Think back to the last time you opened an email from a salesperson. Did it start with “I wanted to reach out…” or “We at Company X do…”?
Chances are, you tuned out before the second sentence.

That’s because too many founders (and small business owners) fall into the same trap: talking way too much about themselves, their product, and their passion—without earning the right for a stranger to care.

I get it. You’ve poured everything into creating your solution. Of course, you want to tell the world about it. But here’s the reality: buyers don’t wake up in the morning thinking about your product. They wake up thinking about their problems.

And when your emails, cold calls,  or LinkedIn messages are all “me, me, me”… you’re not selling—you’re wee-weeing all over your buyers.

Nobody likes being wee-wee’d on.

Ready to Put Buyer-First Sales Into Action?

Being a founder means wearing all the hats — but when it comes to sales, the stakes are higher than ever. Join me for this session where we’ll uncover the real strategies that turn your vision into paying customers.

Founder-Led Sales: The Truth Behind Startup Sales Success

September 11, 2025 @ 12pm ET
Seats are limited — secure yours now

🎯 Learn & Win: Every registrant is entered to win a signed copy of Buyer First + two 30-minute coaching sessions with me (a $1,500 value).
💡 Bonus for HSFS participants: Priority access to the October 12-week Buyer First Approach cohort for just $2,500 (regularly $7,500).

How to Stop Talking About Yourself and Start Getting Meetings

I love—the 1-10-100 rule:
1 → One clear call-to-action. Don’t overwhelm with multiple asks.
10 → Optimize the first ten words. Skip the “hope you’re well” fluff. Write something that makes them want to click “see more.”
100 → Keep it under 100 words. Short. Skimmable. Mobile-friendly.

And here’s the kicker: before you hit send, run your outreach through a simple test. Count how many times you use “I, me, my, our” versus “you, your.” If you’re talking about yourself more than the buyer, you’ve already lost them.

Why Founders Struggle

It’s not just passion—it’s also perfectionism.
I see founders agonize over the “perfect” email or script, stuffing in every feature and benefit. The result? Walls of text nobody reads. Buyers feel overwhelmed before you’ve even earned their attention.

Instead, shift your focus: what problem does your buyer care most about solving right now? What outcomes matter to them? That’s where your outreach should start.

Watch the Replay of my recent Livestream with Jaime Diglio and Leslie Venetz: Founder-Led Sales --what no one tells you

Buyer-First Sales in Action

When you finally get the meeting, the same rule applies. Stop leading with:
“Here’s what I’d like to cover today…”

Instead, try:
“We only have 30 minutes—I want to make sure this is valuable for you. What would you like to walk away with by the end of our time together?”

That simple switch takes you from a sales pitch to a sales conversation. It tells your buyer: This isn’t about me. It’s about you.

And when you consistently put buyers first—whether in an email, a call, or a proposal—you create the kind of trust that not only closes deals but earns renewals and referrals.

The Bottom Line

Sales isn’t about cramming your story into someone else’s inbox. It’s about helping buyers make sense of their challenges and showing them a path forward.

If you want to stand out in a world where AI can spit out features, benefits, and ROI claims all day long—your human advantage is context, insight, and empathy.

So stop wee-weeing on your buyers. Start talking about them. That’s how you get meetings, close deals, and build lasting customer relationships.

Your Turn:

Before you send your next email, count the “we’s” and “me’s.” Then rewrite it until it’s buyer-first. And share it with me in the comments below.