By Rickard

If you’ve ever sold something (a membership, a coaching program, a service), you know this:
Sales isn’t about being slick. It’s about being prepared, real, and committed to helping someone win.

I’ve done over 2,000 consultations. I’ve closed deals, lost deals, messed up a few, and learned a lot.
These five lessons didn’t just help me get better, they helped me reach a 87% closing rate on leads that come through ads or other colder sources.
That’s not warm word-of-mouth. That’s strangers showing up and still saying yes.

Here’s what got me there:

1. Preparation Beats Charisma

It blows my mind how many people just show up without doing the basics.

Here’s what I mean:

• Know your lead
  Do two minutes of research. Seriously. Check their name, what they do, maybe where they’re from. That gives you connection points right away.
• Know your place
  Is your gym or office tidy? Are your clothes clean? Do you look like someone who respects details? If not, you’re already playing from behind.
• Know your product
  This one really gets me. Every time I go to Mediamarkt, I walk out thinking, “Did I just learn more than the staff?”
  It’s stressful.
  If someone there would just ask me how often I use the item, what I actually need it for, and then match me with the best value, I’d feel like I got real help.
  That’s what your client wants too. Not information overload, but confident guidance based on their needs.
• Know what to say
  Your words matter.
  Avoid simple negative words like “don’t”, “bad” or “worse”
  People want certainty.
  Say, “Here’s what we’ll do” or “This is what I recommend based on what you told me.”
• Know your weakest skill
  I used to talk too much and interrupt. So I practiced listening. Now I coach others to do the same.
  Pick one thing and train it daily. Just like in the gym.

2. Be Helpful (Even If They Don’t Buy)

Your job is not to close every lead.
Your job is to help the person in front of you. (When selling coaching in fitness 98% actually need the help, but sometimes there are som bad apples and sometimes it people that need other help than I could offer)

If your product isn’t the best fit, tell them. Guide them to something better. That honesty builds trust. And people remember it.

Some of the best referrals I’ve gotten came from people who never signed up themselves. But I helped them. And that was enough.

3. The Sale Is Just the Start

A signed contract or new member isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.

Check in with people. Ask how they’re doing. Help them get results.
That’s where real growth happens. Not just for the client, but for your business.

If someone’s excited, ask for a referral. Say,
“Who else in your world would benefit from this?”
Simple. Honest. Effective.

4. Always Be Prospecting

If you only prospect when things get quiet, it’s already too late.

Every day, you need to put something out into the world. A message. A conversation. A helpful post. A DM.

The people who win are the ones who build trust every day, even in small ways. Or just writing a blog like this.

Even when I’m busy, I try to do one small thing that keeps the pipeline moving.

5. Have Fun

Sales isn’t pressure. It’s energy.
And energy is contagious.

If you enjoy the conversation, the person on the other side will too.
People buy from people who feel real, confident, and engaged.

Don’t fake it. Just care more, smile more, and be present.

Some extras

Sales isn’t a trick. It’s not about pushing.
It’s about helping. It’s coaching.
When done well, it creates freedom, impact, and trust.

And it’s one of the most valuable skill anyone can learn (if they train). It makes you irreplaceable in any company. You will never have a problem moving forward in life no matter what happens in the world, because the skill is universal.

3 Quick Questions

1. Which of the five lessons do you still need to level up?
2. What would change if you treated every sales call like a coaching call?
3. What’s one sales habit you could commit to daily for 30 days?

/ Rickard

I’ve had a lot of conversations with business owners about how to grow their businesses, and it’s always interesting to see what they focus on.

Some people dive straight into complex marketing strategies, yet completely ignore the basics that actually bring in leads.

The Enthusiastic Business Owner Who Lost His Leads

A while ago, I talked to a business owner who ran a bike rental business in a tourist-heavy city. At first, business was great—walk-in customers, tourists looking for a quick and fun way to explore the city, and partnerships with a few local hotels kept the rentals moving.

But after the peak season ended, reality hit: Where do the next customers come from?

At first, he was getting rentals from foot traffic and hotel referrals, but beyond that, he had no structured referral system, no lead capture, and no way to re-engage past customers.

I am not an expert in the tourism industry, but the fundamentals of lead generation are the same in every business.

• Define the ideal client. Are you targeting solo travelers, families, or corporate outings? Which group is most profitable?
• Make their experience unforgettable, so they naturally refer others.
• Think of it like a marathon race—people love reliving their best experiences. Take high-quality photos of customers riding in scenic spots and send them afterward, so they share them online. This turns them into free marketing.
• If you want a faster reach, work with local influencers or travel blogs to promote your service to the right audience.

But no matter how you approach marketing, the basics never change:

✔ Track every step of the funnel. If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
✔ Have systems in place. Leads should never be lost because there was no follow-up.
✔ Start from your closest circle of influence. Work up a referral system before scaling.

Most Business Owners Ignore the Easiest Lead-Generating Actions

1. They don’t capture lead details properly.

• No CRM, no organized system—just scattered notes, lost numbers, and missed opportunities.
• Even a spreadsheet is fine, as long as it’s used, updated, and tracks the point of contact.

2. They don’t ask for referrals.

• Your friends, neighbors, and current clients are your best lead sources.
• If someone loves your service, they know someone else who would too—but you have to ask.

3. They don’t post and share their own content.

• If you’re not talking about your business, why would anyone else?
• A simple story, a case study, or a customer success story is enough to bring new interest.

4. They don’t follow up properly.

• A lead comes in, and instead of reaching out fast, they let it sit.
• Speed matters, the first business to respond usually wins.

5. They don’t track what actually works.

• If you’re not measuring how many leads convert, you’re just guessing.
• Every step in the funnel should have clear data to track its success.

“Instead of Being Smart, Be Clear”

My friend Colm always says:
“Instead of being smart, be clear.”

This is where most small business owners overcomplicate things. They think of creating some kind of massive brand identity when they should just aim for being clear on their message.

Take this IKEA ad I saw recently. It’s smart, but IKEA already has brand trust. If you saw the same ad from an unknown brand, you would maybe smile, but you would never remember the company but maybe remember to buy a bed for your kid and go to IKEA.

For most businesses, clear beats clever.

✔ Tell people exactly what you offer.
✔ Make it easy for them to contact you.
✔ Follow up.

That’s it.

Most businesses don’t need better marketing. They need better execution.

3 Quick Questions

1. Do you have a system in place to capture and follow up on leads, or are you relying on chance?
2. Are you leveraging your existing clients and network for referrals, or are you always chasing new leads?
3. Are you tracking what actually works, or just hoping that your marketing efforts pay off?

Getting leads isn’t complicated. But ignoring the basics is the biggest mistake you can make.