November 25, 2025 • 14 mins
As we prepare to close out 2025, the sales landscape looks and feels different – longer conversion cycles, rising buyer hesitancy, and trust at an all-time low. But that doesn’t mean opportunity is gone – it means we need to sell smarter.
In this episode, Nicky unpack the sales trends you can’t afford to ignore and offer five no-fluff strategies to stay visible, valuable and in demand as we enter 2026.
Whether your pipeline needs a jumpstart or your confidence in sales conversations has taken a hit, this conversation is your reminder that great sales aren’t just about persistence – they’re about relevance, relationships, and real connection.
From building trust in an AI-weary world to picking up the phone again – this episode is your practical pep talk and tactical sales checklist, all rolled into one.
If sustainable, smart growth is your 2026 goal – let's go!
As mentioned in the episode check out these previous poddy eps:
Are Referrals a Real Sales Strategy?
Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com
Grab The Growth Code™ here!
Get your a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life at www.healthyhustle.com.au
Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com
Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
All right, team.
(00:28):
This week we are going toreally get our sales hats on.
We love to have conversationsin this podcast around how to
move away from transactionalsales to really embracing
sustainable smart growth.
And so I thought today we couldlean into the sales aspect and
really have this conversationaround what are the trends that
(00:49):
we're seeing and how can youconvert more sales as we round
up the end of 2025 and go into2026.
Because this has been a prettybit of a challenging year for a
lot of people.
Of course, there's so manyimpacts, economic, political,
global.
I'm not going to go into that.
We all know a lot about theimpact of that on businesses and
(01:10):
small businesses and how thatis also changing the sales
landscape.
But the reality is that we arefacing a time where there has
been some businesses that areexperiencing peak, which is
awesome.
And there has been challengesalong the way.
You know, I'm havingconversations with business
owners at the moment that arereally hoping and wanting 2026
(01:33):
to bring something different.
And what we know to be true,the challenges that I'm seeing
across the market at the moment,we know that conversion times
are taking longer thanpotentially ever before.
There's more decision makersbeing included in the buying
cycle, in the decision-makingprocess.
There's also a lot of distrust.
Distrust when it comes to, youknow, AI and scamming and
(01:57):
spamming.
And this is really causing ahesitation amongst decision
makers or almost this lock andhold to see what's going to
happen next.
Trust is at an all-time low.
We've talked about this in thepast from the Gallup surveys,
and that is really spread acrossany kind of area of business,
not just the sales landscape.
(02:18):
Now, I did a podcast episode onAI and how we can actually use
AI and overcome this level ofdistrust.
So I'll pop the link in theshow notes below.
The other reality is thatpeople are struggling, whether
it's we as business owners, asleaders, have our own moments,
but also our team members, ourcolleagues, our clients.
(02:38):
There's an informationoverload, and so much is being
thrown at us at any givensecond.
That has a couple of impactsand effects as well.
So even just from a point ofactually being able to function
as a human being, thisinformation overload has a real
impact on that.
Johan Hari talks about this inhis book, Stolen Focus.
(03:02):
You know, we don't, the equip,it's the equivalent of reading
hundreds of newspapers a day iswhat our brain is dealing with
day to day.
And we're just not used to itand equipped.
Again, why we have to createmoments of space and quiet in
order to be able to functionproperly.
But the other flip side of thisis that from a sales
perspective, is that oftentimesyour clients, your prospects,
(03:25):
your customers, they know a lotabout your product or service
before they've even spoken toyou.
So when we consider thedifferent buying phases of
awareness to consideration todecision phase, previously, in
times gone past, they would cometo you to learn about what your
product or service could do,the mechanics, the what.
(03:46):
Whereas these days, they canget a lot of information online,
even using AI as research, butGoogle, you know, all the usual
channels before they even cometo you.
So there's this question ofwhat actually is our role as a
sales person, as a sales leader?
How do we continue to givevalue when actually it's not
just about giving informationabout the product or service?
(04:10):
And I actually think this isquite cool because it's
challenging us to thinkdifferently as salespeople,
sales leaders, and businessowners, whatever area we sit in,
to actually look at what valuedo I offer in my role.
But it also creates a challengebecause we're having to shift
around this.
And sometimes our prospects,potential clients, and customers
(04:30):
think that they know everythingabout the solution that we're
offering.
When in fact, we know that aconversation needs to really
happen in order to show thevalue of the outcome.
All of these challenges arecreating this hesitation where
we're naturally becoming morecautious, more hesitant to do
some of the sales activitiesthat potentially we've done in
(04:51):
the past because we don't wantto be, you know, that guy, that
cliched stereotype used carsalesman, or, you know, that
stereotypical push, push, push,you know, die hard on the heel.
There's no such thing as a noda-da-da-da-type sales.
And there's this hesitance tofor the most part to not be like
(05:13):
that.
And so what happens is we endup pulling back even more.
We're not even reaching out forfear of being that burden,
being that icky, pushy, faketype of salesperson or sales
leader.
But here's the thing (05:27):
what hasn't changed?
There's a lot that actuallyhasn't changed.
People still want to feel likethey know, like, and trust us
when they say yes to a sale.
Our customers, our clients,they still have a problem that
needs to be solved or a need ora desire or a want that you can
(05:48):
fulfill.
That hasn't changed.
That will always remain thesame because this sales
conversation is really aboutfinding that win-win.
The other thing that hasn'tchanged is that if you're
talking to the right person,i.e.
the decision maker, with theright offer or the right message
at the right time, all thingswill equal up to you getting a
(06:12):
yes.
And also, more than ever,actually, sales is about
relationships, smart growthconversations, business growth,
sales, it's it's fulfilling aneed.
And actually, there is arelationship that's needed
there.
And yes, we know that trust isat an all-time low, but also
trust is what people areyearning for.
(06:33):
So, how can we flip that scriptand consider how am I, as a
brand, as a product, as aservice, as an outcome to my
clients and prospects' needs,problems, desires, how am I
fulfilling that gap?
How am I fulfilling that needfor trust, that yearning for
(06:54):
trust?
And if we can really thinkabout that and align that with
everything that we do, we'regonna get the right types of
clients and customers on board.
And it's it's gonna feel greatand our business will grow.
A quick interruption to thispodcast episode.
I'm really curious, do you wantto close more sales in less
time?
If the answer is yes, which Ihope that it is, then you need
(07:18):
to get your hands on the growthcode.
It is going to give you threeproven frameworks and tools that
will help future-proof yourbusiness and scale with clarity.
All you have to do is head downto the show notes and click the
link below.
So, this is what I want you toconsider as we go into 2026.
(07:39):
From a tactical point of view,I also want to give you a few
things that you can focus on.
So if you're finding thatactually pipeline is drying up a
little bit or it's a little bitlow, or even if your pipeline
is where you want it to be, wecan never take our foot
completely off the pedal.
When we do that and we don't doany sales activity, guaranteed
(08:00):
there'll be a point where we're,you know, we're we're driving
that car, it's going on allcylinders, but then actually
there'll be a moment when werealize pipeline isn't where we
want it to be.
And it's almost like thenthere's this chasm and we're
we're full speed ahead, but weneed to build the bridge to keep
going across.
Pipeline is that bridge thatwill future-proof and secure
(08:22):
your business.
So no matter how busy you areright now with current clients,
prospects, customers, alwaysmake sure that you also have
some sales activity to buildthat bridge.
So it's ahead of you.
The bridge is at the road isahead of you as you're driving.
So here's five things you cando.
One is always remember tore-engage with your past clients
(08:45):
and keep engaging with yourexisting clients.
Don't let that fall off thewagon when things get too busy
and times are really good.
Don't let the only time youre-engage with past clients be
when you're desperate to buildthe pipeline.
And also engaging with yourcurrent clients from a view of
how else you can help them.
So that's number one.
(09:06):
Are you doing that?
And if not, there's anopportunity.
Number two is to make sure thatyou nurture your network like
it really, really matters.
I'm super excited to get JanineGarner, who is the absolute pro
in this space.
She'll be coming and joining usfor uh the new year.
We'll be releasing thatepisode.
(09:26):
So if you're kind of stuck andthinking, hang on, I don't
really know how to network, howto nurture my network, stay
tuned for that episode.
And in the meantime, actually,she wrote a book called It's Who
You Know.
There you go.
So you can get started withthis and stay tuned for that.
But you know, start to thinkabout who's in your network,
write a list.
It's not just about your actualclients, it's about your A
(09:46):
players are your clients, but Bplayers are people that can be
connected to your ideal clientand it's worth building that
relationship and network withthem.
So start thinking about howthat could look.
The third thing is make sureyou're asking for referrals
clearly and confidently.
And I recorded a whole episodeon that.
So I'm going to drop the shownote, drop the link to that in
the show notes as well.
(10:07):
If you're like, ooh, I could bedoing that better.
And then the fourth thing Iwant you to think about is
really tailor how are younurturing and showing up to
cold, warm, and hot leads.
Warm leads are all aboutunderstanding how to uncover
what their current reality is,what their future ideal is, and
how you can close the gap, howyou can help them close the gap
(10:28):
with your ideal service product,and how you can do that.
So it's about getting curiousand doing some discovery before
you have the conversion.
And for your hot leads, it'sabout making it as easy as
possible for them to buy fromyou, as easy as possible for
then for them to say yes,because they're ready to buy.
(10:48):
Make their decision feel safe,comfortable, and easy.
And here's tip number five, myfriends.
And I really want you to listento this because tip number five
is for all of this salesactivity that I've just spoken
about, whether it's you doing itor your team, pick up the
phone.
(11:08):
Pick up the phone.
If it's a hot lead, ask for thesale.
If it's a nurture ofre-engaging past clients or
nurturing warm referrals, pickup the phone and have a
conversation.
It actually amazes me thesedays in this modern day
landscape, moving into 2026, howthere is such an aversion to
(11:33):
picking up the phone.
And that's actuallycross-generational for different
reasons.
I think there's differentreasons driving different
generations to not want to pickup the phone.
But think about what we talkedabout before.
Trust is at an all-time low.
People want to feel like theyknow you, trust you, like you.
We really need to build therelationships.
Picking up the phone and havinga conversation is the shortest
(11:56):
way, the quickest way to getthere, to build that trust, to
have that conversation.
And actually, it is incrediblewhat can come out of that.
Remember, if they don't want totalk to you, they won't pick up
the phone.
And if that's the case, okay,fine, send them an email.
Or even better, send them avoice note, send them a quick
video, try to phone them again.
(12:18):
This is really a strong messageto those of you that are like,
oh, I wouldn't have thought topick up the phone, or if you get
a bit of an awkward,uncomfortable feeling.
If that's not you, all good,amazing, keep going.
I actually was listening to apodcast the other day that
talked about the fact that uhsome salespeople who have been
really like, oh, I don't want topick up the phone, they've
(12:38):
started picking up the phone andthe response has been amazing
because people are actually opento talking.
Now you're probably going toget that more with your warm
contact.
So if it's someone you know,hands down, try and give them a
call.
Again, if they don't want totalk to you or if they'd prefer
another form of communication,they won't answer and they'll
message.
But most of the times theyactually do pick up.
(13:00):
I've had so many conversationsabout this recently.
And I love it when the personI'm talking to, and there's been
a few instances where they'relike, all right, I'm just gonna
do it.
And they make the call and theycome back to me and say, wow,
I've got meetings booked.
Wow, I've booked a couple ofcoaching days.
Wow, like this is what comesout of actually picking up the
phone.
So to summarize, we want tore-engage with past clients and
(13:24):
existing clients.
Make sure you're nurturing andhaving really cool quality
conversations with them.
Nurture your network like itmatters.
They're really linked.
Ask for referrals.
Again, this is where you canfind your sales activity from.
Tailor how you rock up to, howyou show, how you nurture cold,
warm, and hot leads.
And most importantly, pick upthat damn phone, have those
(13:47):
conversations because that iswhere you can truly have the
biggest impact.
And of course, if you have ateam, make sure you share this
with them and get on the phonewith them.
Do some hour of powers and justbang out those calls.
I'd love to hear your thoughtson this and I'd love to hear
what you action.
And until next time, I'll seeyou then.
All right, team.
(00:28):
This week we are going toreally get our sales hats on.
We love to have conversationsin this podcast around how to
move away from transactionalsales to really embracing
sustainable smart growth.
And so I thought today we couldlean into the sales aspect and
really have this conversationaround what are the trends that
(00:49):
we're seeing and how can youconvert more sales as we round
up the end of 2025 and go into2026.
Because this has been a prettybit of a challenging year for a
lot of people.
Of course, there's so manyimpacts, economic, political,
global.
I'm not going to go into that.
We all know a lot about theimpact of that on businesses and
(01:10):
small businesses and how thatis also changing the sales
landscape.
But the reality is that we arefacing a time where there has
been some businesses that areexperiencing peak, which is
awesome.
And there has been challengesalong the way.
You know, I'm havingconversations with business
owners at the moment that arereally hoping and wanting 2026
(01:33):
to bring something different.
And what we know to be true,the challenges that I'm seeing
across the market at the moment,we know that conversion times
are taking longer thanpotentially ever before.
There's more decision makersbeing included in the buying
cycle, in the decision-makingprocess.
There's also a lot of distrust.
Distrust when it comes to, youknow, AI and scamming and
(01:57):
spamming.
And this is really causing ahesitation amongst decision
makers or almost this lock andhold to see what's going to
happen next.
Trust is at an all-time low.
We've talked about this in thepast from the Gallup surveys,
and that is really spread acrossany kind of area of business,
not just the sales landscape.
(02:18):
Now, I did a podcast episode onAI and how we can actually use
AI and overcome this level ofdistrust.
So I'll pop the link in theshow notes below.
The other reality is thatpeople are struggling, whether
it's we as business owners, asleaders, have our own moments,
but also our team members, ourcolleagues, our clients.
(02:38):
There's an informationoverload, and so much is being
thrown at us at any givensecond.
That has a couple of impactsand effects as well.
So even just from a point ofactually being able to function
as a human being, thisinformation overload has a real
impact on that.
Johan Hari talks about this inhis book, Stolen Focus.
(03:02):
You know, we don't, the equip,it's the equivalent of reading
hundreds of newspapers a day iswhat our brain is dealing with
day to day.
And we're just not used to itand equipped.
Again, why we have to createmoments of space and quiet in
order to be able to functionproperly.
But the other flip side of thisis that from a sales
perspective, is that oftentimesyour clients, your prospects,
(03:25):
your customers, they know a lotabout your product or service
before they've even spoken toyou.
So when we consider thedifferent buying phases of
awareness to consideration todecision phase, previously, in
times gone past, they would cometo you to learn about what your
product or service could do,the mechanics, the what.
(03:46):
Whereas these days, they canget a lot of information online,
even using AI as research, butGoogle, you know, all the usual
channels before they even cometo you.
So there's this question ofwhat actually is our role as a
sales person, as a sales leader?
How do we continue to givevalue when actually it's not
just about giving informationabout the product or service?
(04:10):
And I actually think this isquite cool because it's
challenging us to thinkdifferently as salespeople,
sales leaders, and businessowners, whatever area we sit in,
to actually look at what valuedo I offer in my role.
But it also creates a challengebecause we're having to shift
around this.
And sometimes our prospects,potential clients, and customers
(04:30):
think that they know everythingabout the solution that we're
offering.
When in fact, we know that aconversation needs to really
happen in order to show thevalue of the outcome.
All of these challenges arecreating this hesitation where
we're naturally becoming morecautious, more hesitant to do
some of the sales activitiesthat potentially we've done in
(04:51):
the past because we don't wantto be, you know, that guy, that
cliched stereotype used carsalesman, or, you know, that
stereotypical push, push, push,you know, die hard on the heel.
There's no such thing as a noda-da-da-da-type sales.
And there's this hesitance tofor the most part to not be like
(05:13):
that.
And so what happens is we endup pulling back even more.
We're not even reaching out forfear of being that burden,
being that icky, pushy, faketype of salesperson or sales
leader.
But here's the thing (05:27):
what hasn't changed?
There's a lot that actuallyhasn't changed.
People still want to feel likethey know, like, and trust us
when they say yes to a sale.
Our customers, our clients,they still have a problem that
needs to be solved or a need ora desire or a want that you can
(05:48):
fulfill.
That hasn't changed.
That will always remain thesame because this sales
conversation is really aboutfinding that win-win.
The other thing that hasn'tchanged is that if you're
talking to the right person,i.e.
the decision maker, with theright offer or the right message
at the right time, all thingswill equal up to you getting a
(06:12):
yes.
And also, more than ever,actually, sales is about
relationships, smart growthconversations, business growth,
sales, it's it's fulfilling aneed.
And actually, there is arelationship that's needed
there.
And yes, we know that trust isat an all-time low, but also
trust is what people areyearning for.
(06:33):
So, how can we flip that scriptand consider how am I, as a
brand, as a product, as aservice, as an outcome to my
clients and prospects' needs,problems, desires, how am I
fulfilling that gap?
How am I fulfilling that needfor trust, that yearning for
(06:54):
trust?
And if we can really thinkabout that and align that with
everything that we do, we'regonna get the right types of
clients and customers on board.
And it's it's gonna feel greatand our business will grow.
A quick interruption to thispodcast episode.
I'm really curious, do you wantto close more sales in less
time?
If the answer is yes, which Ihope that it is, then you need
(07:18):
to get your hands on the growthcode.
It is going to give you threeproven frameworks and tools that
will help future-proof yourbusiness and scale with clarity.
All you have to do is head downto the show notes and click the
link below.
So, this is what I want you toconsider as we go into 2026.
(07:39):
From a tactical point of view,I also want to give you a few
things that you can focus on.
So if you're finding thatactually pipeline is drying up a
little bit or it's a little bitlow, or even if your pipeline
is where you want it to be, wecan never take our foot
completely off the pedal.
When we do that and we don't doany sales activity, guaranteed
(08:00):
there'll be a point where we're,you know, we're we're driving
that car, it's going on allcylinders, but then actually
there'll be a moment when werealize pipeline isn't where we
want it to be.
And it's almost like thenthere's this chasm and we're
we're full speed ahead, but weneed to build the bridge to keep
going across.
Pipeline is that bridge thatwill future-proof and secure
(08:22):
your business.
So no matter how busy you areright now with current clients,
prospects, customers, alwaysmake sure that you also have
some sales activity to buildthat bridge.
So it's ahead of you.
The bridge is at the road isahead of you as you're driving.
So here's five things you cando.
One is always remember tore-engage with your past clients
(08:45):
and keep engaging with yourexisting clients.
Don't let that fall off thewagon when things get too busy
and times are really good.
Don't let the only time youre-engage with past clients be
when you're desperate to buildthe pipeline.
And also engaging with yourcurrent clients from a view of
how else you can help them.
So that's number one.
(09:06):
Are you doing that?
And if not, there's anopportunity.
Number two is to make sure thatyou nurture your network like
it really, really matters.
I'm super excited to get JanineGarner, who is the absolute pro
in this space.
She'll be coming and joining usfor uh the new year.
We'll be releasing thatepisode.
(09:26):
So if you're kind of stuck andthinking, hang on, I don't
really know how to network, howto nurture my network, stay
tuned for that episode.
And in the meantime, actually,she wrote a book called It's Who
You Know.
There you go.
So you can get started withthis and stay tuned for that.
But you know, start to thinkabout who's in your network,
write a list.
It's not just about your actualclients, it's about your A
(09:46):
players are your clients, but Bplayers are people that can be
connected to your ideal clientand it's worth building that
relationship and network withthem.
So start thinking about howthat could look.
The third thing is make sureyou're asking for referrals
clearly and confidently.
And I recorded a whole episodeon that.
So I'm going to drop the shownote, drop the link to that in
the show notes as well.
(10:07):
If you're like, ooh, I could bedoing that better.
And then the fourth thing Iwant you to think about is
really tailor how are younurturing and showing up to
cold, warm, and hot leads.
Warm leads are all aboutunderstanding how to uncover
what their current reality is,what their future ideal is, and
how you can close the gap, howyou can help them close the gap
(10:28):
with your ideal service product,and how you can do that.
So it's about getting curiousand doing some discovery before
you have the conversion.
And for your hot leads, it'sabout making it as easy as
possible for them to buy fromyou, as easy as possible for
then for them to say yes,because they're ready to buy.
(10:48):
Make their decision feel safe,comfortable, and easy.
And here's tip number five, myfriends.
And I really want you to listento this because tip number five
is for all of this salesactivity that I've just spoken
about, whether it's you doing itor your team, pick up the
phone.
(11:08):
Pick up the phone.
If it's a hot lead, ask for thesale.
If it's a nurture ofre-engaging past clients or
nurturing warm referrals, pickup the phone and have a
conversation.
It actually amazes me thesedays in this modern day
landscape, moving into 2026, howthere is such an aversion to
(11:33):
picking up the phone.
And that's actuallycross-generational for different
reasons.
I think there's differentreasons driving different
generations to not want to pickup the phone.
But think about what we talkedabout before.
Trust is at an all-time low.
People want to feel like theyknow you, trust you, like you.
We really need to build therelationships.
Picking up the phone and havinga conversation is the shortest
(11:56):
way, the quickest way to getthere, to build that trust, to
have that conversation.
And actually, it is incrediblewhat can come out of that.
Remember, if they don't want totalk to you, they won't pick up
the phone.
And if that's the case, okay,fine, send them an email.
Or even better, send them avoice note, send them a quick
video, try to phone them again.
(12:18):
This is really a strong messageto those of you that are like,
oh, I wouldn't have thought topick up the phone, or if you get
a bit of an awkward,uncomfortable feeling.
If that's not you, all good,amazing, keep going.
I actually was listening to apodcast the other day that
talked about the fact that uhsome salespeople who have been
really like, oh, I don't want topick up the phone, they've
(12:38):
started picking up the phone andthe response has been amazing
because people are actually opento talking.
Now you're probably going toget that more with your warm
contact.
So if it's someone you know,hands down, try and give them a
call.
Again, if they don't want totalk to you or if they'd prefer
another form of communication,they won't answer and they'll
message.
But most of the times theyactually do pick up.
(13:00):
I've had so many conversationsabout this recently.
And I love it when the personI'm talking to, and there's been
a few instances where they'relike, all right, I'm just gonna
do it.
And they make the call and theycome back to me and say, wow,
I've got meetings booked.
Wow, I've booked a couple ofcoaching days.
Wow, like this is what comesout of actually picking up the
phone.
So to summarize, we want tore-engage with past clients and
(13:24):
existing clients.
Make sure you're nurturing andhaving really cool quality
conversations with them.
Nurture your network like itmatters.
They're really linked.
Ask for referrals.
Again, this is where you canfind your sales activity from.
Tailor how you rock up to, howyou show, how you nurture cold,
warm, and hot leads.
And most importantly, pick upthat damn phone, have those
(13:47):
conversations because that iswhere you can truly have the
biggest impact.
And of course, if you have ateam, make sure you share this
with them and get on the phonewith them.
Do some hour of powers and justbang out those calls.
I'd love to hear your thoughtson this and I'd love to hear
what you action.
And until next time, I'll seeyou then.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.