The first meeting can make or break a sale. Discovery-style meetings – where salespeople focus on gathering data – often fail to deliver meaningful value. Instead, Lee Salz introduces the consultation mindset, where sales professionals lead with insight, empathy, and emotion to create momentum from the very first conversation. 

Lee Salz is one of the world’s leading voices in sales differentiation. As founder of Sales Architects, he helps companies design sales strategies that win more deals at higher prices. Lee shares frameworks for empathetic expertise, consultation cliffhangers, and how to systemise a first-meeting process that transforms the sales experience and strengthens long-term relationships. 

Takeaways 
The first meeting determines whether a deal gains traction or fades away completely. 
Salespeople must shift from discovery to consultation to deliver real, meaningful value early. 
A consultation mindset focuses on insight and leadership, not interrogation through endless questions. 
Empathetic expertise creates emotional connection, helping buyers feel genuinely understood and supported. 
Stories outperform features and benefits by engaging emotion and improving message retention. 
Consultation cliffhangers build curiosity and momentum, ensuring buyers want a second meeting. 
Recap emails written in the buyer’s language reinforce understanding and trust. 
A strong sales process – not just strong salespeople – creates scalable, consistent success. 

Follow Lee Salz 
https://salesarchitects.com/  
https://www.assessmysales.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LeeBSalz
https://x.com/salesarchitects
https://www.instagram.com/theleesalz/
https://www.youtube.com/@theleesalz/videos 

Lee’s books 
The First Meeting Differentiator: Transforming Sales-Focused Discovery Into Client-Centric Consultations https://amzn.to/405ZtBn
Sales Differentiation: 19 Powerful Strategies to Win More Deals at the Prices You Want https://amzn.to/4ecBINZ
Sell Different!: All New Sales Differentiation Strategies to Outsmart, Outmaneuver, and Outsell the Competition https://amzn.to/4e0kGT4 

Books recommended 
Selling From The Heart by Larry Levine https://amzn.asia/d/f83bQw6
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners 

Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/ 

Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/

Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster. 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life) 

Follow me: 
on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles
on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth 

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The first meeting can make or break a sale. Discovery-style meetings &ndash; where salespeople focus on gathering data &ndash; often fail to deliver meaningful value. Instead, Lee Salz introduces the consultation mindset, where sales professionals lead with insight, empathy, and emotion to create momentum from the very first conversation.&nbsp;
Lee Salz is one of the world&rsquo;s leading voices in sales differentiation. As founder of Sales Architects, he helps companies design sales strategies that win more deals at higher prices. Lee shares frameworks for empathetic expertise, consultation cliffhangers, and how to systemise a first-meeting process that transforms the sales experience and strengthens long-term relationships.&nbsp;
Takeaways&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>The first meeting determines whether a deal gains traction or fades away completely.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Salespeople must shift from discovery to consultation to deliver real, meaningful value early.&nbsp;</li>
<li>A consultation mindset focuses on insight and leadership, not interrogation through endless questions.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Empathetic expertise creates emotional connection, helping buyers feel genuinely understood and supported.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Stories outperform features and benefits by engaging emotion and improving message retention.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Consultation cliffhangers build curiosity and momentum, ensuring buyers want a second meeting.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Recap emails written in the buyer&rsquo;s language reinforce understanding and trust.&nbsp;</li>
<li>A strong sales process &ndash; not just strong salespeople &ndash; creates scalable, consistent success.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Follow Lee Salz <a href="https://salesarchitects.com/">https://salesarchitects.com/</a> &nbsp; <a href="https://www.assessmysales.com/">https://www.assessmysales.com/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeeBSalz">https://www.facebook.com/LeeBSalz</a> <a href="https://x.com/salesarchitects">https://x.com/salesarchitects</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theleesalz/">https://www.instagram.com/theleesalz/</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theleesalz/videos">https://www.youtube.com/@theleesalz/videos</a>&nbsp;
Lee&rsquo;s books The First Meeting Differentiator: Transforming Sales-Focused Discovery Into Client-Centric Consultations <a href="https://amzn.to/405ZtBn">https://amzn.to/405ZtBn</a> Sales Differentiation: 19 Powerful Strategies to Win More Deals at the Prices You Want&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/4ecBINZ">https://amzn.to/4ecBINZ</a> Sell Different!: All New Sales Differentiation Strategies to Outsmart, Outmaneuver, and Outsell the Competition <a href="https://amzn.to/4e0kGT4">https://amzn.to/4e0kGT4</a>&nbsp;
Books recommended Selling From The Heart by Larry Levine <a href="https://amzn.asia/d/f83bQw6">https://amzn.asia/d/f83bQw6</a> Watch the episode on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners">https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners</a>&nbsp;
Newsletter &ndash; each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/</a>&nbsp;
Books &ndash; Learn more about our books&nbsp;<a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/</a> <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/made-to-thrive/"> Made to Thrive:</a> The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded/">Onboarded:&nbsp;</a>How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process. <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded-for-managers-book/">Onboarded for Managers:</a> Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster.&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/bigger-isnt-better/">Bigger isn&rsquo;t Better, Better is Better:</a>&nbsp;Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)&nbsp;
Follow me: on <a href="https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles">https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth">https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth</a>&nbsp;
Enjoying the show? Leave a review

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.

The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.
The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

The Evolution Partners

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.

We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.
We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.

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