In the 2000 film What Women Want, Mel Gibson played a smooth-talking ad exec who thought he knew everything about women…
That is until an accident gives him a strange new power.
He could read women’s minds.
At first, he was overwhelmed.
Then, he began using his new power (although not always for the best)
Regardless, as a result of this power, he ends up being a better seller.
Because he’s always two steps ahead of the game, with his ability to read women’s minds, and give them exactly what they want.
And that’s essentially the entire game in sales.
Not pitching harder. Not talking faster.
Not throwing more features at the wall and hoping something sticks.
It’s about tuning in to what your buyer is really thinking.
Not just what they say out loud… but what they don’t.
Think about how most salespeople operate:
They talk about their product.
They rehearse a pitch.
They aim to “overcome objections.”
They try to win.
But all of that is rooted in what you want.
Your target.
Your agenda.
Your commission.
Your close.
And that’s exactly why so many deals stall.
No buyer is thinking about your priorities. Because they’re consumed by theirs.
“Will this make my life easier?”
“Is this going to backfire and make me look bad?”
“Do I even like this person?”
“What if we make this decision and it doesn’t work?”
In What Women Want, Mel Gibson didn’t change who he was, he just changed how he showed up.
He responded with empathy. He anticipated needs. He removed friction. He stopped guessing and started connecting.
Now he didn’t always do these in good faith, he had his own hidden agendas. But the point is, he was able to win because he gained a power, which gave him the ability to give women exactly what they wanted.
And that’s what you need to do as well.
You need to get inside your buyer’s mind, and give them what they want.
And here are three simple ways to start:
1. Stop listening for answers, start listening for clues.
Most salespeople listen to respond. The best listen to understand.
When a prospect says, “We’re happy with our current setup,” most reps try to overcome that.
But a better question is:
“What’s working so well for you right now?”
Their answers might reveal gaps they weren’t even thinking about. But you won’t find those gaps if you’re too busy trying to push past them.
2. Tune in to what’s not being said.
The words are only part of the message.
Buyers show you how they feel, through tone, timing, and body language.
- A long pause before they answer? Uncertainty.
- Folded arms or glancing at a phone? Disengaged.
- Repeating phrases like “just exploring”? Defensive.
You don’t need to be a mind-reader, just a focused observer.
3. React to them, not your script.
Mel Gibson didn’t hear a woman think, “I’m scared to speak up in meetings,” and respond with, “Well, let me tell you about our new product line, then.”
He reacted like a human.
He adjusted.
He showed empathy.
He made space for real connection.
In sales, that might mean slowing down your pitch. Asking more questions. Or just saying:
“Can I ask, what’s making you hesitate?”
Getting inside your buyer’s mind isn’t magic.
It’s just good sales.
You need to tune their world and react with intelligence and care.
Just like Mel Gibson, the moment you stop selling and start understanding, everything changes:
- Your meetings feel more like conversations.
- Your prospects feel seen, heard, and understood.
- Your close rate? That starts to shift too.
Because people don’t buy the best pitch.
They buy from the person who “gets” them.
So here’s your challenge for next week:
In every sales call, try to hear what isn’t being said.
Pay attention to the hesitation, the tone, the energy.
And ask yourself:
What does this person really want?
What are they afraid of?
Where are they holding back?
You may not have Mel Gibson’s powers.
But if you slow down and listen the right way, you’ll be amazed at what you start to hear.
Remember:
The best salespeople don’t push their agenda.
They get curious about their buyers.
