Most sellers, especially in staffing, like to think of themselves as trusted business partners. But here’s the reality—many clients still see them as vendors who can be swapped out at any time. The old saying “no sitting at the table if you’re bringing nothing to it” rings true here and it’s time for sellers to answer the question, “what do you bring to the table?”.
So how do you earn that seat? Let’s talk about the Client Relationship Pyramid.
Competitive: This is the “vendor zone.” You’re seen as replaceable, price is the only real conversation, and trust is barely there.
Cooperative: You’re making progress. There’s a bit of trust, but it’s still about transactions. You give, they give—it’s conditional.
Collaborative: The top of the pyramid. This is where you and your client are working as one team. You’re no longer just staffing their needs—you’re helping drive their success.
I’ve seen this play out so many times. Sellers get stuck at the bottom of the pyramid for a few reasons:
They talk too much. You walk in ready to pitch what you want, but you don’t pause long enough to hear what the client actually needs. One of my mentors drilled this into me: “Two ears, one mouth. Use them in that ratio.” He was right.
They only show up to sell. I once had a client tell me, “I only see my rep when a contract is up.” Ouch. From their side, you look like the shark that shows up when there’s blood in the water.
They don’t understand the client’s world. If you don’t know their goals, pressures, financial targets, or the challenges they’re dealing with every day, you’re just guessing. And they know it.
Here’s what separates the business partners from the vendors and how they climb the realtionship pyramid:
Make it about them. Forget about your quotas, commissions, and dashboards. At Butler Street, we say:
“If we solve our customers’ problems, we will solve our own.”
It’s not just a slogan—it’s the truth
Ask real questions. “Just checking in” is the kiss of death. Instead, use SIGN Questions: Situation (what’s happening now), Insight (where’s the pain), Gap (how the pain impacts the business), Need/Solution (how you can help). Those questions open doors.
Be there when nothing’s on the table. Some of the best conversations I’ve had were when there was no pressing needs of the client. Share industry research, trends, benchmarks, or a success story from a similar client. That’s how you become the go-to resource.
Add value every single time. Even when you’re not selling. Especially when you’re not selling.
Here’s the payoff when you climb to the top:
Stronger relationships. Clients stick with you because you’ve proven you understand them and deliver on what you say.
More opportunities. I’ll never forget the first time another manager inside a client account called me out of the blue. Why? Because someone else in the company told them about the work I’d done. That’s when I knew I was no longer “just a vendor.”
Less pressure on price. When you’ve proven your value, clients stop shopping you against the cheapest option. You’ve earned the right to be seen differently.
If you want your team to move from vendor to partner, let’s connect. Our Sales Effectiveness training is designed to help sellers build the skills to captivate, differentiate, and validate—so they can earn that seat at the table. With onsite and/or virtual delivery by industry experts, plus a 24/7 AI coach to strengthen skills and provide guidance and info at the time of need, we'll address your challenges and provide options to elevate your team's productivity and results.
Contact us to learn how we help companies and their people grow by acquiring, retaining, and expanding clients through proven sales effectiveness programs and innovative AI Coaches.