Service vs. Selling: Why You Are Just an Order Taker (And How to Fix It) - Barton Schmitz

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What happens when a nurse interrupts a product manager in the middle of a training session to tell them they are wrong? apparently, a 25-year career in sales leadership begins. On this episode, Scott and Mike welcome Barton Schmitz, VP of Strategic Accounts at CAPSA (and Mike’s former boss), to discuss the transition from clinical care to high-stakes sales.

Barton drops a masterclass on the fundamental difference between "servicing" a customer (pointing them to the bread aisle) and selling to a customer (walking them there and finding out why they need the bread). He shares his "Steering Wheel Sticky Note" hack for accountability, explains why a "No" at the closing table is actually a failure of process, and breaks down how to use your manager to clear internal roadblocks—including creative deal-structuring like "split terms."

Key Takeaways:

• The Definition of Selling: Barton defines selling simply as "getting people to do something they normally would not do." If they were going to do it anyway, you are just an order taker.
• The "Bread" Analogy: Don't just point to the aisle. Walk the customer there, ask questions, and uncover the need. That is the difference between service and sales.
• The Steering Wheel Hack: Before every call, write your specific goal (PO, commitment, next step) on a sticky note and put it on your steering wheel. When you get back to the car, that note is your immediate accountability mirror.
• Pipeline vs. Tasks: A sales process is a tool to move a customer at a controlled rate. If you aren't moving them forward, you are just completing tasks.
• Leveraging Leadership: Don't suffer in silence. Use your manager to clear operational roadblocks or to approve creative financial structures (like split terms) to save a deal.

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