Every successful salesperson has his or her own tricks to get prospects to say ‘yes.’ And while there’s certainly something to be said for honing your own skills and developing your own unique approaches, there’s nothing wrong with learning from the best. That being said, if you could stand to close a few more deals (and really, who couldn’t?), you might want to give the following proven sales hacks a try.

Use visuals.

The human brain processes pictures at a rate of 60,000 times faster than text. Furthermore, people are 85% more likely to buy a product after viewing a related video. If you aren’t incorporating visual content into your sales pitches, you are limiting your potential to sell. In other words don’t just tell your prospects what you have to offer. Show them using compelling images, powerful video footage and, of course, the product itself.

Make five attempts.

When it comes to closing the deal, persistence is often the key. But if you push too hard, you could end up driving your leads away. The key is finding that sweet spot, which for many successful salespeople is right around five attempts. In addition to keeping the lines of communication open without overdoing it, you should also make sure each of these connections adds value to your prospect. For instance, you might follow up your initial meeting with an article or free eBook that addresses your prospect’s pain point or answers a question.

Time it right.

Believe it or not, studies have shown that Wednesdays and Thursdays are the most effective days for generating sales. There has even been research conducted to determine the best time of day for reaching out to a sales lead (consensus is between 8am and 9am or 4pm to 5pm). Conversely, the worst time to make a sales call is during lunchtime. These statistics matter because research also indicates that calling a prospect at a favorable time can increase your likelihood of closing the deal by 164%! 

Make it about them.

People aren’t interested in your product or service. They are interested in what your product or service can do for them. To improve your chances of winning a new customer, always focus your sales pitches on the needs, struggles or preferences of your prospects. Instead of touting all the features of your state-of-the-art product, demonstrate the specific benefits that your product will have for your prospect. The more you paint a picture of how you can solve their problems, the more likely they’ll be to bite.

Believe in yourself.

You believe in what you’re selling, but do you believe in yourself? 95% of our thoughts are subconscious in nature, and if we aren’t careful, a good portion of those thoughts can be negative. When you practice self-confidence, people will naturally be drawn to you and when you can win people over, you can get them to buy from you. It’s really that simple. Practice positive thinking and self-talk and when those negative thoughts arise, push them away.

These are just a handful of the many different tactics successful salespeople use to improve their bottom line. At the end of the day, it’s not so much about knowing these strategies as it is being able to put them into practice. Make a concerted effort to put these tips into action and you should see your results improve.