B2B Sales: Stop Hunting. Start Fishing.
Why the Best Sales Reps Read the Water Instead of Chasing the Game
For decades, we've lived by a simple story in sales: There are Hunters who chase new customers, and Farmers who grow existing ones. It's dramatic. It's easy to visualize. It's also deeply flawed.
Let's start with the first half of that equation - the Hunter.
The hunter metaphor suggests aggression, instinct, and speed. You track. You pursue. You shoot. Victory goes to the bold. Hunting also implies mobility and exploration - you venture out into new territory to find your next meal, as opposed to farming where you stay put and cultivate what you already have.
This makes intuitive sense for new business development. You need to "get out there" and find prospects, not just tend to your existing garden.
But in enterprise B2B sales, that model breaks down fast. You can't "chase" a deal into closing. You can't shoot your way into procurement. And trying to force urgency on a buyer who isn't ready? That usually backfires.
More fundamentally, hunting implies taking your prey by surprise - but B2B buyers need to be willing, informed participants. You can't ambush someone into a six-figure software purchase. And unlike hunting, where success means the prey loses, great B2B sales means both sides win. You're not extracting value from your "target"—you're solving their problems and fulfilling genuine needs.
So let's retire the rifle.
Enter the Professional Fisherman
(A quick note: When we say "fisherman," we're talking about active sport fishing - strategic, mobile, and highly skilled. Just as people have misconceptions about what modern salespeople should do, many picture fishing as someone sitting passively with a line in the water. Real fishing is nothing like that. And yes, we know both hunting and fishing involve a predator/prey dynamic that doesn't perfectly mirror collaborative B2B relationships - but the fishing approach of patience, timing, and reading conditions comes much closer to how complex deals actually get done.)
Professional fishermen don't frantically chase individual fish or throw spears at shadows. Instead, they're constantly moving and adapting - reading water conditions, testing different spots, and relocating based on what they're seeing. They maintain the "get out there" energy of hunters but channel it strategically. They actively study the ecosystem, learn the patterns, and strategically position themselves where and when the fish are ready to feed.
Most importantly: They don't try to force the bite. They create the conditions for it.
"Professional fishermen are patient until the moment they're not."
Why Sport Fishing Fits Modern Sales Better
1. Deals only close when the buyer is ready
In B2B, you don't "create" a need - you respond to one. No matter how persuasive your pitch, if the buyer isn't in a cycle of change (budgeting, replacing, reacting), they simply won't bite. But great Reps don't just wait - they monitor the conditions that signal readiness.
2. Timing is everything, but you can influence it
Elite anglers don't just know when fish feed - they chum the water to create feeding opportunities. Similarly, great Reps don't just prospect accounts - they prospect moments while simultaneously creating educational content, sharing market insights, and building relationships that position them when buyers enter active cycles.
3. Winning is about pattern recognition and strategic positioning
Fish feed at dawn and dusk, but skilled anglers also know how to read water temperature, weather patterns, and seasonal migrations. Your job is to understand buyer rhythms while actively working the water - adjusting your approach, trying different depths, and moving locations based on what you're seeing. You're still "getting out there" but with purpose and intelligence.
4. When fish bite, you strike immediately
The most critical moment in fishing isn't the cast - it's setting the hook when you feel that first tug. In sales, this means recognizing buying signals instantly and moving aggressively to next steps, mutual action plans, or qualification. Hesitation kills deals.
Personal Example
I once responded to a customer RFP where I believed I had a strong grasp on the buying team. I'd mapped out stakeholders, built the relationship, felt in control.
Then the kickoff call happened.
Nineteen people from the customer side showed up - legal, compliance, tech, regional heads, even finance controllers I'd never met. It was a school of fish I hadn't seen on the sonar.
The lesson? Even when you think you're casting in the right spot, the real action might be deeper than expected. You're not hunting a single target - you're engaging an entire ecosystem. But the best Reps adapt quickly, like an angler who immediately adjusts when they realize they're fishing the wrong depth.
The Sales Theater Trap
We often confuse activity with progress. Sending follow-ups, scheduling "alignment" calls, asking prospects what they need to "accelerate the decision."
But it's often just sales theater - our attempt to look busy while ignoring the buyer's actual process, which was probably mapped out long before we showed up.
A professional angler doesn't thrash around when the fish aren't biting. They read the water conditions, change their bait, try different depths, or move to where the fish are actually feeding. They adjust strategically, not frantically.
What Makes a Great Professional Angler (Rep)?
Studies the ecosystem: Knows where prospects are, why they're there, and what conditions drive their behavior;
Matches bait to species: Persona-specific messaging that resonates with different stakeholder types;
Times the cast: Understands trigger events, budget cycles, and seasonal patterns - but also creates opportunities through thought leadership;
Chums the water: Provides valuable insights and builds relationships that attract prospects into their sphere;
Sets the hook fast: Recognizes buying signals immediately and moves aggressively to advance the deal;
Constantly adapts: Refines approach based on water conditions, not just what worked yesterday;
Moves when necessary: Doesn't waste time in dead water - knows when to try new territories or different approaches.
The Strike Zone
Here's where the fishing metaphor gets aggressive: When a fish bites, you don't gently suggest it might want to consider being caught. You set that hook hard and fast.
In sales, this means when buyers show intent - attending demos, asking about pricing, requesting references - you immediately create urgency, establish next steps, and start qualifying hard. The passive "let me know if you have questions" approach is how deals die.
"The fish doesn't stay interested. Neither does your prospect."
Professional anglers are patient until the moment they're not.
Closing Thought
Hunters shoot. Fishermen read the water - and work it with strategy.
Both hunters and fishermen "get out there" - they're mobile, exploratory, always seeking new opportunities. But in a world where buyers are more informed, more cautious, and more complex than ever, the best Reps aren't the ones who chase hardest.
They're the ones who create the right conditions, recognize the moment of opportunity, and strike decisively when the fish decides it's time to bite.
What's your take? Are you still hunting, or have you made the switch to fishing? Share your thoughts - I'd love to hear how this metaphor lands with your experience in the field.
#StopHunting #StartFishing #B2BSales #EnterpriseSales #SalesStrategy #SalesLeadership