The "I'm Confused" Email

There’s some popular sales advice that goes something like this.

Quantify the cost of doing nothing.

Then, if the buyer decides not to move forward or ghost you, send an email laying out the facts, logic, and math showing why their decision doesn’t make sense.

Something like:

“I’m confused. You mentioned this problem is costing you $500K a year. We agreed solving it was a priority.”

Imagine telling someone who smokes all the reasons they should quit.

The health risks. The money. The years they’re shaving off their life.

They probably know.

And yet, they’re still smoking.

Because knowing something and being ready to do something about it are two different things.

Same with buyers.

Maybe they’re worried about implementation. Internal politics. Their job. Or they’re just exhausted from juggling 47 other priorities.

And they know we have a vested interest in changing their minds.

So another spreadsheet explaining why they’re wrong probably isn’t going to make us their favorite person.

What if we switched from persuasion mode to understanding mode?

Instead of the “I’m confused” email, try:

“Have we hit a speed bump with procurement?”

Now we’re offering an educated guess they can correct.

No courtroom cross-examination. No defending their decision.

Sometimes the most persuasive thing we can do is stop trying to persuade.