How to Sell More (Without Becoming a Salesperson)

The 7-part sales engine that helped Tom go from 15% to 78% conversion rates

Tom came to me with a great problem.

He’d built a brilliant marketing engine.
The leads were rolling in. His ads were dialled in. People were clicking, enquiring, and showing interest.

But when it came to converting those enquiries into clients?
He was only closing 15% of them.

It wasn’t a lack of demand. It wasn’t a broken product.
It was what I see over and over again with small business owners:

They focus so much on getting attention…
They forget to build trust.

So we changed that.

We worked together to build Tom a simple sales deck that walked prospective clients through everything they needed to feel confident in buying.

No manipulation. No hard closes.
Just systems that do what good selling should always do:
👉 remove doubt
👉 build trust
👉 make the decision feel safe and smart

It worked. Within a few weeks, Tom was closing over 78% of his enquiries.

The reason? He stopped winging it and started using all seven parts of what I call a sales engine.

🔧 The Sales Engine: 7 Elements That Sell Without Selling

This isn’t about psychology (if you want that, read my book The Science of Business).
This is about what we implemented with Tom — and what my own firm uses to close 86% of leads.

Let’s break it down.

1. Give Something Away — Properly

Tom was already offering free calls, but they felt generic.
We reworked his offer so that even if someone didn’t buy, they walked away with real value, advice, tools, and insights.

I do the same in my firm: a free 1-hour consultation, plus a free copy of my book.
It tells people I’m here to help, not just to close a deal.

2. Build a System (Yes, a Boring Checklist)

We gave Tom a simple onboarding checklist, the same idea I use in my own firm.
It sounds dull, but it’s powerful: every client gets the same consistent experience, and your team always knows what comes next.

Trust is built on consistency.
A checklist makes that deliverable.

3. Ask for Reviews — and Use Them

Tom had happy clients, but no reviews.
So we systemised it: if someone gives positive feedback, ask for a review there and then.

Social proof works. It’s not just a marketing cliché, it’s behavioural science. And if you’ve got good reviews, put them everywhere.

4. Show You’re the Authority

We built Tom a section in his pitch deck that quietly showcased his experience.
Podcasts, blog posts, public speaking, credentials and we even had a high profile client who was happy to be included in his pitch deck. It was all framed around helping, not boasting.

I do the same in my own onboarding process: my university teaching, published books, podcast, blog… they all serve one purpose:
👉 To help the buyer feel they’re in capable hands.

5. Be Likeable

Tom’s old process was stiff and overly formal.
We helped him find natural connection points: hobbies, background and interests. A genuine compliment. A smile. A moment of shared ground.

People buy from people they like.
Not because it’s fluffy but because it makes the relationship feel easier, safer, and human.

6. Use Scarcity — Honestly

We added one simple slide to Tom’s deck:
“Current capacity: 3 client spaces remaining this month.”

It was true. And it worked.

Scarcity drives urgency. If people think your offer is always available, they’ll always delay.
But if there’s a clear reason to act now and you’re upfront about it, they move.

In my firm, we sometimes have a waiting list. When I mention that, enquiries turn into sign-ups fast. It’s not a tactic. It’s just human nature. If you have a restaurant then give a customer a discount voucher for the next month, it’s time limited and drives action. 

7. Create a Sense of Belonging

Tom’s pitch used to feel transactional.
We helped him reposition his business as a community with access to events, resources, ongoing education.

People want more than a service. They want to feel like they’re part of something.
In my business, it’s a stable, supportive team with shared values. In yours, it might be something else; family focus, lifestyle and/or sustainability.

The key is this: make people feel like they’ve found their place.

🧠 Final Thought: Don’t Pick and Choose

Here’s the mistake most people make:
They implement one or two of these and wonder why sales still feel hard.

Tom did all seven and so do I.
That’s why it works.

If you’re relying on “just being good at what you do” to bring in sales, it’s not enough.
Not because your work isn’t brilliant, but because buyers need more to feel confident.

This isn’t about pressure. It’s about trust.
And trust is built with structure, consistency, and credibility.

📚 Want More?

I dive deeper into this framework and the science behind it, in my book The Science of Business.
It’s written for business owners who don’t want hype just honest strategies that work in the real world.

Or if you’d prefer to see how this looks in action, check out the full video on my YouTube channel:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ask_jt