Most people think great salespeople are born, not made. They believe a natural “closer” can magically turn any lead into a deal, and that referrals are the best way to grow a business.
But John “Small Mountain” Hill, bestselling author of Selling From Scratch, completely disagrees.
In this episode of the Garlic Marketing Show, John breaks down why most sales training is broken, the biggest mistakes founders make when hiring salespeople, and why bad CRM habits are quietly costing businesses thousands.
One of the biggest takeaways? If you don’t fix your sales process first, hiring a salesperson will only make things worse.
But before we proceed, don’t forget that this episode is brought to you by videocasestory.com. Click here if you need help collecting, crafting, and delivering customer stories.
Why Most Founders Hate Their Own Salespeople
Many business owners believe that hiring a “high-ticket closer” will solve all their sales problems. But John warns that this is a major mistake.
Sales isn’t about forcing people into deals. It’s about understanding their needs, aligning expectations, and ensuring they don’t churn after signing.
When founders hire a salesperson before fully understanding their own sales process, they run into the same problems over and over again: high churn, mismatched clients, and deals falling apart before the finish line. Instead of looking for a “rockstar closer,” businesses need to first fix their own qualification process and make sure they know exactly who their ideal clients are.
The Hidden Problem With Referrals
Every business loves referrals. They’re easy to close, they feel like free leads, and they make sales seem effortless.
But John explains why relying on referrals can actually hurt your business in the long run.
Referrals often come with unclear expectations. Clients assume they’ll get the same results as their referrer, even if their situation is completely different. And because they weren’t properly qualified, they sometimes turn out to be the wrong fit.
If a business is only growing through referrals, it’s a sign that the sales process might be broken. Sustainable growth comes from a repeatable system, not just word-of-mouth.
The Seven Reasons People Don’t Buy From You
John has seen the same objections come up in almost every deal. Most businesses think clients don’t buy because of price or timing, but in reality, there are deeper reasons prospects hesitate.
Some clients don’t believe they actually need the service. Others don’t see the value in paying for it. Sometimes they need internal approval but can’t convince the right decision-makers. And in many cases, they simply lose momentum and forget about the offer altogether.
Instead of trying to “handle objections” at the end of a sales call, businesses should address these concerns before they ever come up by structuring the conversation in a way that naturally builds trust.
The CRM Mistakes That Are Costing You Clients
One of John’s biggest frustrations is how many businesses fail to track lost deals.
Most teams are hyper-focused on new leads, but what about the ones that didn’t buy? Many of those potential clients were interested but got distracted, needed more time, or weren’t quite ready to pull the trigger. But because there’s no follow-up system in place, they end up forgotten.
Instead of constantly chasing new leads, businesses should focus on reactivating past conversations. Often, the difference between a lost deal and a closed one isn’t interest, it’s timing.
How Dr. Seuss Can Make You a Better Salesperson
In one of the most unexpected moments of the episode, Ian and John discuss how a Dr. Seuss book holds the secret to better sales.
What does a children’s book have to do with closing deals? It’s all about storytelling and clarity.
Great salespeople don’t convince; they guide. They help clients realize the solution on their own, instead of trying to force them into a decision.
Most sales problems aren’t about leads, they’re about process.
If a business is struggling to close deals, the solution isn’t to hire more salespeople. The real fix is to understand why prospects aren’t buying, improve qualification methods, and create a strong follow-up strategy.
Watch the full episode now, and make sure to leave any questions or comments you have about the episode.