How often does a prospect call you up saying how great your product is and that they want to buy right now? Not often, I expect. That’s when persuasion techniques in sales come in. Though some sales will be easy to close, others will be tougher. You might have to work to change someone’s mind when they’re hesitant to pull the trigger.

Mastering persuasion isn’t easy. But with these persuasion techniques in sales, you’ll make yourself more convincing in order to influence prospects to purchase from you.

1. Power Poses

Did you know that some poses indicate high confidence and some are associated with low confidence? According to a recent TED talk on the topic, the way you stand can help persuade buyers to sign on the dotted line.

Using high-power poses increases testosterone levels, a hormone connected to confidence, and decreases cortisol levels, which is associated with stress.

When you display your confidence through power poses, you can inspire confidence in others. No one is going to be convinced by a meandering and uncertain sales rep. Display your authority and power by striking the right pose: stand up straight with hands on your hips, lean back in your chair with your feet up, or sit with your arms and legs spread.

2. Dramatization

A deal is really just a product exchanged for money. But to convince buyers, you have to make it seem like it’s so much more than that. So dramatize your ideas instead of just talking dollars and cents. Make the prospect visualize how the product will result in better outcomes for them, how amazing their business could be, and how your product can take them there.

3. Limiting Choices

It’s a fact that when humans are presented with too many options, they freeze. While variety draws us in, it fails to convert interest to purchase. So to persuade a prospect to buy, limit the choices as to avoid overwhelming them.

People are more likely to make a final decision with a more manageable set of choices.

4. Social proof

Social proof is one of the best persuasion techniques in sales. That’s why we create case studies and get clients to write testimonials. Many of us have the tendency to make our choices based on other people’s decisions. A hesitant prospect will want to know that the solution worked for others, and in turn, might work for them, too. We believe that other people’s decisions reflect the right choices, especially if we’re not convinced of our own choice.

Reference high-profile customers, share testimonials, and point how many of the prospect’s peers and competitors use the product, and you’ll change their mind and persuade them to buy.

5. Agitate and Solve

Agitate and solve is one of the oldest persuasion techniques in sales, but it still works. Evoking critical emotions is a highly effective way to convince a prospect to buy. Identify the prospect’s problem, then talk about it in emotion terms. Make them feel anxious or fearful at the consequences of the problem they currently face if it’s left unresolved. Then, make all of these fears and concerns go away and replace them with feelings of hope, happiness, and relief by swooping in with the solution.

6. Reminding the Prospect It’s their Choice

You know by now that prospects don’tlike to be told what to do—that’s why you stopped using aggressive sales tactics a long time ago. Now go one step further with this notion. A prospect might blow you off simply at the suggestion that you know what’s best for them. Reassure them by telling them that the decision is theirs, that you’re not there to force them to do anything, and that theydon’t have to listen to you. This can help you put the prospect at ease, and thus in a better place to be sold to.

7. Using Authority

People place more trust in people and companies with authority. And they’re more likely to respond to their requests. Think about it: we listen carefully to police officers, professors, doctors, and gurus because of their authority.

Establishing authority in your business can come from revealing credentials, certificates, awards, and years of experience. It can also come from demonstratingyour expertise, experience, and knowledge of your industry. Simply being a thought leader might be all you need to persuade a buyer that you’re the right person to buy from.