Now you might think that each person you speak with needs the same thing they always did from you – information to help them make the right buying decision. Or to be sold to – depending on your old school sales mentality. Or a free trial, test drive, or something that will get their hands on the product (because it sells itself, right?).

But what your prospective customers need from you in 2025, just like they did in 2024 and well before that, is guidance.

Why Information is No Longer Enough

They don’t need information.

They have access to information. They have the internet. They have Google and YouTube. Like you and I, they could search about a problem they are having, read an article with steps or watch a video, and then get to solving their issue.

As I have said many times, they need you for Guidance and Wisdom. They want you to help them make the right decision – yes, of course – but for them. Not your company. Not you based on your comp plan and motivations. But for them.

Sales’ Bad Reputation: Why Guidance Matters More Than Ever

Yes – they have always needed that as a customer, and of course there are salespeople that focus on providing that. But there are also the ones out there that end up giving sales a bad reputation because they aren’t focused on the customer’s actually needs and wants.

Why does this matter in 2025?

Because we now, thanks to the internet, have WAY TOO much information. It’s overwhelming.

The last time you searched for something online, was it easier or harder to find what you needed?

There are more companies, putting out more products and content, which leads to more options.

Humans don’t do well with options.

The Paradox of Choice is the principle that as the number of options goes up, the ability to make a decision decreases. Two to three options to choose from is usually best. Ever been to Red Robin and been paralyzed by choosing the right burger? Or the Cheesecake Factor and picking anything easily? (even just deciding on a category of food is hard there)

I see a lot of companies that don’t understand this principle and salespeople who ‘clock in’ for work as a salesperson where they forget how what they do in their own life and how they make decisions.

It’s like they switch into sales mode which means ‘showing up and throwing up’ facts, details, features, benefits.

What Prospects Truly Want: Wisdom and Guidance

Now – please note, I am not saying you don’t want to sell to your prospects the way you buy. That is a recipe for sales disaster. But you must be mindful of how you and most humans want to buy.

They want you for your wisdom and guidance. Theoretically (insert sarcasm, for a lot of people in sales roles), you are a professional with the expertise and experience that allows you to determine what the best path would be for each of your prospects. You do an amazing amount of deep discovery, utilizing active listening and empathy to analyze where they are now versus where they would rather be.

Then you provide a service, product, solution that will help them get there.

Then you assume that based on your expertise and experience that your suggestion is the best one, and you move forward with the conversation and buying process.

Gone are the days of needing to ask for the sale. If you are still asking for the sale you are operating in a weak sales capacity where you feel like they need to approve your recommendation.

Challenges for 2025: Elevating Your Sales Conversations

In 2025, challenge yourself to do the following in your sales conversations:

• Ask more, better, deeper questions during Discovery. Find out the What AND the Why.
• Save your credibility, trust building monologues for after Discovery.
• Assume the progress forward once you have identified their square peg need (to go with your square peg solution).
• Understand that Objections are indications of two things: they don’t trust you, and you missed something in the process.
• They need Wisdom and Guidance, not information.