Many reps are still opening sales conversations with some version of: “Here’s what we do… do you need any of it?”

When the prospect says they’re happy with their current vendor, the rep adds the cherry on top: “If you ever need help with any of (insert long list of products or services), I’d be happy to help.”

These reps are always surprised when they find out that same prospect (or even a customer) bought something from someone else that they could have provided. When they ask why, they almost always hear: “I forgot you did that.”

Their pitch didn’t stick.

The problem isn’t the pitch. It’s that there was nothing for it to attach to.

Great reps use what I like to call a locking mechanism. They don’t lead with what they do. They find something—anything—in the conversation to lock their value to:

– A problem

– A frustration

– Even a “we’re happy with our current vendor.”

Because “we’re happy” doesn’t mean “there’s no opportunity.” It usually means: It’s been a while since anyone challenged the status quo.

Instead of backing off, great reps connect their value to that reality.

Here’s an example:

“I’m glad you like your current vendor—we love it when our clients are happy with us too. What we’ve noticed, though, is that when companies work with the same provider for a long time, things can slip into autopilot and become more reactive than proactive. We take a different approach—we meet with our clients regularly to discuss what we’re seeing in the market and how it could affect their results. We use these sessions to share best practices and brainstorm new ideas so that our clients keep improving results, not just maintaining them.”

Now the value isn’t floating out there. It’s anchored to something the prospect already recognizes—or just realized they should.

That’s what makes it memorable. If your message isn’t sticking, don’t rewrite the pitch.

Find something to lock it to.