In today’s edition, we’re diving into what I call the hidden 10% – the subtle things most salespeople overlook that actually tip deals in your favour. It’s not always the product or its price; instead, it’s often the small things that count.
Let’s unpack how you can use the Hidden 10% to win more sales, even if you’re not the cheapest.
magine dining at a table with a tablecloth… and dining at one without it.
The tablecloth isn’t essential to the meal.
But it changes the experience.
A table with a cloth feels cared for. It signals attention to detail. It feels like someone thought about your experience. It tells you: this matters.
A bare table? It feels a little rushed. Forgettable. Unconsidered.
The tablecloth is a small thing. But it makes a big difference.
And this is exactly what happens in sales.
Most salespeople present the meal: the product, the price, the features.
But they forget the tablecloth (the hidden 10%), which are the small, emotional signals that make people want to buy from you.
What is the “Hidden 10%”?
The hidden 10% is the extra layer most people miss. It’s not in your product sheet or your proposal. It’s how you make people feel when they buy from you.
The Hidden 10% are things like:
- Showing real passion and belief in what you’re selling
- Staying calm and composed under pressure
- Listening deeply and making the prospect feel heard
- Demonstrating empathy and understanding their world
- Creating a human connection that makes them trust you
When you do this, buyers want to work with you, even if you’re not the cheapest option.
They feel safer.
They feel understood.
They feel like you care about their success.
And that’s the thing most salespeople miss.
They think price wins the deal.
But it’s the “hidden 10%” that often tips it in your favour.
How to Build Your Hidden 10%
Here’s how you can develop this in your sales approach:
- Show up with passion: Believe in your offer. It’s contagious. If you wouldn’t buy from you, why would they?
- Stay calm and human: Don’t oversell. Don’t panic. Hold yourself with quiet confidence. People buy from those who make them feel secure.
- Listen like it matters: Stop waiting to speak. Really listen. Pause. Ask layered questions. Prospects will notice.
- Practice empathy: Put yourself in their shoes. Acknowledge their worries, not just their goals.
- Detach from the outcome: When you stop sounding desperate to close, you create a safer space for buyers to choose you.
Over time, you’ll find this will have a certain effect on your prospects.
- It makes buyers feel seen and understood.
- It builds trust beyond price.
- It creates emotional safety – people buy from those who calm their fears.
- It differentiates you in a world of transactional selling.
So next time you’re in a sales conversation, don’t just serve the meal. Lay the tablecloth.
Do the small things that show you care.
The passion. The calm. The empathy. The human connection.
Because the hidden 10% is where deals are won.
