How I Use a Doctor’s Pain Index to Qualify AI Deals Before They Stall

Ever notice how doctors ask you to rate your pain from 1 to 10 before they do anything?

You walk in limping, and the first question is:

“How bad is it? 1 to 10.”

If you say 7 or higher, you’re getting pain meds.
If you say 6 or lower, you’re getting Tylenol and a suggestion to rest.

That stuck with me.

So I started using the same approach when selling AI solutions—and it changed how I qualify deals, spot urgency, and avoid chasing weak opportunities.

The Problem with Most AI Sales

AI is exciting. Everyone wants to talk about it.

But that’s the problem: curiosity isn’t commitment.

Just because someone wants to “explore AI” doesn’t mean they’re ready to buy. I learned that the hard way chasing "innovation initiatives" that went nowhere.

So I built a way to qualify fast—before wasting time writing RFPs for deals with no budget, no pain, and no urgency.

My Framework: 10 Common AI Pain Points

I walk into the conversation with a list of the 10 issues I know buyers in that role struggle with, like:

• Manual data processing?

• Low model accuracy or bias concerns?

• Strained data science resources?

• Missed SLAs on automation projects?

• Compliance or explainability risks?

• Tool fragmentation across teams?

• High cost of cloud computing?

• No way to scale successful pilots?

• Vendor lock-in with black-box AI?

• Leadership wants AI—but no clear roadmap?

Then I say:

“These are the 10 common issues I hear most from [Heads of Data / Innovation Leaders / Ops Execs]. Can I run through them with you? Let me know what needs improvement and what is in control.”

They usually identify with 2–3 instantly.

Step Two: The Pain Index

Once they react, I dig deeper into only the things that need improvement after I ask all the questions and have circled back. Why did you say "X" needs improvement?

“On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being 'I can have that happen every day and twice on Sunday and 10 being ' I never want that to happen again. ' Where are you?”

This is where it gets interesting:

• 7 or higher? That’s a deal anchor. It’s emotional. It’s business-critical. I can build ROI around it.

• 6 or lower? That’s a nice-to-have. I log it, I might use it later, but I don’t chase it.

That line helps me distinguish between real opportunities and polite conversations.

Why This Works in AI Sales

• It helps me qualify without pitching

• It gives the buyer language to explain their urgency to others

• It creates a shared scorecard I can sell back to the team

• It avoids the #1 killer of AI deals: low-priority “experiments” with no budget

It Also Makes Negotiation Smarter

When we get to the pricing conversation, I go back to the index:

“You rated model drift and shadow AI use as 9s. If we solve those in Phase 1, I’ll bundle in access to the analytics dashboard (which was a 5 for you). That way you get critical results now, and future value baked in.”

I’m not haggling—I’m aligning with the value they defined.

Ready to Stop Chasing Maybes?

This framework isn’t theory. It’s how I build real pipelines—fast.
It’s how I qualify urgency, avoid stalls, and close deals with buyers who actually have a reason to buy.

If you're tired of quarterly surprises and pipeline fiction, let’s talk.

I’m currently looking for my next sales role—ideally in AI, cybersecurity, HRIS, or B2B SaaS.

You can hire me and have a qualified pipeline in 30 days...
Or you can keep chasing maybes and wondering why nothing’s closing.

Your call. But if you’re serious about results, I’m ready.

Let’s connect on LinkedIn
Email me directly

Final Thought: Don’t Chase Curiosity

AI sales are filled with intelligent individuals who are eager to learn.
That doesn’t mean they’re ready to buy.

This method helps me qualify urgency early, avoid stalls, and focus my time where the pain is real.

Because if it’s not a 7 or higher?
They don’t need AI—they need aspirin.