Be Interested, Not Interesting in Post‑Sales Calls

Why “be interested, not interesting” transforms post‑sales

Being interested, not interesting in post‑sales means you focus less on talking about your product and more on asking questions that uncover how things really work for the client. That shift reduces defensiveness, exposes hidden fears like job security, and gives you the information you need to protect adoption, renewals, and expansion.

In the source conversation, the group kept running into the same pain point: customers who slow down adoption. One champion hoarded all the work in the software because she feared losing relevance if others used it. Another ran meetings herself and derailed implementation. Those are not product problems; they are people and safety problems.

Research on behavioral styles in sales shows that when you adapt how you communicate, you get more honest answers and faster decisions. Sandler’s own work on DISC points out that reps who “speak three more behavioral languages” connect with more prospects and move more opportunities forward. When people feel understood, they stop hiding the truth behind polite phrases like “They just love spreadsheets.”

That’s why post‑sales conversations must start from curiosity. Instead of thinking, “How do I convince them to use the tool the way we designed it?” think, “What would I ask if my only job was to understand their world?” That mindset leads you naturally into better questions, calmer conversations, and stronger renewal stories.

Use WHAT and HOW questions to uncover the client’s truth

WHAT and HOW questions help you get to the client’s truth without putting them on the defensive. They replace “Who, when, where, why” questions that often feel like blame, deadlines, or interrogation and shut people down just when you need them to open up.

From childhood most of us learned to brace when we heard:

• “Who…?” – Someone is in trouble.
• “When…?” – A deadline is coming.
• “Why…?” – You did something wrong.
• “Where…?” – You’re being checked up on.

You can ask for the same information with a very different emotional impact:

• Instead of “Why isn’t the team using the system?” ask, “What is the team using today that feels safer than the new system?”
• Instead of “When will you roll this out to others?” ask, “How are you thinking about bringing the rest of the team into the tool?”

In the transcript, the coach suggested questions for the gatekeeping champion like:

• “How are you feeling about having to do all this entry for everyone?”
• “What’s the plan for taking some of this workload off you and letting others do their part?”

Both invite honesty about workload and fear without accusing her of blocking progress. This matters because, as he put it, “Asking questions gets you information. Information gives you leverage. Leverage lets you create better solutions and outcomes.”

A practical way to improve fast is to write your questions before the call. Draft them using your natural language, then:

1. Cross out “who, when, where, why.”
2. Rewrite each as a WHAT or HOW question.
3. Keep the list visible on your screen during the Zoom call.

This simple rewrite increases the odds that:

• The client talks more.
• You get real impact data (cost per week, risk to renewal).
• You avoid the “email of shame” when you forget to ask something important.

Adapt questions to DISC styles so customers feel understood

Using DISC styles in post‑sales means you keep asking questions, but you change how you ask them so they land in the client’s preferred language. That makes conversations shorter, less stressful, and more productive because people feel “got” instead of judged or steamrolled.

DISC describes four main behavioral styles:

• D – Dominance: wants control and fast results.
• I – Influence: wants connection, stories, and fun.
• S – Steadiness: wants stability and harmony for the team.
• C – Conscientiousness: wants data, detail, and accuracy.

Authoritative overviews of DISC in customer work, like Sandler’s customer communication guide, report that teams who adapt to these styles see measurable improvements in communication effectiveness and even double‑digit sales gains.

Here’s how that plays out in post‑sales:

• With a high D champion who tends to hijack the agenda, send the agenda 24 hours before and ask, “What would you add or change?” Then you still control the order. During the call, keep questions short and outcome‑focused: “What result do you most need from today’s session?”
• With a high I champion, ask for stories: “How did the last rollout go? What happened?” Let them talk; you listen for facts inside the story.
• With a high S, focus on the team: “How is the team feeling about this change?” or “What worries you most about how this impacts everyone?”
• With a high C, tighten your questions and bring proof: “What specific data would you need to feel confident expanding usage?” Then follow with examples, screenshots, and numbers.

You can prepare by quickly guessing someone’s DISC style from their emails, LinkedIn profile, or tools like Crystal (which estimates styles with around 80–85% accuracy). Then you tune your questions to their style before you ever log into Zoom.

Over time, this habit builds trust. People remember about 10% of what you say and 90% of how you made them feel. When your questions match their style, they feel respected—and that makes them far more willing to share the truth about adoption risk, internal politics, and budget.

Handle tough client questions without losing trust

You can keep control of conversations and still be interested by answering questions with questions—a technique often called reversing. Used well, it stops you from guessing, avoids foot‑in‑mouth moments, and sends a powerful message: “I care enough to understand before I respond.”

Take a common post‑sales gut‑punch: “When is this feature coming?” Many teams answer, “I’ll check with product and get you a ballpark,” which gives no context and leaves the customer feeling brushed off.

Instead, you might say:

1. “That’s a great question—thanks for asking. On a 1–10 scale, how important is this to your business?”
2. “How is not having it today affecting your team’s day‑to‑day work?”
3. “What do you think it’s costing you each week in time or money?”

Now you know whether this is an annoyance (a 3) or a renewal‑risk (a 9), and you can speak honestly about expectations:

• “You’re the first customer to ask for this. I’ll take it to our product team and advocate for it, but based on similar requests it has taken up to seven months. Would you be willing to be an early tester if we can get it on the roadmap?”

This approach mirrors guidance from Sandler‑style coaching and aligns with broader best practices in customer success: getting clear impact data before committing. It also gives you better material when you talk to your own product org—real dollar impact, renewal timing, and emotional temperature, not just “customer wants X.”

You can apply the same structure to deflection and control issues:

• With a champion who derails calls, open with, “I have a problem, and I need your help. I want to make sure we hit your goals for this rollout. What would you like to see us accomplish first today, and how about we park other items for the end if there’s time?”
• When they jump ahead, use, “We can certainly talk about that, but first let’s finish this piece so your team has a clear next step.”

Being interested in this way never means being passive. It means you control the process by controlling the questions—so clients feel heard, you feel prepared, and your post‑sales calls actually move adoption, usage, and renewals forward.