeat tone.)
“Joe Smith.” (Said in an angry tone, as though you’ve called him during his own funeral.)
“Joe Smith!” (Said in a happy, upbeat tone.)
“Accounting.” (Ahhh…he sounds just like you think.)
“Yes.”
“HEY. CAN YOU HOLD ON ONE SECOND? (Kids in background yelling, dog barking…”Yeah, I need three Happy Meals…”) Hey, sorry about that. I’m taking the kids to the zoo. Who’s this?”
(“NOW BOARDING FLIGHT 1234 TO HAWAII!”) Hi, this is Joe.”
(“NICE BLINKER, ASSHOLE!”) Hey. Sorry about that. This friggin’ commute gets worse every day. This is Joe. How can I help you?”

All of these greetings tell you something.

All of these greetings tell you a lot.

If you respond to every one with the same cadence, talk track, style, mannerisms, and formalities, you’re a gone pecan, because whatever your style is, it will only naturally connect with maybe 20% of the population.

By learning how to read the room…

By learning how to read between the lines…

By learning how to hear what is not spoken…

By learning how to adjust on the fly…

You’ll become a great communicator, which means you’ll become a great salesperson, because…

To sell is to communicate.

To communicate is to connect.

To communicate is to have empathy.

To communicate is to tell stories.

To communicate is to entertain.

To communicate is to educate.

To communicate is to inform.

To communicate is to ask insightful questions.

To communicate is to listen.

To communicate is to ensure the other person feels heard.

To communicate is to understand.

To communicate is to ensure the other person feels understood.

To communicate is to build trust.

Rushing your delivery to a people person will fall flat.

Speaking in a quiet, reverent tone, almost apologetic when Joe Smith is at the airport or has screaming kids in the car, will not work.

Getting into a 90-second pitch filled with jargon and 1980s tie-downs and alternative-of-choice closes to an upbeat people-person will miss the mark.

Your prospects will tell you how they buy, what they want to buy, and why they are buying if you’ll just figure out how they like to communicate.

I know a guy who can help you with both your BJJ and your Biz. Hit me up if you wanna talk with him.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The Whisper Room.

Meet Them Where They Are

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 17:28:43 GMT

You’ve seen it in every RomCom…

Boy falls in love with girl…

Girl is not ready to fall in love…(They’re all getting over a toxic relationship with a narcissistic bad boy, so she’s just working on herself, but I digress.)

Boy plays it cool…

But boy is creative…

And boy is persistent…

And boy is determined…

So he bumps into her at the grocery store…

And he bumps into her at the coffee shop…

And he bumps into her at church…

Her friends notice…

Her friends tease her…

Her friends nudge her…

Boy continues showing up…

She agrees to meet for coffee…

She plays it cool…

But her heart skips a beat…

She agrees to meet for dinner…

She admits he’s different…

Courtship is salesmanship.

Dating is selling.

Selling is dating.

Selling is courting.

Unless your prospect is booking time on your website to meet with you, they are not thinking about you…they are not wanting to hear from you…they are not in the market…they think everything is just fine…or everything is such a shit show they have just given up hope and don’t have the time or energy to be let down again.

This is why you must go to them.

You must meet them where they are.

You must share facts they find interesting.

You must share stories they find compelling.

You must share insights they find surprising.

You must ask them questions they cannot answer.

You must pique their curiosity.

You must enter the conversation going on in their own minds.

You must prove you’re different by being different…every step along the way.

It’s why I say to make any sale, you must make every sale.

Every tall, dark, and handsome dude tells the love interest, “I’m not like the other guys. I’m different. I’ll respect you in the morning.”

Ugh.

But every salesperson with, like, a Valley Girl singsong voice, “dog dad” in their bio, and a 32-step playbook they bought from a transparent, authentic former SaaS AE who is now one with the universe tells everyone they can get on the phone, “I’d like to learn more about you and the issues you’re having…We’re not like the other guys…We have great support after the sale.”

How do you do that? Start by applying Earl Nightingale’s advice,

“Watch what everyone else does–do the opposite. The majority is always wrong.”

If you want tailored assistance, check out 12 Weeks To Peak™.

It’s just what the whisperer ordered.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The War Room.

Confession of a Sales Goo-Roo

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 18:07:31 GMT

“We got sooo greedy for the past 10-15 years. And we over-engineered the sales process and it wasn’t really hard to sell. I’m sorry. 2010 to 2022 as the golden age of sales. Especially in tech sales. We were able to get away with blasting out templated emails. Setting up meetings with anybody with a pulse. Asking *&%$ BANT questions. Droning through demos. Letting our SEs do the majority of the work and then offering a massive discount. That was sales for the past ten years. Now it all came crumbling down.”

That’s the transcript of a video interview between two sales goo-roos recently.

Better late than never.

Since 1997, I’ve successfully sold financial services, mobile homes, telecom test equipment, high-tech products, SaaS solutions, training, and consulting services.

I’ve sold life insurance across the kitchen table to a husband and wife.

I’ve sold mobile homes standing in a parking lot, signing papers on the tailgate of a truck.

I’ve sold at a conference table at Google’s HQ, where I coordinated nine participants from seven countries for the final decision.

I’ve sold from the stage.
I’ve sold via webinars.
I’ve sold over the phone.
I’ve sold via websites and landing pages I’ve created from scratch.

So I’m happy to hear this goo-roo’s confession that his ilk has over-engineered the sales process.

They did it to justify their exorbitant fees.

They did it to justify their year-long programs and courses and levels after levels of access.

They did it to justify their next book—after writing “The Last Sales Book You’ll Ever Need!”—their next webinar, their next “incredible finding after speaking with thousands of clients.”

Being great at sales is like being in great shape.

It’s doing a lot of boring, simple things consistently over your lifetime.

But that doesn’t fill webinars and conference centers and online communities, does it?

Now, don’t get me wrong.

There is always something to learn…something to tweak…something to adjust…because selling is like BJJ: you’ll never completely master it.

Ask a grappler how he feels after winning quadruple-gold at World’s and he’ll say, “Yeah, but I missed several submissions today…my spider guard was not where it needs to be…but, all in all, it was a good day. Now back to the mats. I know what I need to work on.”

While there are always little tips and tricks that emerge over time in BJJ, the physics of BJJ NEVER changes because THE LAWS OF PHYSICS Do. Not. Change.

All you must to be great at Jiu-Jitsu is…take away space when you’re on top…create space when you’re on the bottom…get your opponent to overreact and use their momentum against them.

You learned this from Archimedes and his long stick.

“Archimedes’ lever is a concept that describes the principle of leverage, where a small input force applied to a long lever arm can overcome a much larger output force (load) on a shorter arm. It is famously summarized by his quote, ‘Give me a place to stand, and I can move the world’.”

Do you know what else doesn’t change: Human nature.

It’s why these sales goo-roos “over-engineer the sales process.” They want to prove their worth. They want to stand out. They want to differentiate themselves. They want to stroke their egos by getting you to pay them more while they deliver less, and eventually stymie your sales, your growth, your business, and your career.

It’s why you fall for the hype these sales goo-roos throw out there.

You want instant gratification.

You want to differentiate yourself.

You want to be on the leading edge…the bleeding edge.

You want to be seen and known as “innovative” and “creative” and “insightful.”

You want these goo-roos to be right, so you can tell your grandfather or your father or your school guidance counselor or an ex-girlfriend or a former boss or your current boss or the jerk who always beats you every month, every quarter, every year by being disciplined and consistent that they were wrong about you.

(How’s that working out?)

I started selling in late 1994 while I was still in the Air Force, and I can tell you that once I understood human nature, which does not change, but it does manifest itself differently based on the situation, i.e., am I talking with a husband at the kitchen table with his wife or the owner of a small business or the data center manager of Google in a conference room in Mountain View, CA with seven other PhDs (and me) negotiating a 7-figure hardware deal.

Once I understood how to manage those different scenarios and manage expectations in those situations, selling has been easy and profitable AS LONG AS I did the #1 thing all salespeople must do, which I’ll discuss in another post.

Hint: it’s not selling or negotiating or presenting or creating proposals. It’s also not doing demos or researching prospects on LinkedIn.

Standby, and I’ll get into this over the next five posts. It’s deep and nuanced, but I’ll leave you with this to put a bow on today’s writing: KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Listen to the goo-roo’s confession.

They’ve over-engineered things on purpose.

If sales calls and sales meetings and demos seem stressful and complex and burdensome and over-scripted, they are.

If you have sorted, sifted, and separated…
If you have found pain…
If you have reached the decision-makers…
If you have a good product/solution…
If you have good delivery and support…

Then just listen.

Don’t answer unasked questions.

Follow the New ABCs of Selling.

The Whisper Confidential

The New ABCs of Selling:

As I update and enhance The A.B.C.D.E. Sales & Marketing System™, I came across the old ABCs of Selling, which, unfortunately, have been around for decades…

6 months ago · 2 likes · Wes Schaeffer

Make a lot of money.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The War Room.

Say My Name

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:55:45 GMT

My great-grandfather started building this in 1969 to give to me when I was born on April 3, 1970. He knew my mom was having a boy.

That’s my toybox from 1970.

My great-grandfather started building that as soon as he learned my mother, the only child of his only child, was pregnant with me.

My mom asked how he knew she was having a son, and he said, “I just know.”

It’s in my closet at this very moment. There are no toys in it. My wife uses it to store shi...stuff, like blankets, comforters...hell, I don’t even know.

But I still have it.

The reason I share this is to help people like the “Sales & Marketing Expert/Business Performance Coach/AI Champion” learn how to spell my name when they spam me.

You see, I have the icon and “-” after Wes on purpose on LinkedIn.

Most spammer scammers and “AI champions” are too lazy to clean the data they scrape (steal?), so they miss idiosyncrasies like this.

This morning’s spam was unique.

This Sales & Marketing Expert/Business Performance Coach/AI Champion has an outreach campaign set up whereby her “podcast producer” emails me and includes an email from the goo-roo’s “executive assistant” from two months ago, saying about me, “This looks like someone who’d add real value. Definitely worth reaching out!”

So, two months to the day, I get pitched, with the email subject “Wes- <> Podcast.”

I don’t even have to open the email to know it’s spam.

I usually just delete those outright, but I opened this one over coffee to see how bad it is...and boy was I rewarded.

The person doing this leads with this on her website:

“Close More Deals. Hire Fewer Reps. Scale Smarter.
AI-powered SDR automation for call centers and outbound sales agencies ready to unlock productivity, reduce costs, and impress clients.”

How impressed are you when you are greeted with your name misspelled?

How productive is this goo-roo with her fake assistant and fake podcast producer?

How smart is her scaling?

How much will you reduce costs by being blocked and reported as a spammer when you send drivel and droop like this?

If you “zig when the market zags,” I’d encourage you to do so by being more human.

Humanity is the next killer app.

By all means, embrace sales and marketing automation.

Embrace AI agents.

Embrace overseas VAs and assistants and SDRs and BDRs and GTM and ABM and whatever other acronym is en vogue today, IF AND ONLY IF you use those tools and processes and frameworks to spend more time being human, i.e., being more present with your prospects and clients.

While it’s true that people buy from people they know, like, and trust, being known and liked is only 1% of the total.

Being TRUSTED is 99% of the equation.

I don’t trust the goo-roo who spammed me today.

You shouldn’t either.

There is a better way.

I’ve put food on the table for a family of nine since 2006, helping professional salespeople, sales managers, business owners, and entrepreneurs implement this in a better way.

It’s called 12 Weeks To Peak™.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

P.S. Want feedback from fellow closers? Drop your story in The War Room.

Join my new subscriber chat

Wes Schaeffer — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 22:22:15 GMT

Today I’m announcing a brand new addition to my Substack publication: The Whisper Confidential subscriber chat.

This is a conversation space exclusively for subscribers—kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post questions and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.

Join chat

How to get started

Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

Get app

Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

That’s Why I Called

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 15:24:26 GMT

NLP and body language and hypnosis and the power of positive thinking and vision boards and manifestation and self-talk and framing, etc., are all fine and dandy, but if you’re new to sales or bored or frustrated or tired or all of the above, here’s a little something to try this week when making your prospecting calls.

When a prospect gives you what they think is their zinger to shut you down, simply say,

“I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“We don’t have the funding.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“We don’t have the staffing in place.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“We have three other projects that are a priority.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“We’re using your competitor.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“We’re way over budget in that area.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

“Revenue is down. We can’t do this right now.” “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

Unless prospects are just mailing you money and begging you to sell to them, they don’t know the benefits of working with you, so reach out.

They’re not reaching out to you because they think things are fine or they don’t know how bad things are or they don’t know how much better things can be or they’re just lost and tired and frustrated and confused and exhausted and are barely holding on…

So hit them with something they don’t expect.

The reality is that’s always our job.

Our job is to ask questions our prospects can’t answer.

Our job is to come at them with a new perspective.

Our job is to get them out of their comfort zone, to turn off their cruise control, to turn off their autopilot, lift their noses out of their phones, turn their eyes away from their dual or quadruple monitors, pull their heads out their deep, dark, stinky places and allow a new, original thought to enter their brains for maybe the first time all year.

Let’s look at the first one, “We don’t have the funding.” If you sell AI agents, marketing, real estate, CRMs, sales training, advertising services, janitorial services, dryer vent cleaning, landscape maintenance, massage therapy, coffee service, whatever…

You can reply with, “I know. That’s exactly why I’m reaching out.”

If you do anything with sales/marketing/advertising, you can state your case that you’ll cut costs, create better campaigns, shorten sales cycles, etc., to help them grow sales/revenue/funding.

If you do janitorial services or coffee service or landscaping, you can state your case that you can cut their costs and do it better if they have someone else doing it, or take it off their hands so staff aren’t doing it, or by having this professionally done, it will improve morale, show that management values their people, etc.

You can take this 1,000 different directions, and they’re all true, but you have to get your prospect to slow down for a moment, catch their breath, and see you as a human…an advocate…a helper who is reaching out to serve them, not steal their money.

Give it a try.

Need help with outbound prospecting, reaching decision-makers, negotiation, raising your prices, passing the guard, submitting larger opponents on the mat?

I know a guy who can help you with both your BJJ and your Biz. Hit me up if you wanna talk with him.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.
~Wes

Avoid the Never-Ending Hype To Win

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:55 GMT

I’m a weirdo.

But you probably already knew that.

I watch ads on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

I click the ads on Reels, etc., and click “Interested” on ads to see more of them so I can see what is working to advise my clients.

In marketing, sales, and direct response copywriting, it’s called…

The Needed Things In Life Are Free

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:04:52 GMT

Amazon doesn’t fear Barnes and Noble. They both fear you visiting the library.
Republicans don’t fear Democrats. They both fear you visiting the library.
Apple doesn’t fear Microsoft. They both fear you looking at your family.
Coke doesn’t fear Pepsi. They both fear you drinking water.
Netflix do…

So Noisy…By Design

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 02:53:30 GMT

According to FaceTube, YouBook, InstaPin, SnapGram, Xagram, LinkBook, TikBook, RedTok, TikGram, SnapTok, OnlyGram, FaceIn, TwitTok, InstaBook, and TokBook, if you’re not running a 50,000-member private community pulling in 8-figures of passive income with a sound bowl manifesting $100k retrea…

Push, Then Pull

Wes Schaeffer — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 01:26:07 GMT

Yesterday, a good, young, tall, lean, athletic purple and I were rolling.

I outweigh him by a good 40 lbs, so we usually start by me letting him work.

(He got a good armbar on me from S-Mount…so I’m gonna let him work a little less today! But I digress…)

During our roll, he pulls me into guard and goes for a modified sweep to get into single-leg-X by grabb…

The Skill of Calm

Wes Schaeffer — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 23:59:40 GMT

Calmness is a skill that requires extensive training to apply in the heat of the moment.

I mean, what would you do if a 235-lb, 27-year-old “Beefy” (that’s my son’s nickname at our Jiu-Jitsu gym) young man put his hands on you with the skills, ability, and desire to break your arm, choke you unconscious, and see to it that you don’t eat solid food for th…

You Confused Me, So You Lost Me

Wes Schaeffer — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:57:31 GMT

“I secure you to help protect what matters most”

WTH is that?

That is the one-line bio of a dude on LinkedIn.

At a quick glance—which is all we might ever get from a prospect—he looks like a nice guy.

Nice headshot.

Nice LinkedIn cover image.

An accomplished professional.

It would be good to know someone like this.

But he only got a deeper look from me because:
…

The Secret Tool Nobody Uses For Success

Wes Schaeffer — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 01:06:17 GMT

#TheBJJandBIZPodcast #BJJ #lead generation #personalbranding

"It's okay to get bored."

"Repetition is the key to learning."

"Drillers are killers."

https://www.youtube.com/@doubleyourdojo

https://www.instagram.com/blackbeltbrenner1/

Matthew Brenner knows BJJ, karate, and how to double your school fast!

We get into various aspects of martial arts, including the importance of marketing strategies for martial arts schools, the significance of location, and creating a welcoming environment for students.

We share personal stories about our training experiences, the impact of jiu-jitsu on the body, and the challenges faced in competition.

Matthew emphasizes the value of a couple of key things that separate the good from the great, and we conclude with insights on self-defense and the importance of community in martial arts training.

Takeaways

Matthew's got engaged...at an airport?

How he is growing his online consulting business.

Key marketing strategies to get new students to martial arts schools.

The role location plays in the success of a martial arts school.

How to create a welcoming environment for student retention.

How to look at competitions for growth.

Why you need to drill.

Sound bites

"30 students in 60 days."

"You need to know the basics."

"I want to be a white belt again."

Chapters

00:00 Engagement Story and Personal Background

02:55 Business Insights: Double Your Dojo

05:52 Marketing Strategies for Martial Arts Schools

08:44 Location and Demographics for Success

11:11 School Environment and Attracting Students

14:09 Training Experiences and Jiu-Jitsu Journey

17:00 Injury Perspectives and Long-term Effects of Training

19:44 Self-Defense and Real-Life Applications of Jiu-Jitsu

33:04 Rapid Fire Questions and Preferences

35:53 Training Consistency and Injury Comparisons

38:56 Embracing Challenges: The First Tournament

43:28 Experiences in Competition and Training Stories

50:54 Drilling Techniques and Learning Strategies

56:10 Tips for Improvement in BJJ

Take control of your life with ⁠⁠12 Weeks To Peak™⁠⁠: 12WeeksToPeak.com

Need a CRM? ⁠⁠Check out this marketing automation⁠⁠ tool for $19/mo. Connect with me:

#TheBJJandBIZPodcast #12WeeksToPeak #SalesTraining #GoalSetting #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset

Build a Community via BJJ // WWE, UFC, MMA, BJJ black belt, Frank Kerner

Wes Schaeffer — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 22:55:26 GMT

#TheBJJandBIZPodcast #BJJ #lead generation #personalbranding

"Get drunk, get a loan, open an MMA gym." That's what Frank Kerner did!

From Frank:

"I own Lake Mohawk MMA and have a crazy story. I closed my old gym and was moving to a new location. Everything seemed to be ok and then a few days before the move, the city denied me because of a parking issue. I told my old landlord I was moving and couldn’t go back. Had to fight with the city for 6 months and eventually moved in. My wife also owns a food truck @tasteguatelicious. We can talk about opening businesses at the same time and the 18-hour workdays that are involved."

Takeaways

Frank Kerner shares his journey in martial arts and gym ownership.

Transitioning from kickboxing to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was a pivotal moment for Frank.

Opening a new gym presented numerous challenges, including location and community acceptance.

Marketing and community engagement are crucial for a successful gym.

Setbacks in business can lead to valuable lessons and resilience.

Humor plays an important role in the Jiu-Jitsu community.

Having a game plan is essential for effective training in Jiu-Jitsu.

Frank emphasizes the importance of adapting and overcoming challenges in business.

Building a community around the gym fosters loyalty and growth.

Frank's food truck venture showcases the intersection of passion and entrepreneurship.

Sound bites

"You have to have a game day."

"You can't just freestyle it."

"You gotta keep it cool."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Frank Kerner and His Journey

05:03 The Evolution of Martial Arts Training

07:47 Transitioning from Kickboxing to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

10:32 Opening a Martial Arts School: The Journey Begins

13:07 Challenges Faced in Business and Community

16:05 Navigating Legal and Operational Hurdles

20:00 Navigating Delays and Challenges in Business

21:44 Opening a New Gym: The Journey and Experience

26:36 The Importance of Resilience and Adaptability

26:50 Lightning Round: Jiu Jitsu Insights and Experiences

35:11 Wrestling Techniques for Jiu Jitsu Improvement

37:06 Techniques and Strategies in Jiu-Jitsu

39:58 Game Plans and Training Purpose

46:28 Building a Food Truck Business

47:58 Marketing Strategies for Jiu-Jitsu Schools

49:46 Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship

Take control of your life with ⁠⁠12 Weeks To Peak™⁠⁠: 12WeeksToPeak.com

Need a CRM? ⁠⁠Check out this marketing automation⁠⁠ tool for $19/mo. Connect with me:

#TheBJJandBIZPodcast #12WeeksToPeak #SalesTraining #GoalSetting #PersonalDevelopment #GrowthMindset