Have you ever spotted a problem in your prospect’s business that they hadn’t noticed—and immediately jumped in with a great solution, only to watch the sale slip away?
If so, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common sales mistakes: diagnosing and prescribing before your prospect even knows they need help.
So, what does that have to do with seagulls?
Let me explain through a quick story.
The Seagull Story
There once was a little girl named Sally who loved art. One day, her teacher asked the class to paint a picture of the beach. Sally was thrilled. She went home, pulled out her paints, and created a colorful scene inspired by a special trip with her parents.
Her painting was heartfelt, full of memories, and just as she remembered it.
But when she got her picture back from the teacher, she noticed something: the teacher had added seagulls. “For balance,” the teacher said.
Sally was crushed.
Those seagulls weren’t in her memory. They didn’t belong in her story. And instead of feeling proud, she felt discouraged and dismissed.
Sales Lesson: Don’t Add Seagulls to Your Prospect’s Picture
As sales professionals, we often unintentionally “paint seagulls” into our prospect’s world—introducing problems they didn’t voice, pushing solutions they didn’t ask for, and disrupting the trust we’re trying to build.
Even if we’re technically right, we’re emotionally wrong.
How to Avoid “Seagull Selling”
Here are three ways to stop making this classic sales mistake:
1. Let the Prospect Discover the Seagulls Themselves
Your job isn’t to tell them what’s wrong. It’s to help them see what’s wrong. Guide them with questions that open their eyes.
2. Use Questions That Spark Curiosity and Ownership
Ask questions like:
“I don’t suppose talking about [X issue] would be valuable, would it?”
“You didn’t mention [X challenge]—is that something worth exploring?”
These gentle prompts allow your prospect to lead the conversation, rather than feel corrected.
3. Create a Safe Space for Discovery
Discovery requires vulnerability. If your prospect doesn’t feel emotionally safe, they’ll protect themselves with surface-level answers. Build rapport, show empathy, and avoid jumping in too soon with fixes.
Back to Sally’s Painting
Imagine if Sally’s teacher had asked, “Would you like to add any birds to your beach scene?” or “What do you think of adding something to the sky for balance?”
Sally would’ve felt respected, involved, and open to change.
That’s the difference between collaboration and correction.
In sales, respect your prospect’s picture. Help them reflect, not react. When they come to their own conclusions, the solution becomes theirs—and that’s when the real sales magic happens.
Bonus Sandler Resource:
Experiences like market uncertainty, volatility in the global economy, and inflation aren’t much fun for sales leaders – or anyone else. Yet it’s important to remember that even a downturn in the larger economy can spotlight new opportunities for growth and competitive advantage – if we know the right best practices and put them into action consistently.
Here are 11 essential best practices that will see you and your team through an industry shakeout, a spike in inflation, a recession, a global pandemic, or any other challenge that may show up on your horizon.
