Find the Pain, Don’t Create It
If you have to fake urgency, you’ve already lost the deal.
I’ve sat through more “sales training” sessions than I can count.
Every single one of them said the same thing:
“You’ve got to create urgency.”
And every time, I’d think, That’s exactly why customers don’t trust salespeople.
Because real professionals don’t create pain — they find it.
They uncover what’s real, what’s holding the customer back, and what’s keeping them stuck.
When you do that right, you don’t need to push. You just help them make The Shift — from pain to progress.
The Fake Urgency Trap
Let’s call it out:
All the gimmicks — “only one left,” “manager’s special,” “this deal expires today” — they might trigger a reaction, but they don’t build relationships.
Fake urgency is manipulation dressed as salesmanship.
It might get you a one-time close, but it’ll also get you a lifetime of bad reviews and zero referrals.
The real pros play the long game. They don’t create panic — they create perspective.
The Shift Starts with the Truth
Every customer comes in living a “before” version of their story.
Something isn’t working — the car, the payment, their peace of mind. They’re stuck in that discomfort.
Your job isn’t to make that pain worse. It’s to shine a light on it.
To help them see what’s costing them — time, energy, money, stress — and then guide them toward a better “after.”
That’s The Shift.
It’s not manipulation — it’s transformation.
You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Understand
If you really want to connect, you have to stop guessing and start listening.
Ask the real questions:
“What’s the hardest part about your current situation?”
“What’s making you want to change now?”
“If you could fix one thing about this experience, what would it be?”
Then shut up and listen.
Let them paint the picture — you just provide the frame.
Once they describe their pain in their own words, you have everything you need to guide them toward The Shift.
The Real Power of The Shift
The Shift is where trust is built.
It’s that space between frustration and relief — where the customer realizes you’re not there to sell them; you’re there to solve something.
When they feel that, they stop fighting.
They start opening up.
And that’s when the deal happens naturally — not because you “closed hard,” but because you helped them move forward.
The TASR Method: Finding Real Pain the Right Way
Ask why early. “What made you start thinking about this now?”
Listen for emotion, not excuses. Pain always hides behind logic.
Repeat what you heard. “So you’re tired of putting money into repairs?”
Acknowledge it. “I don’t blame you — that gets old fast.”
Paint the future. “Imagine never having to deal with that again — what would that feel like?”
That’s how you lead them through The Shift.
TASR Truth
“The Shift is where pain turns into progress.”
Stop creating pressure. Start creating clarity.
The pros don’t force decisions — they guide them.
When you help people see the cost of staying stuck, they’ll take the next step on their own.
You don’t sell change — you help people make it.
That’s The Shift.
Take Action. See Results.
