How To: Can’t build a bridge? Build a pipeline--Can’t tear down a wall? Build a ramp.

No serious professional or personal decision is purely based in logic. Decisions are a mix of emotions, timing and priority. At times, there’s no way to achieve partnership with all buyers in the value chain. When you can’t change a buyer/user/influencer’s perception, continue to deepen the relationship.
• No one is immune to sincere feedback.
• Look to establish a pipeline of communication, by accepting their conflicting perception at face value. By respecting their perception absolutely, you open doors, leaving your buyer/influencer/user more open to being influenced by other buyers in the value chain. You’ve built a pipeline where there was no access.
• By respecting his ‘no’ you gain permission to present future alternatives and adjustments as a sincere attempt to ‘fix it’. You’ve built a ramp where there was formerly a wall.

The complex sale is never a simple yes/no value proposition. Rarely will you achieve ‘yes’ from all interested buyers/influencers and users instantly. The ability to incrementally change buyer/influencer perceptions toward your solutions OR toward you and your efforts all combine to affect positive outcomes. Getting the little ‘yeses’ or agreements will gradually get you to the big YES.


1. Introduction, Empathy Selling
2. Adjustments
3. Break down the transaction
4. Focus Power, Daniel-san!
5. Sell an Asteroid to Captain Kirk
6. Can’t build a bridge? Build a pipeline--Can’t tear down a wall? Build a ramp.
7. Employ Empathy Marketing for Biz Dev
8. Empathy Selling, Mastery is Transparency
9. Empathy Selling, Stir of Echoes
10. Empathy Selling – Why Empathy Works
11. Empathy Selling: How Do The Other Guy’s Shoes Fit?