Is it really a surprise that attention matters?
Problem Statement: Sales meetings and processes throughout Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Thailand, are badly affected by a chronic decline in basic sales etiquette. The good news, it can be fixed.
As sales consultants, we understand the need to focus on making more calls, sending more emails, and learning to use more tools. However, we can’t help but notice, that in this day and age, people seem to be getting increasingly distracted, and perhaps, even more ‘rude’.
"People Seem to be Getting Increasingly Distracted, and Perhaps, Even More Rude"
We see it all the time: people turning away when we speak to them, distracted on their phones, laptops open during meetings, interrupting when it’s our turn to speak, talking too much, being noisy, trying to outshine others, or not doing the basics, like keeping agreements.
You might be thinking at this point, “I already know all this stuff”. You’re right, you may know it all indeed...yet it’s happening more and more. There is, however, a tremendous difference between knowing something and doing something. Hence, we implore you to keep on reading.
Let’s cut to the chase. There are a few things we can guarantee will make any sales professional—or, for that matter, a friend, family member, or member of the public—more influential, more respected, more liked, and more trusted.
The faster we can establish credibility, trust, and authority, the faster we will see results.
Results improve faster when conversations improve. Fully focused attention changes the quality of what buyers share with you, which, in turn, changes the direction and substance of the answers you give and decisions you make.
So, Where’s All the Attention Going?
In simple terms, it’s lost in small, habitual ways that often look harmless but add up to poor outcomes. Notifications in meetings. Brief glances away, vibrating phones, ding ding notifications,or typing during the meeting under the guise of ‘taking minutes’. You will lose connection and miss cues. Put the tech away. Multitasking. Jumping between proposal drafts, chat, and CRM notes creates errors and shallow thinking. Multitasking is a myth. Google it; there’s plenty of research that has confirmed this. It is physically impossible for the brain to do two things at once. Other research demonstrates that once distraction occurs, it can take a huge amount of time to regain focus, if at all. Answer reflex. Pitching too early replaces discovery with a monologue. We all love the sound of our own voices, but please – keep quiet until it’s your turn. Think 80/20. Meetings become easier when you learn that you don’t have to do all the talking and gap-filling, let the customer do it for you, and learn more. Quality over quantity. Target anxiety. Worrying about the end result, what will happen, what if it goes wrong,what if they say this, what if they say that. Relax, go through the journey, good or bad. What will be will be. Remember, you’re an expert. You’re a consultant and fixing THEIR problems. Calendar bloat. Low-value meetings. Coffee meetings. Lunches. Nonsense meetings to fill up unnecessarily long days. Following all the latest trends on social media and investing too much time into shiny new tech. Stick to the activities that work and have provided ROI in the past.
When a Seller is Fully Present, Five Outcomes Usually Follow:
1. YOU LEARN FASTER. Buyers feel safe to explain their true goals and internal concerns. You can then create proposals that precisely address what they really need.
2. YOU WILL FEEL ALIGNED. Customers will feel listened to. In 2025, this is a very RARE commodity. You can easily cut above 90% of the others by just showing a genuine, sincere interest in helping them.
3. YOU WILL GET FASTER COMMITMENTS. Meetings end with people being heard, understood, and appreciated. This results in trust, which then fosters commercial engagement.
4. YOU BECOME SOMEONE THEY CAN REFER. Calm, composed, and an expert appearance signals confidence and astute judgment. Modern buyers respond to brevity and clarity. When they trust you, they’ll recommend you to their friends.
5. DELIVERY BECOMES EASIER. Getting things right at the beginning avoids reworks, mistakes, unnecessary costs, and reputational damage.
What Clients Actually Experience When You Are Present
Buyers notice subtle signals that indicate if a seller is fully engaged.
QUESTIONS FOLLOW... One question follows from the last answer. The thread is easy to follow. What the seller says makes sense.
ACCURATE SUMMARIES... Sellers focus on value and outcomes. If there are risks or problems, the seller will repeat them so the buyer understands the consequences of taking or not taking action.
AGREEMENTS ARE KEPT...Do what you say you are going to do. Don’t have a meeting, say one thing, then do something else in the proposal. Keep your agreements.
BE FAST. Speed matters...A LOT. This doesn’t mean rush things out a mess or drive operations crazy. However, it does mean setting the client's expectations, providing clear timelines, and sticking to them.
Final thought
Most teams do not need another platform to sell better, or more people, or a more expensive VP. Of Sales.
They need fewer distractions and more disciplined attention in every step of the sale. When clients feel heard, discovery deepens, proposals match reality, and deals move with less friction.
Want to know how our consultants can help you in your organization? Contact us at sales@clydekensington.com for in-person Sales Training and Sales Consultancy. You can also try our FREE sales audit tool HERE for Sales Managers, and we even have an audit tool HERE for Sales Leaders.
Both will generate a free, personalized PDF report created just for you, showcasing your sales competencies and areas for improvement in sales or leadership competencies. Try it out and let us know what you think.
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