The Lazy Cat
The Lazy Cat
Remember the old joke about two cats bragging about how lazy they were?
The winner was the one who sat on his own tail, pinned it down, and meowed all night — without moving.
— “Yes, I love the apartment, but I need to ask my sister who lives in this city.”
And just like that, the contract that seemed done — vanished.
The manager froze: “Wait, what sister? Why am I hearing this now?”
The ending is predictable:
the sister advised to buy directly, bypassing the agent.
The deal was gone.
“That’s not fair!” — the manager stormed into the office.
But who’s really to blame?
Who should’ve uncovered the client’s background, influence circle, and decision path before the “sister card” appeared?
Sales are not minefield luck — they’re strategic foresight
Most salespeople move like sappers — step by step, hoping not to explode.
But real sales are built on anticipation, not reaction.
The job is to spot friction points before they appear.
Laziness hurts — especially when it’s yours
When we don’t ask, don’t listen, and don’t explore —
we’re the cat sitting on our own tail, wondering why it hurts.
Curiosity isn’t optional in sales.
It’s the difference between a closed deal and a lost one.
About the author
Nikolai Zaitsev is a product architect and real estate strategist. His expertise is grounded in practical B2B/B2C work, published analytics, and public case-based materials.
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