Jared Diamond, in Guns, Germs, and Steel, argued that civilization only took off once humans moved from hunting to
farming. Instead of chasing the next meal, we could plant seeds, cultivate, and build stability.
So what’s that got to do with sales? Everything. In sales, there are two classic types:
- Hunters – always chasing new business, closing, then moving straight on to the next deal.
- Farmers – cultivating relationships, nurturing prospects over time, and growing clients into long-term revenue.
Both roles are critical. Hunters bring in opportunities. Farmers grow and expand them. But here’s the mistake most businesses make: neglecting prospects and clients who aren’t ready to buy right now.
The truth is, at any given moment only a tiny percentage of your market is ready to buy.
They know they have a problem, know what they want, and are ready to act.
The rest fall into one of three groups:
- Aware but not ready – they know there’s a problem, but solving it isn’t a priority.
- Unaware – they don’t even realise there’s a problem until you educate them.
- Uninterested – they don’t see a problem at all and won’t engage unless something changes.
Your job is to stay visible across all three. That’s where farming really matters. Nurture with follow-up. Share education, insights, and stories. Invite them to webinars and events. Provide value consistently.
And here’s where customer expansion interviews come in.
When you take the time to interview clients about why they bought, how you solved their problem, and the outcomes they’ve achieved, you uncover insights no dashboard will ever show. You learn what truly matters to them, the language they use, and where they see future opportunities.
These interviews give you the raw material to:
- Deepen relationships with current clients (farming at its best). • Identify natural expansion opportunities.
- Create authentic case studies and stories that resonate with prospects still sitting on the fence.
So, what’s the right balance between hunting and farming?
For businesses selling high-value, recurring revenue services, a good rule of thumb is 30% hunting, 70% farming.
You need hunters to keep new opportunities flowing, but the real leverage comes from farming – expanding existing clients, increasing lifetime value, and staying top of mind with prospects until they’re ready.
Sales isn’t just about hunting. It’s about farming too. And customer expansion interviews are one of the most effective tools you have to cultivate growth.
You can get more details here: https://revealedresources.com/client-expansion-scorecard/
And when you’re ready…
Call me on +61 414 913 334
Or email Rashid.Kotwal@revealedresources.com
