Karl Schmidt is the Co-Founder of A to B Insight, where he helps organizations transform their sales approach by aligning with how customers actually make decisions. Drawing on years of experience at leading firms including Boston Consulting Group and Gartner, Karl has conducted award-winning research into buyer behavior, commercial strategy, and complex B2B decision-making—including work that contributed to the groundbreaking insights behind The Challenger Sale.

As the co-author of The Framemaking Sale, Karl equips sales leaders and organizations with practical frameworks for increasing buyer confidence, simplifying complex decisions, and creating customer experiences built on trust rather than pressure. His research and thought leadership have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and other leading business publications, making him one of today's foremost voices on decision science in modern sales.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Karl Schmidt, Co-Founder of A to B Insight and co-author of The Framemaking Sale, for a fascinating conversation about how customers truly make decisions—and why helping buyers gain confidence is more valuable than simply persuading them.

Karl introduces the concept of "framemaking," explaining that exceptional sales professionals don't just provide information or recommend solutions—they help buyers navigate complexity, clarify priorities, and build confidence in their own decision-making process.

The conversation explores groundbreaking research showing that buyer decision confidence is one of the strongest predictors of successful, high-quality purchases. Rather than focusing solely on convincing prospects that your solution is the best, Karl explains why helping buyers feel confident in themselves creates better outcomes, stronger trust, and longer-lasting customer relationships.

Listeners will also discover why emotions play a critical role in decision-making, how trust is built through shared experiences, and practical ways to simplify buying decisions while preserving customer autonomy.

If you want to become the trusted guide your customers need—not just another salesperson competing for attention—this episode offers a refreshing, research-backed perspective on modern selling.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Buyer decision confidence is one of the strongest predictors of successful, low-regret purchasing decisions.
Great sales professionals help buyers gain confidence in themselves—not just confidence in the product.
The best sales conversations move customers through know → feel → do, not simply know → do.
Framemaking helps customers organize complexity instead of overwhelming them with information.
Customers value guidance that preserves their autonomy rather than pressure that limits it.
Helping buyers make the best decision—even if it's not your solution—builds long-term trust

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

Our goal isn't to make customers choose us. It's to help them make the best decision possible.

Decision confidence isn't confidence in the seller—it's confidence in yourself.

People don't just need to know what to do. They need to feel confident enough to do it

The best salespeople don't tell customers what to think. They help them think more clearly.

Frame making creates clarity without taking away the customer's agency.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Explore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!

Listen to Larry Levine’s Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.

Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTube

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