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The Art and Science of the Buyer First Approach - An Interview with Carole Mahoney

Picture of Nicholas Page   Nicholas Page  ·  2 minute read

Jakob Löwenbrand, CEO of Brightvision and host of Tech Marketing Trends, speaks with Carole Mahoney, a leading sales coach, keynote speaker, and author of Buyer First: Grow Your Business with Collaborative Selling. In this insightful conversation, Carole shares how neuroscience, mindset, and collaborative techniques can transform traditional sales into trust-based, buyer-centric conversations that drive better results—especially for SMBs, startups, and service businesses.

 

 

Why neuroscience says “stop talking”

Sales conversations often fail because sellers talk too much—and science explains why. Carole cites a Harvard study revealing that when people talk about themselves, their brains release dopamine, creating a “feel-good” loop that encourages more self-talk. While the seller feels great, the buyer disengages. Shifting the dynamic requires conscious effort to listen more, talk less, and lead with questions that center the buyer’s goals and pain points.

“The more we talk about ourselves, the more dopamine fires—so we feel great while the buyer tunes out.” - Carole Mahoney

 

 

Mindset before mechanics

Carole highlights a major gap in most sales methodologies: they focus on what to do, but not on what gets in the way of doing it. Even experienced reps sometimes “chicken out” in tough moments because of limiting beliefs—like needing approval or fear of rejection. Top performers, research shows, don’t necessarily have better tactics; they have better mindsets. Building emotional resilience, aligning goals with personal values, and practicing self-awareness enables salespeople to act boldly and ethically.

“Sales isn’t just a numbers game; it’s a mental game—master that and the hard actions follow.”

 

 

Practical buyer-first techniques

Carole shares tactical ways to build trust from the very first interaction. Before meetings, send a personal note asking what the buyer hopes to get from the conversation. On the call, open with rapport and frame the session around their goals. Questions should be open-ended, personalized, and insight-driven—not scripted. In outreach, use “you” language instead of “I,” and prioritize buyer relevance over product promotion.

“Lead every interaction with what the buyer wants to learn, not what you want to pitch.”

 

 

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Booking meetings without pitching yourself

Most outreach fails because it talks about the seller first. Carole flips the script: open with buyer context, industry insight, or a shared interest, then offer a low-pressure way to connect. For consultants or agency owners, invite a short call to get their perspective on something you're developing—this approach earns a response, not just a meeting. Multichannel sequences (email, LinkedIn, video) can be effective when each touchpoint respects the buyer’s time and goals.

“When we master the mental game, ask better questions, and make every interaction deliver progress for the buyer, sales stops feeling like persuasion and starts looking like real help—revenue rises as a by-product.”

 

 

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