Enough Already with "Sales is About Relationships"! Here's the REAL Key to WINNING Deals

Salespeople love to say that selling is all about relationships—but they’re wrong. In this episode, Kelly breaks down why trust, not just relationships, wins deals and what salespeople must do differently to stop losing on price.

For years, sales trainers have drilled the idea that "selling is all about relationships." But what if that’s not just misleading—it’s outright wrong? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs dismantles one of the most overused and abused concepts in sales: the relationship myth.

Yes, relationships matter—but they’re not what closes deals. Trust is. Kelly explains why most salespeople confuse rapport with real relationships and why being “liked” isn’t enough. If you’re still relying on small talk and common interests to build relationships, you’re already losing.

What actually creates trust? Kelly lays out a proven approach to building credibility and expertise in sales conversations. He reveals why most salespeople fail—they jump straight to pitching without first establishing real value. You’ll learn how to flip the script and make your conversations about the customer, not about you.

Plus, Kelly shares the biggest trust-killers in sales, why most managers avoid addressing underperformance, and the simple mindset shift that will change how you sell forever. If you’re tired of losing deals on price, this episode is a must-listen.

  Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. 

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. 

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019. 

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson