Author: Carl Ingalls

Administrator for High Probability Selling Blog

Comparing HPS with Popular Sales Systems

You may have experience with sales approaches such as:

  • SPIN Selling
  • The Challenger Sale
  • Sandler Selling
  • MEDDIC / MEDDPICC
  • Solution Selling

Each offers its own structure, language, and way of thinking about selling. 

However, they all have one thing in common.  They all rely on managing the conversation to make the sale happen.

That’s where High Probability Selling stands apart.

We will talk about how HPS differs from other sales systems in this week’s Forum. 

We especially want to hear about your own experiences:

  • What have you used?
  • What have you noticed?
  • What is different?
  • What does that mean to you?

Topic:  Comparing HPS with Popular Sales Systems
Date:  Friday 8 May 2026
Time:  10:00 AM (USA Eastern Time)
Cost:  Your name and email.  No charge.

If you want to join the conversation, please register HERE.

Zoom instructions will be provided on your screen after you register.

The meeting will be recorded.  The recording will be available for sale on our website HERE after a few days.  If you attend the meeting in person, you will receive a discount coupon code to get the recording at no charge.

Should vs Could:  A Small Language Shift That Changed My Consulting Career

I’ve been working as a technical consultant to the paper industry for several decades.

Clients hired me because they saw me as a subject matter expert. They would often ask some version of:

“What should we do?”

And I usually answered exactly as they asked.

I told them what I thought they should do.

At the time, that felt completely appropriate. They were paying for expertise, and I believed expertise meant providing the answer.

But there was a problem.

On a very small number of occasions, clients chose not to follow my recommendations. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, I paid close attention. I’ve always had a strong desire to improve what I do, and I wanted to understand why that happened.

Eventually, I realized the issue wasn’t the client.

And it wasn’t the question they were asking.

The issue was that I had long been in the habit of telling people what they should do. Consulting simply gave that habit a professional setting.

Then I was exposed to a very different way of communicating through High Probability Selling.

One idea stood out immediately:

Offer choices. Don’t create pressure. Pressure creates resistance.

That led me to make one very small but very meaningful shift.

Instead of telling clients what they should do, I began laying out several things they could do.

I provided my opinions of the likely outcomes of each option as clearly as I could, based upon my own experience and judgment. I avoided expressing any preference for one option over another.

And then I asked:

“What do you want to do?”

That changed everything.

The client remained responsible for their decision.

I remained responsible for providing clear expertise and honest information.

Neither of us needed to control the other.

That shift from should to could made my consulting work better.

It also aligned perfectly with what both my clients and I actually wanted:

Clear technical advice.
Clear choices.
No unnecessary pressure.

Sometimes the most meaningful changes are remarkably small.

Sometimes it’s just one word.

Earlier today, Paul Bunn shared a short video from Daniel Pink that explores the difference between should and could in a way I found both clear and compelling.

I had already experienced the practical impact of that language shift in my consulting work, but his explanation helped me understand the distinction even more clearly.

If this idea resonates with you, the video is well worth watching.
“One Word that Will Change Your Life” by Daniel Pink

What Makes High Probability Selling So Uncomfortable?

What makes (or has made) HPS uncomfortable for you?

When you encountered High Probability Selling — learning about it or trying to apply it — what did you experience?  Did anything make you uncomfortable?  What was that?  Why did it make you feel that way?

We talked about it in a live forum meeting on Zoom.

Topic:  What Makes HPS So Uncomfortable?
Date:  Thursday 26 March 2026
Time:  1:00 PM (USA Eastern Time)
Cost:  Your name and email. No charge to attend.

The meeting was recorded.  The video recording is now available for sale on our website (here) for $25 USD.

Open vs. Closed Questions – What They Do to a Conversation

An open question is one that gives the other person the greatest latitude in how they can respond.  It leaves room for choice.  A closed question narrows that latitude and places more control with the person asking the question.  In selling, the difference matters because questions do more than gather information — they shape the emotional and decision-making space of the conversation.

A simple rule is to treat any yes/no question as a closed question, and any question that begins with how, why, what, or when as an open question. That’s ok as a general guideline, but there are very important exceptions.

For instance, “Is that something you want?” sounds like a closed question, but it leaves the other person entirely free.  There is no implied preference, no momentum to maintain, and no penalty for saying no.

“How’s that working for you?” sounds like an open question, but is most commonly used as criticism, pretending to be an invitation to reflect.  While many answers are technically possible, only a few feel safe.  In that way, the question reduces choice even as it appears to expand it.

What matters is not whether a question is technically open or closed, but where control resides.  Some questions give control to the other person.  Others quietly pull it back to the person asking.

So why does that happen?  Why do we sometimes try to narrow the other person’s choices, even when we know that pressure creates resistance and makes conversations feel unsafe?  In many cases, it has more to do with habit than with intent.

Restrictive questions often feel efficient.  They can seem like a way to move the conversation along or arrive at an answer more quickly.  The cost is that they also reduce the other person’s freedom to respond — sometimes without our realizing it.  We may also end up getting answers to the wrong questions, while a more open question could have led to something deeper and more useful.

Once you begin to notice what questions do to a conversation, you start hearing them differently — including your own.  The distinction becomes less about choosing the right kind of question and more about noticing where control is showing up.  Over time, that awareness changes the conversation on its own.  Questions begin to open because there is less need to manage the answer.  And the conversation becomes a place where clearer, more useful answers can emerge — naturally, and without force.

We explored this subject more deeply Thursday 22 January 2026 in a live and interactive conversation on Zoom.  The video recording of that conversation is available here ($25 USD).

We Are Suckers for the Appearance of Simplicity

Modern systems promise simplicity everywhere we look.
Fewer buttons.  Fewer choices.  Smarter defaults.
“Don’t worry — we know what you want.”

And we fall for it.

But what’s often called simple isn’t simpler.
It’s just less visible.

Instead of asking, systems decide.
Things happen that we didn’t choose.
Nothing feels complicated — until something goes wrong.

Then the work returns to us and becomes our problem:
figuring out what happened
and how to stop it from happening again.

The complexity never disappeared.
It just moved out of sight.

We accept this because we’re busy.  Overloaded.
Anything that promises to “just work” feels like relief.

But there’s a cost.

When understanding is removed along with effort,
control fades.
predictability fades.
trust fades.

Real simplicity doesn’t hide decisions.
It makes them clear.

Once you see the difference,
you see it everywhere.

Discussion: Am I Doing It Right? – Thu 4 Dec 2025

High Probability Selling Community Forum meeting on Zoom. Everyone who has an interest in High Probability Selling is invited.

Topic:  Am I Doing It Right?
Date:  Thursday 4 December 2025
Times:  9:30 AM and again at 6:30 PM (USA Eastern Time)
Cost:  No charge. No registration required.
Zoom Meeting:  Click on THIS LINK to join the meeting at the scheduled time. 
Meeting ID = 834 3679 3215
Passcode = 751935

Recording:  Both meetings will be recorded.  A link to both recordings will be emailed to everyone who attends either meeting, but only if we have your name and email address.

Pay What You Decide – A Flexible Pricing System

We are introducing a Pay What You Decide option for some HPS events. You choose how much to pay — and you do that for your own reasons.

For some of our upcoming High Probability Selling events, we are introducing a new flexible pricing option: Pay What You Decide.

We will describe the event (or product or service) as clearly as we can. After that, you choose what to pay. Any amount is acceptable, including zero.

Jacques Werth, the founder of High Probability Selling and coauthor of the book, often said:

“People buy in their own time, and for their own reasons.”

People choose how much to pay for many different reasons. Some are practical, some are personal, and some are simply how they feel in the moment. The choice, and the reasons behind that choice, belong entirely to the buyer.

Action Option:
You can see what our flexible pricing looks like here.
(Clicking the link will not add anything to your cart.)

We would love to hear your thoughts on this. Please add a comment to this post, so everyone can follow.

HPS Community Forum Meeting – It’s Not the Words; It’s the Intention — Thu 23 Oct 2025

Dear Readers,

You are invited to join this week’s High Probability Selling Community Forum meeting (it’s free):

It’s Not the Words; It’s the Intention Behind Them

In his article “Poison Words: The Top 6 Words that Sabotage Sales,” Jacques Werth, founder of High Probability Selling, described how certain words — like Interested, Help, Honestly, Just, Thank You, and Great — can create mistrust when used in traditional selling.

But as we’ll explore together, the real issue isn’t the words themselves — it’s the intention behind them and how we use them.
When we use words to influence or control, even harmless phrases can become “poison.”
When we speak truthfully and respectfully, even ordinary language can create a safe place for connection and trust to develop naturally.

We’ll talk about:

  • How intention shapes communication more than vocabulary
  • When some of those “poison words” might actually work with HPS
  • How to recognize and change subtle patterns in your language
  • How to de-militarize the language of sales and align words and metaphors with genuine respect

Two sessions will be offered this Thursday, October 23, 2025 (tomorrow):

  • 🕤 9:30 AM (USA Eastern) — hosted by Carl Ingalls
  • 🕡 6:30 PM (USA Eastern) — hosted by Paul Bunn

Each session will last one or two hours.  You’re welcome to attend either or both.  They will be different. 

Recordings.  Both sessions will be recorded.  Both recordings will be made available to everyone who attends either session (and provides a name plus email address).  If you are not sure that you will be able to attend, you may request the recordings in advance (by Thursday night at the latest). 

Join the Forum via Zoom: (it’s free, no need to register, just show up)
🔗 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83436793215?pwd=amFiMVorZDFWbmxpdnJCOUphVThlUT09
(Same link for both sessions.)

We look forward to another thoughtful and authentic conversation on the principles that make High Probability Selling work.

After the Zoom meetings, this post will be replaced by a summary of what was discussed and revealed in the meetings.

Feedback We Received About This Blog

A few days ago, we sent an email to most of the people who subscribe to the HPS Blog.  We asked questions about posting frequency, length of posts, type of content, style, and anything else.

The email was sent to 256 subscribers.  The reported open rate was 36%.  Several people took the time to respond.  Here’s what we learned:

Frequency

Opinions varied.  Some want a post every weekday, while others prefer just one per week.  Most readers seem comfortable with the current pace of 3–4 posts per week.

Length

A mix of lengths works best.  Short posts are easy to digest, but many readers also want the occasional longer or deeper article.

Content

Readers are most interested in clear, practical applications of HPS and concepts that they can use right away.  Comparisons with other sales methods should be minimal.  Case studies are welcome.

Style

Most responses indicate satisfaction with the current style.  A practical and informative tone is appreciated, with some readers valuing variety in approach.

Our Conclusions

  • We will continue posting at roughly 3–4 times per week, while keeping in mind that some readers prefer fewer, and some prefer more.
  • We will maintain a mix of short posts and occasionally publish longer pieces, especially case studies or deeper explorations.
  • We will stay with our current tone — clear, conversational, and useful.

Thank you to everyone who responded.  Your feedback helps us keep the HPS Blog relevant and valuable.

Why Hearing an Early “No” Is a Gift in Selling

In most sales training, “No” is treated like a problem.  Salespeople are taught to overcome objections, push past resistance, and keep trying until the prospect finally says yes.  The result is often stress, wasted time, and strained relationships.

High Probability Selling takes a completely different view.  In HPS, “No” is valuable information.  It is not rejection—it is simply clarity.  When a prospect says “No,” it means there is no high probability of a sale right now, and that allows us to move on without wasting more time or energy.

Why This Matters

Hearing “No” early in the conversation prevents us from chasing low-probability prospects.  It reduces the stress of long sales cycles filled with uncertainty.  Also, accepting the “No” immediately demonstrates respect:  prospects feel heard, because we are not trying to twist their “No” into a “Yes.”

For the salesperson, it frees up time to focus on better opportunities.  For the prospect, it makes the interaction feel clean and respectful, without pressure.

How “No” Leads to Better Yeses

By disqualifying quickly, we eliminate distractions and focus only on the people who actually want what we offer.  That creates a shorter, smoother path to sales that do happen.  These sales are stronger, stick longer, and are based on mutual trust and respect.

In High Probability Selling, “No” is not the end—it is the way we discover where the real opportunities are.  Each clear “No” moves us closer to the right “Yes.”

✅ In short: “No” is not our enemy in selling—it is one of our greatest allies.