Episode 59 - Ted McKenna on The JOLT Effect and Overcoming Buyers' Fear of Messing Up

Stop Losing Deals to Buyer Indecision: How to Apply the JOLT Effect in B2B Sales - Ted McKenna on Episode 59 of the Industrial Growth Institute Podcast

Summary

Ted McKenna, coauthor of The JOLT Effect and founding partner of DCM Insights, joins Ed Marsh to dissect why B2B deals often die not from rejection but from buyer indecision. With research showing that up to 60% of complex B2B deals result in no decision, McKenna explains how fear, not preference for the status quo, is often the culprit.

McKenna introduces the JOLT framework:

Judge indecision - Offer a recommendation - Limit the exploration - Take risk off the table

He explains that JOLT helps sellers overcome buyer hesitation. He emphasizes that indecision is largely rooted in FOMU (Fear of Messing Up), which outweighs even FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and calls for a more empathetic, confidence-building sales approach.

The discussion also explores:

• The psychology of buyer paralysis and risk aversion
• How sellers unintentionally worsen indecision
• The need for sales to provide structure, guidance, and reassurance
• Marketing’s role in preempting fear and simplifying decisions
• How sales organizations must evolve to help buyers move forward, not just press harder

This episode is must listen for any enterprise seller facing long sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and stalled deals.

Key Topics Covered

1. Psychological roots of indecision in B2B buyers
2. JOLT: A four-part method to dislodge stuck deals
3. Why fear of failure trumps fear of missing out
4. The role of sellers as buyer agents, not persuaders
5. Tactics to reduce perceived risk in capital decisions

Takeaways

• Up to 60% of complex B2B deals result in no decision, often due to fear, not logic.
• 87% of sales conversations show signs of buyer indecision.
• FOMU (Fear of Messing Up) outweighs FOMO and freezes deals.
• Buyers fear errors of commission (doing something wrong) more than omission (missing out).
• Making a confident recommendation builds trust and reduces risk.
• Indecision often stems from options overload, information overload, and expectations overload.
• Doubling down on FOMO when a buyer hesitates actually worsens indecision.
• Internal politics, previous bad experiences, and execution concerns all feed FOMU.
• Sellers must adjust forecasting based on buyer indecision, not just intent.
• Multi-threading is essential: more voices = more indecision to uncover.
• Buying teams may contain internal saboteurs or passive resistors, so JOLT must be applied across the group.
• Help deal champions use JOLT tactics on their own team to move forward.
• Sellers can qualify out deals based on a buyer’s incapacity to decide, not just budget.
• Post-sale validation (to confirm no regret) should be built into project plans.
• “Rip and replace” situations require extra effort to reduce FOMU and show safety nets.
• Indecision is rising over time and exacerbated in uncertain economic climates.
• AI and unstructured data tools may help detect indecision signals proactively.
• Sales differentiation today is more about how you sell than what you sell.

Takeaway Quotes from Ted McKenna

• "Indecision is often rooted in fear of failure."
• "We have to find ways to actively de-risk that decision."
• “The buyer already feels fear—when we pile on more fear, we just make it worse.”

Check out Ted's The JOLT Effect and DCM Insights websites.

LinkedIn: Ted McKenna and Ed Marsh

Twitter: Ed Marsh

Instagram: Ed Marsh

YouTube: @EdMarsh

Show Transcript 

Chapters

00:00 Understanding the No Decision Dilemma 02:58 The Jolt Effect and Its Implications 06:00 The Activator Advantage: Insights from Professional Services 09:12 Indecision: The Core of Sales Challenges 12:02 The Fear of Messing Up: A Psychological Barrier 15:04 Navigating Buyer Indecision: Strategies for Sellers 18:06 The Role of Marketing in Reducing Indecision 20:53 Building Trust: The Balance of Confidence in Sales 24:04 Understanding Buying Teams and Their Dynamics 29:58 T