Master the art of subtle persuasion.

 

“Sell me this pen.”

You’ve probably heard this line before — maybe in your sales training, a tricky job interview, or the most likely one, in the infamous Wolf of Wall Street scene.

It’s one of those challenges that seems simple — but really isn’t.

And that’s the point.

Because it’s not just about selling the pen.

It’s about showing you understand what makes people tick and how to make them feel like they need what you’re offering.

Unfortunately, most sales and marketing people get so laser-focused on turning their audience into paying customers that they miss the mark entirely.

So what do they do instead?

They start overselling — rambling on about the product’s endless features and unbeatable deals, throwing everything at the wall, hoping something sticks.

It’s exhausting to listen to, and worse — it rarely works.

Then how do you go about tackling this situation?

Simple — stop selling the pen.

Not literally of course, but what you need to do instead is to reshift your focus.

And to get you started, here are four fresh perspectives to consider — backed by Jordan Belfort himself — to really close that deal for good:

Sell the Purpose, Not the Product

 

In one of the scenes in The Wolf Of Wall Street where Jordan asks his friend Brad to ‘sell him the pen’, Brad takes a mere glance at the pen and replies:

“Do me a favor — write your name down on that napkin for me.”

To which Jordan replies, albeit dumbfoundedly: “I don’t have a pen.”

And Brad goes: “Exactly — supply and demand, my friend.”

Therein lies one of the core essences of this whole conundrum: you can’t just be selling the product if there is no true purpose behind it.

I.e if your customer doesn’t need it, they won’t buy it!

So the next time you’re marketing one of your new products, instead of launching straight into gloating about its all-star benefits, think about this: why would my customer need this?

The answer will not only surprise you, but it’ll give you a whole new — and more importantly, logical — direction to take with your sales and marketing strategy.

Because here’s the truth: understanding your customer’s true needs will transform your product from a “nice-to-have” to an absolute necessity in their lives.

Not only that but when you start focusing on solving their problems, your marketing naturally becomes more compelling and authentic.

Create a Journey, Not a Transaction

 

Take a walk through your local supermarket and you’ll get badgered by a dozen amateur sales promoters, who want you to try their “latest” and “tastiest” health drink.

Funnily enough, I’ve never seen anyone stop and buy from these promoters.

And the reason is simple.

No one — absolutely no one — enjoys feeling like they’re just a number on someone’s sales quota.

Even if deep down, you know the product being sold to you does have great benefits, you don’t like to feel like you’re a mere transaction.

But aren’t all sales technically transactions?

At its core, yes! But customers don’t have to be made to feel that way.

Instead, try engaging in brand storytelling.

A brand story not only gives your product more substance, but it also lets your customers know that they’re buying something more than just a physical object — they’re buying a purpose.

And the stats don’t lie: according to The Journal Of Consumer Research, marketing messages that contain a story can increase sales by as much as 23%!

The great thing is — most brands already come with their own stories and history.

All you need to do is ensure that there is a little piece of that in every one of your marketing content and sales pitches — and watch the customers come in droves.

Make the Pen Feel Like a Limited Opportunity

 

Now to truly amp up the desire to purchase your product, try leveraging a subtle psychological tactic known as limited opportunity.

And what it is is that you simply reduce the quantity of your products available for sale — making it instantly more exclusive, and hence more desirable, in the eyes of customers.

It all boils down to the principle of scarcity: when there’s less supply, there’s naturally more demand.

This is why so many brands employ tactics like limited-time discounts or exclusive offers — they create urgency and exclusivity, which consistently prove to be highly effective in driving sales.

Bear in mind two things before you start excitedly making every one of your products rare and limited:

One: your products should have some demand in the market to begin with. A product that does not have any traction in the market at all will not benefit from such a tactic.

And two: use this tactic sparingly. If you rely on this method too frequently, it can lose its impact, reducing the sense of exclusivity that makes it so effective.

Make the Customer Sell Themselves

 

This last tactic is one that’ll turn the tables on the customers themselves.

Instead of selling them the pen, get them to sell it to themselves.

It’s the art of subtle persuasion: you utilize various soft marketing tactics and provide customers with just enough information to decide for themselves if they want the product or not.

Take Tesla, for example. You’d be hard-pressed to come across a Tesla commercial anywhere, yet why is their Model Y on track to become the most-sold vehicle in the US this year?

The answer is simple: instead of aggressively pushing for a sale, they create hype around their product through customer reviews, media coverage, and most importantly, word of mouth.

Their fans do most of the selling, and potential customers often find themselves convinced without being told to buy.

It’s the dream spot that every marketer aspires for their brand to reach!

The lesson here? Don’t bombard your customers with benefits.

Instead, show them enough to make them feel that the pen is an obvious choice — one that aligns with their personal needs or values.

Conclusion

Selling isn’t about pushing a product — it’s about understanding what your customers need and connecting with them.

Shift your focus from overselling to solving problems, telling stories, creating exclusivity, and letting customers sell themselves.

Nail these strategies, and you’ll turn that pen into a must-have.

What are some of your best sales and marketing tactics?