Imagine the following: You are an employed buyer at an art gallery.
One day, someone walks in with a painting that makes your pulse race. A rediscovered painting: “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo da Vinci, found in an attic.
The price tag? 25 million.
The potential market value? At least 100 million.
But, you only have one hour to decide.
Your art expert performs an initial review and says: “There’s a 90 per cent chance it’s authentic, but I need a week to be absolutely sure.”
What do you do?
💰 If the painting is authentic:
- The company earns at least 75 million.
- You get a month’s salary as a bonus and a pat on the back.
💥 If it’s fake:
- You are the one who has to face the consequences.
- Your job, reputation, and career are at risk.
The company gets the profit. You take the risk.
Most people would say no.
Not because the potential value is unclear, but because the risk is personal.
👉 And this exact scenario happens in B2B sales every day.
On paper, the deal is obvious: better ROI, higher efficiency, lower costs.
But for the person on the other side of the table, the equation looks different.
Does the project succeed? The company gets the reward.
Does it fail? I, as the decision-maker, carry the blame.
The exact same asymmetry as in the “Salvator Mundi” example.
B2B buyers rarely say no to value.
They say no to personal risk. It’s not logic that is missing. It’s security.
A salesperson’s primary task is to reduce uncertainty. To make the buying decision safe.
🤔 I’m curious! Would you have bought the painting?
A little fun fact: “Salvator Mundi” is a controversial Da Vinci painting that was rediscovered in 2005 and sold in 2017 for $450 million despite its unclear authenticity.
