Day 178: When a buyer says “we already use X,” don’t attack the incumbent

💡 Tip — Day 178

When a buyer says “we already use X,” don’t attack the incumbent. That just makes them defend their decision. Use the Incumbent Wedge: 1. Label: “Sounds like you’ve already got something in place.” 2. Respect: “Makes sense — switching for the sake of switching is rarely worth it.” 3. Probe for strain: “Where does it work well, and where do teams still create workarounds?” 4. Quantify: “How often does that happen, and who feels it most?” 5. Earn comparison: “If that gap is worth solving, would it be useful to compare how others handle it?” This borrows from Never Split the Difference: lower resistance before asking for the truth. 🎯 Try this today: Write your 5-line response to “we already use a vendor” and include one question about workarounds.