Episode Details

Stop wasting time on deals that will never close. Jonathan B. Smith (JBS), expert EOS implementer trained by Chris Voss, reveals the most effective question in sales negotiation: Proof of Life.

Are you being played for a fool? Are you just another bid, or are they actually going to consider you as a serious player for this business?

So many entrepreneurs say "we're going to get it, we're going to get it, we're going to get it"—then they don't get the deal.

THE PROOF OF LIFE QUESTION:

"Of all the people in the world that you could choose from, how did you decide to call me?"

Get them to start providing you the reason and rationale why they called you.

PROOF OF LIFE (You're a Serious Player):

If they provide lots of details:

• "You're the best at this"
• "We got referred in"
• "We need the specific product you have"

This is proof of life. They're genuinely considering you.

NOT PROOF OF LIFE (You're Just Another Bid):

If you get:

• "We have to have three bids"
• "You were in our system"
• "You were in our purchasing system"
• "We were hoping you could give us a bid on red staplers"

That's NOT proof of life. You're just filling their quota.

WHY IT'S CALLED PROOF OF LIFE:

We want to know if the hostages are dead or alive.

Are you being played for the fool in the negotiation?

This is one of the more advanced skills in Fight Less, Win More—but it's critical for sales.

THE SALES REALITY:

Stop chasing deals where you're just another bid.

Use Proof of Life early to qualify whether you're actually in the running or just helping them meet procurement requirements.

Save your time. Focus on