Practical Sales Training™ > How People Work > Cat’s Paw
Cat’s Paw
What Is It?
A Cat’s Paw is someone else used to carry out your dirty work. It muddies the waters of blame and responsibility. Instead of you saying no, someone else does it for you.
Why Does It Work?
It works because it shifts blame onto a third party your buyer barely knows. You get to stay firmly on their side, championing their needs. Meanwhile the actual refusal lands on someone else entirely.
How Can You Use It?
Point To A Third Party
Blame a third party for the decision, rather than owning it yourself directly. If a buyer pushes for a discount, ask what justifies it. Then say you’ll need to take that reasoning to your boss.
Deliver The News Without Owning It
This lets you dodge responsibility for the bad news. But you still get to deliver it, and push for the outcome you actually need.
When It Works Best
This works best when the third party genuinely exists and holds real authority. Think a manager or a pricing team. It also helps when you can gather useful information while playing this role. Asking “why” buys you time and insight.
When It Becomes Dangerous
This becomes risky if your buyer suspects you invented the third party. Then the tactic backfires completely, and it starts to feel like manipulation rather than process. So only use a real person or a real policy behind the scenes.
Common Mistakes
Inventing A Fictional Third Party
Don’t lean on a fictional boss or department that doesn’t actually exist. One direct question can expose the whole approach instantly.
Overusing The Same Excuse
Never use this so often that it becomes obvious. If every answer becomes “I’ll have to ask,” it stops working. Buyers start noticing the pattern fast.
Cat’s Paw – An Example
A Sales Rep’s Pricing Manager
A prospect asks a sales rep at a software company:
“Can you knock 20% off the price?”
Instead of saying a flat no, the rep replies:
“I’d love to help you out, but I’ll need to get approval from our pricing manager. Can you share why you feel a discount is needed? I’ll need a strong reason to take back to her.”
By using the pricing manager as the Cat’s Paw, the rep avoids being the bad guy. They stay friendly with the buyer. This also gathers valuable information on why the discount matters so much.
See also
