In high-stakes sales—especially with complex solutions like Managed IT or cybersecurity—over-explaining is the fastest way to kill trust, clarity, and ultimately the close. Why? Because it shifts focus from the customer’s story to yours. And that’s the last thing a buyer wants.
This chapter explores the costly habit of over-explaining and shows you how clarity, not detail-dumping, is the new currency of credibility.
When you over-explain:
Complex solutions don’t require complex conversations. They require simplified narratives that connect to what the buyer cares about right now.
Whether it’s a 30-minute pitch or a 90-minute workshop, your job is not to deliver a knowledge transfer. It’s to help the customer make progress.
We think if we “show everything we know,” we’ll win credibility. But the truth is, complexity is intimidating—and buyers rarely ask clarifying questions. Instead, they nod along and exit the conversation without buying.
Here’s the equation I use:
It’s not about what you say—it’s about what they remember. And clarity drives retention.
When we over-pitch, we miss the opportunity to learn: