Practical Sales Training™ > How To Lose The Sale > The Over Convincing Effect
What is it?
The Over Convincing Effect is all about undoing the sale by continuing to try to “sell” or “convince” when the buyer has already decided to buy.
Why does it work?
It works because if we sense someone is “trying too hard” to sell to us, or that they lack confidence or are desperate for the sale, then we start to suspect the quality of the offering and if there is a potential risk or problem once we have purchased.
How can you use it?
To avoid this happening, notice the behaviour of your buyer. When someone is ready to buy, they move from asking questions to taking action. Check in with the buyer to see if they have any more questions, if they do they’ll ask and if they don’t they’ll leave it there or ask how to buy.
Example:
A buyer says:
“Great, this sounds good – let’s go ahead.”
But instead of closing the sale, the seller continues with:
“Just to add – our software also has integrations, our customer service is award-winning, and we’re used by over 1,000 companies worldwide…”
The buyer starts to hesitate.
Why it backfires:
The buyer was ready. But the seller’s continued selling introduces doubt, signals insecurity, and adds friction. The moment of momentum is lost.
What to do instead:
A better response would be:
“Perfect – I’ll get the paperwork started. Just let me know if any questions pop up.”
It’s calm, confident, and buyer-led.
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