Opinion: The ‘one-and-done’ sales call is a troubling trend

Mark Holmes

The business-to-business sales landscape is experiencing a concerning shift, marked by the rapid rise of what industry experts are calling “one-and-done” sales calls. Also known as rep-free purchases, this trend is reshaping how sales teams must operate. However, it’s vital to understand that this trend does not mean buyers never want to speak with salespeople.

Rather, it highlights a growing sentiment: Buyers are fiercely rejecting sellers who fail to bring genuine insight and value to the table. They are dismissing reps who are uninformed, inflexible to their specific buying needs and reliant on a generic value message.

For sales executives and their teams, this is not just a challenge – it is an unprecedented opportunity to sell more by selling better. By understanding the root causes of this shift, you can rethink and better explain the attributes that build value in the customer’s mind.

4-part sales challenge
To capitalize on this opportunity, you must first understand the challenges driving the rep-free preference.

First, buyer expectations have shifted significantly. Today’s B2B buyers expect sellers to deliver insights they cannot easily find on their own, along with efficient, highly personalized interactions. Gartner reports that 61% of buyers now prefer a rep-free experience, signaling growing frustration with low-value, poorly prepared sales engagements.

Second, friction kills deals. Any tension in the buying process creates uneasiness and lowers the likelihood of a sale. Buyers expect a seamless experience, and how a rep sells often matters more than what they sell. If the rep cannot align with the buyer’s personality preferences, the buyer is likely to walk away.

Third, patience is at an all-time low. Forrester reports that 8 out of 10 buyers are dissatisfied with their chosen provider. This likely indicates a very low tolerance for seller errors, unhelpful discussions or unmet expectations. Buyers are no longer willing to endure self-serving sales pitches or discussions that leave them unclear on the ROI or value.

Finally, time constraints placed on sellers by customers leave no room for wasted effort. Mistakes like poor discovery, an inability to handle difficult questions or failing to navigate price resistance will quickly disqualify a seller.

Impact of the information age
The ability for buyers to independently research products and services has permanently transformed the sales process. Buyers are arriving at the table more educated than ever imagined. According to a Corporate Visions study, 83% of buyers define their purchase requirements before they even engage with a sales rep. What’s more, younger buyers arrive today with preranked shortlists. Thus putting pressure on sellers to overcome deep-rooted preferences and false assumptions.

The rise of artificial intelligence-driven research has accelerated this trend. Because buyers can find basic product information and feature lists in seconds, sales reps are now expected to provide higher-level, highly relevant insights that they cannot easily curate on their own. Failure to deliver this elevated insight diminishes the rep’s perceived value and significantly increases the likelihood of a blown introductory call.

Navigating the phenomenon
Specific behaviors during a crucial first meeting can lead to the immediate disqualification of a salesperson. Buyers actively avoid salespeople who use generic benefits and questions or push sameness-sounding solutions. In fact, Salsify indicates that a 2025 study found that 73% of buyers cite generic outreach (of any kind) as a major turn-off.

To avoid one-and-done sales calls, you must establish credibility, rapport and trust earlier. Decision-makers have limited patience, so you need to prove your worth fast.

Another key part of the solution is investing more time in precall planning. This helps reps ask better questions and uncover needs the buyer may not recognize or fully value. Leaving a call with an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the customer’s core concerns risks losing the sale.

Ultimately, to sell more, you must offer more. More value, efficiency, trust, service, rapport, responsiveness, results – something they highly value. Sameness doesn’t sell.

Refine your value proposition and frame your strongest points as a clear competitive advantage. Deliver customized insights, communicate compelling value and adapt to each buyer’s unique style. If you do, you’ll overcome the one-and-done hurdle.

Mark Holmes is a consultant, professional speaker and author of “Selling to ELON! Understand, Communicate and Sell to Unique Personality Types,” and he’s president of Springfield-based Consultant Board Inc. and SalesRevenueCoach.com. He can be reached at mark@salesrevenuecoach.com.