Soco Sales Training

Soco Sales Training Official Page for SOCO/ Sales Training and sales expert Tom Abbott. For books, coaching, keynotes, t Sales training company based in Singapore.

18/06/2026

Hearing “I’m not interested” two seconds into a call isn’t always a real rejection.
Buyers often give a knee-jerk reaction just to protect their time.

It’s a natural instinct to say no to a stranger before even hearing the offer. To get a real conversation started, the goal is to lower the tension and help them move out of that defensive mode.

Opportunities are often hidden right behind those quick rejections. Dropping the “sales persona” and just talking to people like a normal human being can make all the difference.

Everyone loves a Relationship Builder. They are polite, they build great rapport, and they are genuinely well-liked by y...
17/06/2026

Everyone loves a Relationship Builder. They are polite, they build great rapport, and they are genuinely well-liked by your prospects. But being liked doesn’t always equal to getting a deal closed.

A major problem for many teams is that their “nice” reps are afraid to create friction. When a buyer says, “We’re happy with our current setup,” the Relationship Builder agrees to avoid awkwardness.

They end up as order-takers who get ghosted the moment pushback happens. On the other hand, a Challenger knows that true value comes from respectfully disrupting the status quo and teaching the buyer something new about their own business.

You don’t have to choose between being liked and being effective. We built Controller Selling to give experienced reps the confidence to command the sale. By mastering the ability to “teach, tailor, and take control,” your team moves from being vendors to becoming strategic partners that buyers actually value.

Give your team the edge they need to lead high-value deals. See how we can help: https://www.socoselling.com/advanced-selling-training/

Lowering your price just to stay ahead of a cheaper competitor might save the deal today, but it sets a dangerous preced...
16/06/2026

Lowering your price just to stay ahead of a cheaper competitor might save the deal today, but it sets a dangerous precedent for the future.

To successfully defend your pricing, you have to shift the conversation from price to value. Instead of pitching features, ask deeper questions to find out what’s actually costing your buyer money. When you show them you can solve their biggest business headache, the price tag matters a lot less.

We spent a few days working on this shift with a team in Abu Dhabi. This session wrapped up a global project we’ve been running across APAC, Europe, and the Middle East for a client in the industrial water treatment space.

Huge thanks to everyone involved for making it such a success!

It feels natural to think that being a “Relationship Builder” who gets along with everyone is the safest way to win a de...
15/06/2026

It feels natural to think that being a “Relationship Builder” who gets along with everyone is the safest way to win a deal.

However, staying too comfortable in that friendly zone can actually make it harder to handle real buyer pushback. Relationship builders are generous with their time and focus on building strong advocates, but they often struggle when it’s time to move the needle on a difficult conversation.

On the other hand, a “Challenger” isn’t afraid to have a different view of the world or engage in a healthy debate. They understand the customer’s business so deeply that they feel comfortable pushing them toward a better solution.

This willingness to challenge the status quo is often what helps a prospect see the true value in changing their current process.

Neither style is “wrong,” but relying only on being liked can leave you stuck when a buyer raises a tough objection. The most effective reps know when to lean into those Challenger traits to help their customers think differently.

Do you find yourself avoiding the “push” because you don’t want to ruin the rapport you’ve built?

Pick one deal this week where you’ve been playing it safe and try sharing a different perspective with that prospect to see how it changes the conversation.

Too many teams rely on qualifying deals based solely on budget, their contact person and urgency.Instead of only looking...
11/06/2026

Too many teams rely on qualifying deals based solely on budget, their contact person and urgency.

Instead of only looking at surface-level interest, dig deeper into things like hidden competitors, internal politics, or messy approval processes. To win consistently, teams have to stop guessing and start mapping out all of the steps it takes to get to a closed deal.

We spent an awesome day breaking down these concepts in Chicago. Travis, one of our SOCO® Certified™ Trainers, led an intensive 1-day in-person MEDDPICC workshop for over 20 sales professionals in the environmental services and water management industry.

Excited to see this team put these frameworks to work!

*Participant likenesses have been digitally altered to protect client privacy.

You had a great discovery call, the prospect seems interested, but the second they raise a concern about price or timing...
10/06/2026

You had a great discovery call, the prospect seems interested, but the second they raise a concern about price or timing, the conversation hits a wall.

It’s easy to feel confident in a sales meeting when the prospect is nodding along, but the real test happens the second they push back.

When you don’t have a reliable way to handle those moments, you end up sending those “just checking in” emails that never get a response. You’re not trying to be pushy, you’re just stuck because you don’t have the tools to uncover what’s actually holding them back. Without a system to navigate that friction, you’re essentially leaving your commission to chance.

SOCO Academy is designed to turn that hesitation into confidence. We teach you how to stop guessing and start using a clear, conversational framework to handle objections naturally. You’ll learn how to stop being an order-taker and start being the expert advisor your customers actually want to buy from.

Don’t leave your sales growth to luck. Get started with SOCO Academy here: https://www.socoselling.com/soco-academy-join-now/

09/06/2026

Your prospects aren’t looking for more information but for someone to help them make sense of it.

Buyers have already done their homework, and by the time they talk to a sales rep, they usually have plenty of data, feature lists, and research. Adding more “info” to their plate often just adds to the noise.

The real value you can provide is helping them connect the dots. A trusted advisor doesn’t just pitch, they help the customer navigate their options as objectively as possible.

When you help a buyer clear up the confusion, you stop being just another salesperson and start becoming a partner they actually want to work with.

It is incredibly hard not to get defensive the moment a prospect tells you “it is too expensive” or “we are happy with o...
09/06/2026

It is incredibly hard not to get defensive the moment a prospect tells you “it is too expensive” or “we are happy with our current setup.”

The real secret to handling pushback isn’t having a perfect rebuttal. If you don’t ask clarifying questions to confirm your understanding, you might end up solving a problem they don’t actually have.

By taking the time to listen and confirm their worry first, you earn the right to suggest a solution. It takes the pressure off the interaction because you aren’t fighting their logic, you are just aligning with their reality so you can move forward together.

Think about the last time a prospect told you your price was too high. Did you immediately justify the cost, or did you stop to ask what they were comparing it to?

Try using step three from this guide in your next call. Ask a clarifying question before you try to provide the answer.

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