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Imagine this…
You walk into a doctor’s office, sit down, and start explaining your symptoms.
Before you’ve even finished, the doctor interrupts you. He scribbles something on a prescription pad, hand it to you, and say, “This should fix it.”
How would you feel?
Probably uneasy.
You might even think, “How can they know what I need if they didn’t even take the time to listen to me first?”.
Now, here’s the kicker. That’s exactly how your prospects feel when you jump straight into offering solutions without fully understanding their world.
In selling, this is what I call the “Expert Syndrome.”
It’s when your expertise, your years of experience, your ability to solve problems, becomes a liability. You hear a prospect’s problem, and your mind races to solve it.
You think, “I’ve seen this before. I know exactly what they need.”
But here’s the thing.
Your prospects aren’t judging you on your ability to solve their problem. They’re judging you on how deeply they feel you understand them.
Let that sink in for a moment.
The truth is, trust isn’t built by showing off your expertise.
It’s built by showing your prospects that you truly “get” them. That you understand their challenges, their fears, their frustrations, better than they understand them themselves.
And the only way to do that is to slow down.
Instead of jumping to solutions, focus on diagnosing. Ask questions. Dig deeper. Help your prospects uncover the root cause of their challenges.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re talking to a prospect who says, “We are looking to retire soon.” Your instinct might be to jump in with a solution. You might say, “We can help you with that. We have been creating retirement plans for years.”
But instead, try this. Pause. Then ask, “Can you tell me more about that? What’s been happening that’s triggered you to come in today?”.
As they answer, keep digging. “How long has this been on your mind?”, “Why now?”.
By asking these questions, you’re doing two things.
First, you’re helping your prospect gain clarity on their own situation. And second, you’re showing them that you care enough to understand their world.
This is the foundation of trust-based selling.
When you take the time to explore their world, to ask the right questions, to uncover the root cause of their challenges, to help them see the impact of not solving it, that’s when trust is built.
And trust is what moves the needle.
Here’s another layer to this. When you slow down and diagnose, you’re also helping your prospect see the bigger picture. Often, prospects come to you with surface-level problems.
They think they need more leads, or better marketing, or a new system. But those are just symptoms.
The real problem, the one that’s holding them back, is often buried deeper.
Your job is to help them uncover it.
And when you do, something powerful happens. Your prospects start to see you less as a commodity.
They see you as a trusted authority. Someone who isn’t just trying to sell them something, but someone who genuinely wants to help.
The next time you’re in a conversation with a prospect, resist the urge to prescribe.
Instead, focus on diagnosing. Because when your prospects feel understood, they’ll trust you to guide them -- and that’s when the real magic happens.
Related: Diagnose and Prosper: How the 'Doctor Approach' Can Revolutionize Your Advisory Practice
Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after high-net worth/lead generation expert for financial advisors. His newest book, “Trust In A Split Second” has become an instant best-seller among financial advisors worldwide – you can get a Free copy of Ari’s book here and, when you click the “YES” button in the order form, you’ll also receive a complimentary “plug up the holes” lead generation consultation. Ari has been featured in CEO Magazine, Forbes, INC Magazine and the Financial Review. He is considered a contrarian in the financial services industry and in his book, everything you learned about selling will be turned upside down. No more chasing, no pressure, no closing.