#126 The Psychology of Sales — Building Trust One Promise at a Time with Michael Fitzgerald
The final deal is never made logically — it’s made psychologically. That’s the core truth at the heart of this conversation with Michael Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of OnePageCRM .
Michael is an inventor turned entrepreneur whose product vision has never wavered: make sales as simple as possible — and as human as possible. In this episode, he shares how small, consistent promises create trust, and how trust is the ultimate sales strategy.
He also turns the tables on me — challenging me to publicly commit to a shipping date for my own new product. (Yes, October 30th is officially locked in!) It’s a brilliant example of the courage it takes to stop perfecting and start releasing — the same lesson that turned OnePageCRM from a sketch on a napkin into a globally respected sales tool.
You’ll walk away with a fresh perspective on what truly drives conversions — not funnels filled with friction, but relationships built on reliability. Whether you’re a founder, coach, or consultant, this episode will help you sell with confidence, focus, and integrity.
🎯 Listen and you’ll learn:
Why every sale is built on promises kept — and what that means for your next pitch.
How trust, not tactics, determines whether someone buys.
Why simplicity and consistency outperform complexity in every CRM.
How to build a vision-led business that stays true to its purpose.
The real power of “shipping before you’re ready” — and how it can transform your growth.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – The Psychology of Sales: Why Every Deal Starts with Trust Michael reveals how the real buying decision is emotional, not logical — and why trust is your greatest conversion tool.
02:30 – From Inventor to Entrepreneur: The DNA of a Product Creator How a background in product design shaped Michael’s approach to building scalable software.
08:30 – Vision That Endures: Why OnePageCRM’s Mission Has Never Changed How staying anchored to one clear product vision created long-term growth.
10:45 – Next Action Thinking: The Simplest Way to Sell More Michael’s “next action” approach turns sales from something scary into something natural and repeatable.
15:10 – Zero Admin, Maximum Connection: Designing Tools That Serve People First Inside the design philosophy that helps small businesses stay focused on customers, not admin.
18:40 – Competing with Giants: Differentiation in a World of CRMs How OnePageCRM thrives beside massive players like Salesforce and HubSpot through clarity, honesty, and simplicity.
24:00 – Marketing on the Move: The Legendary Camper Van Tour The story behind Michael’s iconic UK road trip — and why meeting customers in person is still the most powerful marketing move.
28:20 – From Kitchen Table to Office: A Customer’s Transformation Story How a single CRM helped one entrepreneur grow from solo operator to employer — proof that focus drives results.
34:50 – The Pivot to Product: Burning the Ships and Going All In Michael shares the pivotal moment he left client work behind and built OnePageCRM from the ground up.
42:40 – Ship It: Lessons from Seth Godin and Reid Hoffman Why launching before it’s perfect is essential — and how to turn customer feedback into your fastest path to growth.
45:50 – The Challenge: Finola Commits to Shipping Her Product A powerful moment where Michael asks Finola to set a live shipping date — and she commits to October 30th. A masterclass in accountability, courage, and walking your own talk.
50:00 – Trust, Promises, and Small Business Character The emotional core of every sale — how to build trust that lasts long after the transaction.
53:40 – Customer Support as a Growth Engine Why Michael still answers customer emails — and what that reveals about leadership, service, and loyalty.
55:10 – Final Message: Know Your Customer, Keep Your Promises, Build Trust Michael’s closing advice for founders: your word is your greatest sales tool.
💬 Connect with Michael Fitzgerald
Explore OnePageCRM’s action-focused sales system and discover how to simplify your selling at onepagecrm.com . Follow Michael on LinkedIn for more insights on product design, leadership, and small business growth.
💬 Connect with Finola Howard
I’m Finola Howard, Business Growth Strategist and host of Your Truth Shared. If this episode resonated, subscribe to the show, leave a review, and share it with someone building their next great idea.
Get my Joyful Million Playbook Newsletter for behind-the-scenes insights on building a million-euro business without burnout: 👉 finolahoward.com/newsletters/the-joyful-million-playbook
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🎧 Listen now on: finolahoward.com/podcast or search Your Truth Shared with Finola Howard on your favourite podcast app.
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