The Lesson I Learned from a Salmon in Amsterdam-Zuidoost

As a teenager, I worked countless hours in my uncle's fish shop in Bunschoten-Spakenburg. It was hard work, but I loved it. I thought I was doing customers a favor by being honest and keeping everyone satisfied. Until one day in Amsterdam-Zuidoost, I learned a lesson that changed my entire view of sales.

That day, I realized that service doesn't mean treating everyone equally. In fact, that's the opposite of good service. Because no two customers are the same. One seeks convenience, another seeks experience. One wants to save, another wants to impress.

The salmon moment that changed everything

It was the end of a long day. One salmon left. Two loyal customers stood at the counter and both wanted that last piece of fish. In the chaos, I became something like an auctioneer. The solution seemed simple: I cut the salmon into portions and gave each person half. Everyone happy. Or so I thought. But they both walked over to the competitor.

A week later, I ran into both of them. Customer 1 told me she had made broth because her kids loved soup. Customer 2 said he had put the portions on the BBQ for his guests. Then the penny dropped. If I had asked what they needed the fish for, I could have offered Customer 1 a cheaper alternative for soup. And I could have made Customer 2 happy with the whole salmon.

The core of true selling

That moment taught me an important truth: selling is not about the product in your hands, but about the goal your customer wants to achieve. We often think we're 'customer-focused' by treating everyone the same. But the reality is that no two customers are alike.

In B2B, this is even more critical. Your customers don't all have the same problem. They don't all have the same budget. They don't all have the same timeline. One customer is looking for a quick solution, another wants to invest in lasting transformation. As a salesperson, you can only make a difference when you see those nuances clearly.

Why so many salespeople still make this mistake

Many salespeople fall into the same trap I did. And I understand why.

The result? The customer gets a solution that doesn't quite fit. It might look like a closed deal, but trust erodes. And often the customer then looks for an alternative at a competitor.

How to discover the question behind the question

The good news: you don't need to be a brilliant psychologist to do this better. With a few simple habits, you'll go a long way.

Real-world examples from modern B2B sales

A software seller hears a customer ask for a dashboard. Instead of immediately selling a license, he asks further and discovers the customer mainly wants an overview for weekly team meetings. Solution: a smaller, cheaper module that does exactly that. Customer happy, potential for upsell later.

An account manager hears a prospect ask for a discount. Instead of giving in, she asks: 'What do you want to use that savings for?' It turns out the customer wants to free up budget for marketing. She comes up with a package deal where both goals are achieved. Higher deal value, more value for the customer.

In both cases, the salesperson doesn't win by cutting sharply on price or products. But by being sharp in listening.

In closing: the difference between hearing and listening

Since then, I tell my salmon story to every new colleague at Match-day. Because it reveals one simple truth.

Hearing is passive. Your ears pick up sound. Listening is active. You try to understand what someone really means. As a salesperson, you're only successful when you switch from hearing to listening.

The customer says: 'We're looking for a CRM.' Hearing: you offer a CRM. Listening: you ask what they want to achieve with it, discover they mainly have trouble with lead management, and suggest a focused module.

That's ultimately what selling is about: not the transaction, but your customer's success. Do you agree? Good. Then you're already better than 80% of your competition.