The Junior Circuit Strategy: How To Unlock 3x More Deals By Talking To The People Everyone Else Ignores

I need to give credit where credit is due. My wife's excellent at convincing me that I’m doing something nice for myself whenever I book her a surprise solo trip to Paris. You know, her favorite city. She calls it 'quality me time,' and my future self can’t deny that it’s always a win-win—even if I’m the one chasing the kids around for a weekend so she can recharge her batteries.

Now that's the power of what I call Self Investment Triggers.

So, What Are Self Investment Triggers?

Self Investment Triggers are the mental switches that make people feel like they’re investing in themselves when they invest in you. They’re the underlying motivations, pressures, and aspirations that push decision-makers to put their money where their mouth is. Whether it’s about staying relevant in their industry, impressing leadership, or hitting some elusive KPI, the magic happens when you make them believe your solution is part of their own growth story.

The truth is, investment triggers aren’t always about fixing immediate problems. They’re often about creating a narrative where your product or service feels like the key to their future success. You know, the same way every fitness program promises to turn you into some mythical productivity beast. People aren’t just looking for solutions—they’re looking for upgrades to their own legend.

The Secret Ingredient: Self-Investment

People don’t just buy products; they buy progress. If your solution feels like a stepping stone toward their vision of success, you’re golden. This isn’t just about demonstrating ROI—it’s about framing your offer as a personal growth opportunity for your buyer.

• Want them to buy your new AI-powered software? Show them how adopting it aligns with their goal of becoming the innovation hero at their company.

• Pitching a cutting-edge training platform? Make it clear that mastering it is their fast-track to career advancement.

OK, so now you know the formula for convincing decision-makers that you're the right solution for them. But I know what you're thinking. That’s all well and good, but how in God's name are you supposed to unpack what these self-investment triggers truly are in a one-hour Zoom call with the decision maker?

Enter the secret weapon that helped my business grow and outcompete billion-dollar giants in the market research industry...

The Junior Circuit Strategy

While everyone else is clamoring to book meetings with decision-makers, you’re taking a different route: the Junior Circuit Strategy.

Instead of going straight to the top, you start with the middle or even lower levels of the organization. Why? Because these folks have their ear to the ground. They know what’s actually happening behind the curtain because they're the ones actually spending time chatting around the proverbial water cooler. And, believe it or not, their ambitions are often what drives the most interesting intel.

What This Looks Like:

• Reconnaissance Missions: Treat meetings with junior staff as opportunities to gather intel. What words do they use to describe their pain points? What phrases keep cropping up in their complaints or wish lists? This isn’t just about problems—it’s about language. Getting the exact wording they use is like finding a cheat code.

• Mapping the Investment Landscape: Ask them questions about internal politics, budget allocations, and what kinds of projects are soaking up all the investment dollars these days. Who’s got the cash? Who’s feeling the pressure to spend it wisely? Oh, and by the way—never underestimate how much junior staff want to impress their bosses by bringing new insights to the table.

• Building Relationships: Contrary to popular belief, junior employees can be your best allies. They’re often the ones advocating for new solutions behind the scenes. Plus, they're far easier to reach than the executives everyone's chasing.

Here's a concrete example from my own journey: In the early days of MotivBase, we discovered that most of the research directors we were targeting wanted a seat at the executive table. They weren’t just trying to look good—they were trying to shape the strategic direction around how their bosses saw the evolution of key product lines. So our job became about helping them find insights that got them into the meeting. Because that helped them advance their careers. And guess who they kept coming back to?

Why This Works

People are constantly making decisions that will make them look good—whether to their boss, their peers, or their customers. And many of those decisions are driven by what they expect will work. They’re investing in their own credibility just as much as they’re investing in your solution.

When you understand their expectations, you can speak directly to them. It’s the difference between selling a hammer and selling the feeling of building something incredible.

Practical Takeaway

Instead of playing the same tired game of knocking on the executive door, take a detour through the Junior Circuit and invest in your own future! Understand their language, map their pressures and expectations, and figure out what success looks like from their perspective. Once you do that, you’re not just selling a product—you’re giving them a way to invest in their own success.

Now, if only I could figure out how to turn 'watching the kids for the weekend' into a meaningful investment in my self-improvement. But that’s a different article.

Psst! My book "The Invisible Rulebook" is coming out in Q1 2026. Want to read pre-release chapters, join Inner Circle meet-ups, and actually shape the final book? Get in on it early. I’m looking for folks who want to help craft the final version of the book while enjoying exclusive content.

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