This blog brought to you by The Sales Hunter Podcast Ep. #364 with guest, Shawna Suckow.
The Human Advantage Is Real
Shawna Suckow doesn’t mince words: small businesses have an unfair advantage right now. Not because of budgets or teams, but because of something big companies keep trying—and failing—to manufacture: genuine humanness.
“Small businesses win when they stop trying to act big and own their smallness.”
Today’s buyers crave personality, authenticity, and real communication. Small businesses and salespeople can pivot faster, tell better stories, and show actual humanity in ways large companies simply can’t replicate.
Why This Matters to Salespeople
Mark Hunter points out that the principles in Shawna’s new book apply far beyond small business owners. Salespeople, no matter the industry, are constantly pivoting on sales calls. They need to know how to build trust quickly, stand out fast, and connect on a human level.
Shawna says that’s exactly why she wrote the book: to help small businesses and sales pros thrive during a time of economic uncertainty and massive marketplace upheaval.
Stop Trying To Act Big
One of Shawna’s biggest warnings is also one of the most common mistakes:
“Small businesses fall short when they try to act like huge corporations.”
Big-brand impersonations drain resources and dilute what makes small organizations special. Instead, the businesses gaining traction today are the ones leaning fully into their size, personality, quirks, and direct connection with customers.
In the same vein, salespeople fail when they blend into the noise. Sounding like everyone else is the fastest path to being ignored.
Professionalism Has Changed
The marketplace has shifted dramatically since COVID. The overly polished, buttoned-up version of professionalism is fading.
“If a cat walked across your Zoom screen before COVID, it was mortifying. Now people want to know your cat’s name.”
Buyers want to know the humans behind the message. Salespeople and businesses who allow personality to come through build faster trust, easier rapport, and more memorable experiences.
Build Trust Faster by Being Real
Forget the stale, robotic openers.
Shawna’s advice is blunt: stop writing “I hope this email finds you well.” Nobody talks like that in real life.
Instead, use real language. Trigger emotions. Share stories. Be a person first and a salesperson second.
“As soon as the buyer sees you as a human—not a salesperson—they’re more likely to say yes.”
This is the essence of “out-humaning” the competition.
Find Your Exact Right Customer
Not everyone is your customer, and the sooner a small business (or salesperson) accepts that, the better.
Identify the customers you wish you could clone. Speak directly to them, not everyone. Those who resonate will engage deeply. Those who don’t? Let them go.
Shawna shares examples of how personality-driven messaging wins:
- Her assistant started mentioning her toddler and infant in outreach.
- Responses shot up—not from everyone, but from the right people.
- Those who resonated became long-term partners and referral sources.
A Tattoo Shop That Broke All the Rules
One of the best stories in the episode features a woman-owned tattoo shop in Minnesota that made a bold decision: market only to women.
She eliminated up to 75% of her potential audience—and still skyrocketed.
By narrowing her niche, she became the go-to for her exact right customers.
Her brand, packages, pricing, and atmosphere all align with the people she wants to serve. Word of mouth exploded. Media coverage followed. Customers drive past multiple other shops just to visit hers.
That’s the power of hyper-specific identity.
When to Pivot
Not every strategy works immediately. Shawna recommends committing to a marketing direction for a meaningful amount of time before deciding it’s not working. Results vary depending on your sales cycle.
Mark adds that, in sales, a good rule of thumb is to commit for three times the length of your normal sales cycle before declaring an approach a failure. True clarity takes consistency.
Do Women Have an Edge in Communication?
Shawna argues yes—at least in the type of communication that wins today:
“Facts and benefits don’t make you memorable anymore. Emotion does.”
Women tend to naturally share emotional context more easily, but men who embrace storytelling and emotional resonance can absolutely excel too.
Stories Build Trust
Facts don’t make buyers care. Stories do.
This is why small businesses and individual salespeople who embrace storytelling win. It humanizes the brand, creates emotional connection, and builds trust much faster.
Shawna points to the tattoo shop owner again:
Her story, her vibe, her reasons for every choice—it all makes her brand unforgettable.
Where to Get the Book
Shawna’s book Small Is Your Superpower: How Small Businesses Can Finally Outsmart Big Brands is available on Amazon.
You can connect with her at thebuyerinsider.com and on LinkedIn and YouTube.
