How to sell without selling

Flip the script on sales: Building trust, breaking walls and putting the buyer first

Sales has a reputation problem, and Becc Holland, CEO of Flip the Script, is on a mission to fix it.

In this episode of “The Sidekick Life,” we sit down with Becc to unpack why buyers don’t trust sellers, how most sales training misses the mark and what it really takes to build trust in high-stakes decisions – like buying a franchise. What follows is less about “closing” and more about caring, diagnosing and protecting the buyer from making costly mistakes.

And honestly? It’s a conversation every entrepreneur, franchise advisor and sales professional needs to hear.

Sales isn’t about persuasion, it’s about protection

Becc calls out one of the biggest misconceptions in sales: the obsession with persuasion.

“Can I persuade them to buy? Can I convince them? Can you manipulate them? It’s just soft-pedal terms of all the same thing.”

Instead of trying to steer buyers toward a decision, Becc challenges sellers to stop focusing on their own goals and start focusing on what’s objectively true for the buyer.

Her philosophy is simple but powerful:

Sales should exist to protect buyers from making bad decisions, not pressure them into fast ones.

That mindset shift alone reframes everything from discovery calls to long-term trust.

Why buyers don’t trust sellers (and why that’s fair)

One of the most eye-opening stats is that “82% of buyers don’t want sellers involved at all.”

Why? Because buyers don’t trust seller agendas. They’ve been burned before.

Becc breaks trust down into three components:

1. Trust that you’re telling the truth

2. Trust in your agenda

3. Trust in your ability to recommend the right solution

Most sellers, fail at #2 almost immediately.

“The moment your agenda is to close, buyers feel it, and they put the walls up.”

Franchising surprise: The buyer has changed

Before working with Franchise Sidekick, Becc admits she had a very different picture of the franchise world. Older buyers, legacy income, end-of-career decisions.

But what surprised her most? “The biggest surprise was the buyer.”

Instead of retirees, she met:

• Young professionals leaving corporate jobs

• Parents with kids on the way

• People making high-risk, high-stakes decisions for their families

That realization raised the bar even higher.

“This isn’t someone who can afford to get it wrong. That makes what you do more valuable – and more dangerous if done poorly.”

Talking less, diagnosing more

One of Becc’s most actionable takeaways is refreshingly uncomfortable for sellers:

“On an intro call, the seller should be talking 10–15% of the time. Max.”

Let that sink in.

Great sales conversations aren’t built on clever scripts or objection handling, they’re built on diagnosis. The same way a doctor asks questions to uncover what a patient doesn’t see yet, sellers should be uncovering blind spots, misaligned expectations and hidden risks.

“Our expertise isn’t talking, it’s diagnosing.”

Like vs. trust: A critical difference

Another myth Becc dismantles is the idea that “people buy from people they like.”

“People don’t buy from people they like. They buy from people they trust, and those are not the same thing.”

Rapport isn’t built by commenting on a boat in the background or making small talk. Real trust comes from demonstrating:

• Deep buyer understanding

• Willingness to talk someone out of a decision

• Courage to lead with the hard truths first

At Franchise Sidekick, that philosophy hits home.

“The first thing I’m going to do is try to talk you out of it.”

Because misaligned expectations are the #1 reason people fail in franchising and access to honest information is the best way to reduce risk.

Sales, fear and the walls buyers build

Buyers aren’t guarded because they’re difficult, they’re guarded because they’re smart.

With reviews, referrals and online research, buyers now trust almost everything more than sellers.

“It’s not that buyers are wrong to put walls up. I’m proud of them for it.”

The job of a modern seller isn’t to tear walls down forcefully but to earn the right to step onto the buyer’s side.

Advice for entrepreneurs building sales teams

For founders and leaders building sales cultures from scratch, Becc’s advice is clear:

“Document everything you know about your buyer.”

Don’t assume new hires understand the buyer just because you do. Create a buyer resource guide. Teach your team how your buyer thinks, fears, decides and fails.

“If I were teaching someone to sell to a franchise buyer, I’d teach them what it’s like to be one.”

That knowledge – not charisma – is what creates credibility.

A moment that says it all

Becc closes the episode with a story that perfectly captures the impact of ethical, buyer-first selling. A woman approached her before a talk at HubSpot Inbound, eight months pregnant.

After years of financial stress, Becc’s training helped her go from bottom performer to top performer – enough to finally start a family.

“This baby exists because of your sales training.”

That’s the power of doing sales the right way.

Learn more from Becc Holland

If this episode resonated with you, Becc offers a massive library of free resources:

• 🌐 Flip the Script

• 🎓 Free Sales Training Hub with 200+ hours of content

Whether you’re in franchising, entrepreneurship or sales leadership, this episode is a reminder that the best sellers aren’t closers, they’re sidekicks.

Ready to explore franchise ownership with clarity and confidence?

Talk with a Franchise Sidekick Advisor and get a buyer-first, no-pressure conversation focused on your goals, your lifestyle and the right-fit options, so you can make a smart decision (or walk away) with total peace of mind.

Schedule your free call today.