Ten Selling Tips to Persuade People to Buy

Sales professionals are masters of persuasion. Persuasion is a process. It requires rapport building skills, credibility, the ability to craft a logical argument and the eloquence to present it. Persuasion is not manipulation when it is based on mutual gain and ethical selling behaviors.

Use these ten tips helps to become more persuasive and convince more buyers to say, "Yes, I'll buy.”

1. Establish credibility in the first meeting. Show buyers why they should trust and believe you.
2. Buyers are either open to new ideas or closed to them. To persuade a buyer, they must listen with an open mind. If their mind is closed, your first challenge is to open it.
3. Find common ground. By pointing out shared thinking and shared experiences, you demonstrate to the buyer you understand your point of view.
4. When the buyer talks, listen past the words for strong emotions. What does the buyer care about?
5. Ask opinion questions. We get the ammunition we need to persuade by looking below surface level facts and understand the thinking that underlies past decisions.
6. Tell stories. Stories interest prospects and customers. Design them so listeners draw the right conclusions. Stories help you persuade because buyers will always find their own conclusions more believable than any statement you can make.
7. Be likable. We are all more willing to accept the ideas of people we like.
8. Look at possible arguments from both sides. If the audience brings up a negative point, nod and say, "That's an excellent point. I considered it and . . .”
9. Provide evidence to prove benefits are real. Use testimonials, statistics and real life examples.
10. Fear stops people from taking action. Identify concerns. Alleviate risks.