4 Sales Mantras to Memorize and Why They Work

This story appears in the February 2016 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

1. Create certainty

“There’s a big difference between getting someone to like your product and getting someone to buy,” says Derek Rucker, a social psychologist at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. They need to feel certain it’s right for them, so engage their doubts. “Challenge consumers to critique your product. When they fail to find significant faults, they become more confident of the product’s merits.”

2. Reinforce the positive

During a sales conversation, listen closely for comments your customer makes that reinforce your position. Maybe they say, “I’ve never thought of it that way.” Or, “I can see how that might help us.” Then respond by saying “I hear that a lot,” or mention another client of yours who said the same thing. You’re bringing them over to your way of thinking, says Rucker.

3. Let the customer do the selling

Think of it this way: Rather than sell a customer, you’re providing the evidence for customers to sell themselves. Rucker suggests asking potential buyers what they look for in your type of product. “The idea is that if they self-generate the list of attributes they desire, and we have those, then they can conclude for themselves we are the right product for them,” he says.

4. Keep meeting their needs

“People buy in order to experience the feelings they get from having their needs met,” says Phil Glosserman, a sales coach and co-author of The Referral Code and Selling the Feeling. Your product may meet those needs, yes, but customers are also looking for you to meet them on a personal level. If a potential customer doesn’t like something in your product, call back when it’s fixed -- and say thanks for the great idea.