Category: What We Believe In

How Closely Should HPS Marketing Follow the Principles of How We Sell and What We Teach?

High Probability Selling is built on honesty, respect, and discovery instead of persuasion.  Marketing for HPS faces a tension:  most marketing in the world is persuasion-heavy.  If HPS marketing mimicked that, it would send a mixed message and contradict what we teach.

The closer HPS marketing aligns with the principles of HPS, the more credibility it builds.  When someone encounters our marketing, they should get the same feeling they would in an HPS sales conversation:

  • Direct and objective.  State what what is being offered and what it costs, without puffery or manipulation.
  • Respectful.  Leave space for people to say “no” without pressure.
  • Focused on discovery.  Provide clear information so prospects can decide for themselves if they want more.
  • Balanced.  Mention benefits and detriments honestly, not just positives.

Marketing is not exactly the same as selling.  Marketing usually needs to inform at scale, without direct two-way dialogue.  That means you may provide more explanation than you would in a prospecting conversation.  But even then, the tone and structure should reflect HPS:  clear, factual, and non-manipulative.

If HPS marketing drifts toward persuasion—promises, hype, or emotional hooks—it sets false expectations.  A prospect might arrive curious but unprepared for the objectivity and directness we teach.  That gap creates resistance.  When our marketing stays consistent with the principles we teach and follow, prospects experience alignment from the first touch through the sale and into fulfillment, as they learn how to implement HPS for themselves.

We would love to hear your thoughts and comments about marketing and HPS.  Please leave a reply on this blog post, so others can join in the conversation.

What Do We Mean by Mindset?

We asked ChatGPT for its opinion on what is mindset, and here is what it gave us.

A mindset refers to a mental attitude or inclination, a particular way of thinking or approaching situations. It encompasses beliefs, assumptions, and attitudes that shape how individuals perceive and respond to the world around them. Mindsets can influence behavior, decision-making, and overall outlook on life, often determining one’s approach to challenges, opportunities, and relationships.

Not bad, in my opinion.

And here is something I (Carl Ingalls) put together on the topic a while ago, but haven’t published until now.

Mindset drives our thinking, actions, and reactions.  It affects how other people interact with us, whether consciously or unconsciously.  Furthermore, our mindset affects our ability to learn and apply High Probability Selling (HPS). 

Here are some of the elements of the HPS Mindset.

  • Principles and guidelines are conscious ideas of what to do and what not to do in specific situations. For example, if a prospect tells us that they do not want what we are offering, then we move on to the next prospect in our list, without trying to change anyone’s mind.
  • Concepts and beliefs are mostly conscious ideas of what we believe are true. For example, “Sales resistance is created by the salesperson when they try to get someone to buy.” Another example, “It is quicker and more effective to find someone who wants what you are selling, than to try to convince anyone who doesn’t.”
  • Attitudes and worldview and some beliefs are things that we don’t think about as much, but which can have a huge effect on our interactions with others. An attitude of acceptance and respect is more likely to lead to a good business relationship than a controlling attitude.
  • Language matters, because the words we choose affect our thinking and therefore our behavior, and sometimes in subtle (but important) ways. For instance, words like win, drive, steer, funnel, and pipeline can encourage a competitive or even manipulative attitude. Even thinking those words can have subtle effects.
  • Habits may be the most difficult to change, and especially the ones we don’t think about. For instance, many of us are habitual talkers, and that gets in the way of listening, which is so very important in HPS. Another habit is trying to help people who do not want our help.

We are in the process of putting together a workshop about the High Probability Selling Mindset. We will announce it here, so keep tuned.

As always, we would love to hear from you.

High Probability Selling Was Discovered, Not Made

Jacques Werth discovered what he later called High Probability Selling (HPS) by observing and documenting what hundreds of highly successful salespeople were doing.  He invented the name, and he invented a way of talking about it and teaching it, and he wrote the book, but he did not invent the method of selling.  It was already out there.  That’s where he found it.

I asked him why he used the phrase “Re-invents the Selling Process” on the cover of his book.  He told me that, at the time, lots of successful authors were saying things like that on their books and it seemed like a good idea.

In those days, Jacques tended to use conventional methods in marketing.  In later years, he moved toward marketing methods that were more compatible with his preferred selling method.

One of the things that distinguishes HPS from other selling methods is that it’s all about discovery—all the way through the entire process.  Discovering a sale, not making one happen.

I see High Probability Selling itself as something to be discovered, not controlled.  That is the way I prefer to work with it.  Learning, talking, and teaching.

Comments and questions are very welcome and appreciated.

 

What We Believe In – An Intro

This is an overview of the things we Believe In, the fundamental beliefs at the core of High Probability Selling, the things we stand for. Our best customers are the people who share our deepest beliefs.

by Jacques Werth and Carl Ingalls

This is an overview of the things we Believe In, the fundamental beliefs at the core of High Probability Selling, the things we stand for.  Our best customers are the people who share our deepest beliefs.

  • Everyone deserves dignity and self-respect.
  • Honesty really is the best policy.  It is the most reliable strategy for real success.  People who believe this strongly enough make it true.
  • There is abundance in the world, and you will find it if you know how to look.
  • Authenticity is about being what you believe in, not merely acting it out.
  • Success comes from providing value.  We define value as what other people want.
  • Observation overrules logic.  An idea does not have to be logical to be true.  Sometimes the things that work best don’t make sense at first.
  • It’s not magic.  Ordinary people can learn and copy what the most successful people do.  No special mysterious talents are required.

We thank Simon Sinek for his TED talk on How great leaders inspire action, which inspired us to feature “What We Believe In” as a category in this blog.

Jacques Werth and Carl Ingalls