There is something slightly ironic happening on LinkedIn.
The platform where everyone is talking about AI is also becoming one of the places where looking too much like AI may hurt you most.
That should not surprise us.
As generative AI makes it easier for anyone to create competent posts, compet...
When a deal dies, sales usually gets the blame.
And if you're a solopreneur, that's YOU and your sales pitch... but there's more to it than that! And I'm sure you've experienced these things after you made a pitch...
The prospect stopped responding.
They said the timing wasn't right.
They chose ...
Is your expertise visible—or is your business asking your website to do all the trust-building?
Your website can explain what you do.
Your logo can make you look professional.
Your testimonials can reassure people that you have helped others.
Your social profiles can establish that you exist.
B...
AI is making one part of business much easier:
Getting answers.
Need ten headline ideas? Done.
Need a first draft of an email? Done.
Need a list of possible objections, pain points, or offers? Done.
For many business owners, that feels like a revolution.
And it is.
But it is also creating a new p...
Which Buyer Decision Is Stalling Your Pipeline?
Marketers love funnels.
Top of funnel.
Middle of funnel.
Bottom of funnel.
Traffic goes in at the top.
Customers are supposed to come out at the bottom.
Simple.
Neat.
Comforting.
And useful—as long as we remember that buyers are not actually ...
THE PIPELINE BRIEF WEEKLY
What mattered. What it means. What to do next.
Your Buyer May Be Doing Too Much of the Decision Work
There is a strange way experienced experts can make buying harder while sincerely trying to make it easier.
We give options.
We provide information.
We demonstrate cr...
Marketing is full of claims.
(I know because I've been in Marketing most of my career!)
We help you grow.
We increase conversions.
We create predictable pipelines.
We build authority.
We save time.
We improve engagement.
We generate better leads.
We deliver personalized strategies.
We get ...
There is a particular kind of silence that makes business owners slightly irrational.
And I'm SURE you have experienced this....
You have a good conversation with a prospect.
They seem engaged.
They ask smart questions.
They understand the problem.
They like your recommendation.
Maybe they ev...
Sometimes a prospect believes almost everything you need them to believe.
They understand the problem.
They agree it matters.
They trust your expertise.
They like your recommendation.
The price is reasonable.
The process makes sense.
And they still hesitate.
At that point, it's easy to assum...
Experts spend a lot of time trying to prove they're good.
Understandably.
We display credentials.
Years of experience.
Certifications.
Testimonials.
Client logos.
Awards.
Methodologies.
Books.
Podcasts.
Speaking engagements.
Case studies.
Maybe a photograph of ourselves standing confide...
Experts love giving options.
But Are You Giving Buyers Options—or Helping Them Decide?
Oh sure... it feels responsible.
Professional.
Non-pushy.
We lay out three packages.
Four approaches.
Five possible strategies.
Six things the buyer could do next.
Then we lean back and say:
“It really d...
THE PIPELINE BRIEF WEEKLY
What mattered. What it means. What to do next.
Buyer Hesitation Is Not a Persuasion Problem
Seven very different Pipeline Briefs pointed me toward the same conclusion this week.
We spend a lot of time trying to make marketing more persuasive.
Better copy. Better content...
