What Are the Best Sales Techniques?

What are sales techniques?

Sales techniques are approaches that salespeople use to convert leads and prospects to customers.

Trying different selling techniques help you connect with prospects, understand their needs, and guide them toward making a purchase decision.

There are countless sales techniques for different situations. The key is knowing which technique works best for each prospect and sales scenario you encounter.

There are different techniques for different stages of the sales process:

1. The approach phase
2. The discovery phase
3. The sales pitch
4. The response to objections
5. The closing

Below, we’ll cover 10 proven techniques that address these different stages, with particular focus on the critical approach and discovery phases where most sales are won or lost.

Why should you use a sales technique?

The main goal of using sales techniques is to increase your closing rate and generate more revenue for your company.

Like any profession, effectiveness depends on multiple factors:

• Experience
• Personality
• Knowledge

Sales techniques fall into this last category.

When you apply these techniques during customer interactions, you build trust with prospects. This encourages the prospect to continue the conversation and creates opportunities for upsells and cross-sells.

10 successful sales techniques with examples

1. The elevator pitch technique

The elevator pitch is a classic sales technique that lets you present your offer in 30 seconds to one minute. You can use it for both cold calling and warm outreach.

This technique helps you make a strong first impression and get prospects interested in hearing more.

To create an effective elevator pitch, focus on three key elements:

• Who are you?
• What do you do?
• What can you do for your prospect?

Keep these three points clear and concise. Your message should immediately resonate with your prospect and make them want to continue the conversation.

• “Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name] with [Company]. We help outpatient clinics cut no‑shows by automating reminders and backfilling cancellations. Net result: fuller schedules without extra admin work. If patient flow is a priority this quarter, open to a quick look?”

2. The problem/solution technique

The problem/solution technique is popular in cold calling and lead generation. It helps you identify customer needs and offer solutions that match their expectations.

Start by asking prospects about their main challenges during a discovery call. Once you identify their pain points, present a solution that directly addresses their problem.

This technique works because it shows you understand the customer’s situation and have the right solution to help them.

• “How are you tracking unit costs per service today? Many teams see spend but not cost per customer or feature. If that’s familiar, we map costs to teams and services so you can set guardrails and stop month‑end surprises. Open to testing it with one department?”

3. The before & after technique

The before-and-after technique highlights the value of your product or service by showing contrast.

Describe your prospect’s current situation, then paint a picture of how much better things would be with your solution. You can also flip this by showing what they’d lose without your help.

This approach demonstrates value in concrete, visual terms that prospects can easily understand.

• “Before: batch‑and‑blast emails, low click‑through, manual list pulls. After: behavior‑based journeys that trigger on browse/abandon events, lifting repeat purchases without extra sends. Interested in the playbook we use to launch in two weeks?”

4. The authority technique

Position yourself as the expert who understands the problem space better than anyone.

Show credentials that signal expertise: original research and benchmark data, analyst or media coverage, certifications and awards, and substantive thought leadership (guides, playbooks, conference talks).

The aim is to reduce perceived risk by proving you know the terrain and what works.

• “According to our latest outreach benchmark of [N] sequences, multichannel steps improved reply rates by [X%] vs email-only.”
• “We’re SOC 2 Type II certified and featured by [Analyst/Media], ensuring a secure, compliant rollout.”

5. The social proof technique

The social proof technique leverages approval from people in your prospect’s network to boost your credibility.

Show prospects how other people or companies in their industry are using your product and getting great results.

This technique works especially well when the social proof comes from companies your prospect knows or respects. It’s similar to the authority technique, but focuses on peer validation rather than expert positioning.

• “Rated [X]/5 on G2 by [N] SDRs/RevOps leaders; 78% mention easier inbox management.”
• “Used by teams at [Logo1], [Logo2], [Logo3], see the exact plays they deploy.”

6. The scarcity (FOMO) technique

The scarcity technique creates urgency by highlighting limited availability of your product or service.

Let prospects know your offer has constraints, whether it’s time, quantity, or special pricing. Set clear deadlines, limit product availability, or offer time-sensitive discounts.

This technique taps into FOMO (fear of missing out) and encourages quick decision-making. People act faster when they believe they might lose a valuable opportunity.

• “The bonus audit is for the first 10 sign‑ups—3 spots remain. Should I reserve one?”
• “Calendars are tight: I can hold Tuesday 2pm or Thursday 11am. Want me to lock one?”

7. The compare/contrast technique

The compare/contrast technique highlights your product’s advantages by comparing it directly to competitors.

Identify your key features and benefits, then show how they stack up against alternatives. This demonstrates your offering’s superiority in concrete, measurable ways.

Sales teams often use this technique during the final stages of the sales process to help prospects choose between options and close the deal.

• “In‑house route takes 6–8 weeks to hire, train, and QA. Our managed rollout is live in 10 business days with a fixed‑fee pilot.”
• “Automated checks at each step vs spreadsheet updates once a week—fewer errors and real‑time visibility.”

8. The referrals technique

The referrals technique leverages your existing customer base to find new potential clients through endorsements and introductions.

By getting satisfied customers to recommend you, you establish immediate trust with prospects who might otherwise be skeptical or hard to reach.

Referrals work because they come with built-in trust, offer cost-effective lead generation, and provide enhanced credibility that’s hard to replicate through advertising.

• “Quick favor: we’re opening 5 referral slots this quarter. If someone in your circle is tackling [problem], I’ll share our playbook and offer a complimentary audit as a thank‑you for the intro.
• Hi [First Name], [Referrer] shared your number and said a quick message was okay. Can send a 1‑page summary on [topic] or book a 15‑min compare‑notes call. What’s easier?

9. The risk-reversal technique

The risk-reversal technique reduces prospect hesitation by making it “safe to say yes” through low-risk options.

Offer prospects ways to test your solution without major commitment, like free trials. This lets them evaluate your value before making long-term decisions.

This technique works because it lowers perceived risk and aligns incentives. It’s especially effective in later sales stages when prospects agree on value but still have lingering uncertainty about moving forward.

• “Let’s run a 30‑day trial with success criteria we agree on. If we don’t hit [metric] by day 30, you won’t be billed.”
• “We can start month‑to‑month with an opt‑out in the first 45 days if the checklist outcomes aren’t met, no long‑term commitment.”

10. The curiosity gap technique

The curiosity gap technique creates intrigue by revealing just enough information to spark interest while withholding key details that prospects want to know.

Share an intriguing insight, surprising statistic, or counterintuitive finding related to their industry or role, then offer to explain the “how” or “why” in a follow-up conversation.

This technique works because it leverages our natural desire to close knowledge gaps. When prospects encounter incomplete but relevant information, they feel compelled to learn more to satisfy their curiosity.

• “Found something unexpected in our audit of 200+ SaaS pricing pages: companies using [specific element] converted 34% more trials to paid. The reason surprised our team. Worth a 10-minute walkthrough of what we discovered?”
• “Quick question: what percentage of your pipeline do you think comes from prospects who visited your site 3+ times before converting? The actual number from our recent study might change how you score leads. Interested in the breakdown?”

How to properly apply your sales techniques

Now that you understand different sales techniques and how they work, you need to apply them strategically. Keep these key principles in mind:

Sales techniques work best together: They’re not mutually exclusive, they often complement each other. Combine several techniques to increase your chances of success.

Match techniques to your prospect: Not every approach works with every person. Adapt your strategy based on your prospect’s profile, industry, and communication style.

Time your techniques correctly: Each technique has an optimal moment in your sales process. For example, using scarcity before your prospect understands your product’s value won’t be effective.

Use techniques subtly and authentically: Overdoing it makes you seem insincere or manipulative, which damages prospect relationships.

The key is using successful sales techniques wisely, considering both your audience and where you are in the sales cycle.

5 final tips to boost your sales techniques performance

1. Learn from the best

Master sales techniques by studying top performers. Read books, take courses, and observe successful salespeople to develop your skills.

2. Practice consistently

The only way to master these techniques is through regular practice. The more you use them, the more natural and effective they become.

3. Stay authentic

Always remain sincere when applying sales techniques. If prospects sense manipulation, they’ll end the relationship quickly.

4. Persevere through rejection

Sales involves facing “no” regularly. Don’t give up, every rejection brings you closer to your next “yes.”

5. Enjoy the process

Sales can be incredibly rewarding when done well. Have fun with it, your enthusiasm will show in every conversation with prospects.