Influence vs. Persuasion: The Key to Sales Success
Most salespeople spend their careers trying to persuade customers.
But the best sales professionals, the ones who consistently win premium clients, shorten sales cycles, and create long-term relationships don’t rely on persuasion at all. They use something else called influence. And the difference between the two is the difference between chasing business and attracting it.
Persuasion Pushes. Influence Pulls.
Persuasion is about getting someone to agree with you. It’s pressure-based. It’s momentary. It works until the buyer steps away to rethinks everything.
Influence, on the other hand, is about shaping how people see the situation, the solution, and most of all you. Influence is earned, it’s durable, and it continues working even when you’re not in the room.
Persuasion Creates Resistance. Influence Creates Trust.
When buyers feel persuaded, they feel pushed and people instinctively want to push back. They hesitate, they stall, or they go silent trying to avoid the situation and the person.
Persuasion triggers doubt in the customer’s mind: “Is this salesperson trying to win, or trying to help?”
Influence on the other hand removes doubt. It builds trust because it’s grounded in credibility, clarity, and understanding the buyer’s world. Influence allows the customer to see how well the sales person works and sees how it aligns with what others have told the customer about this sales person. That’s right, customer’s talk to each other…
Persuasion Works Short-Term. Influence Works Long-Term.
Persuasion may get you a yes today, but influence gets you the following:
· repeat business
· referrals
· premium pricing
· faster yeses
· deeper relationships
· access to decision-makers
Influence positions you as someone worth listening to, not just someone worth buying from in hopes that this solution will work for the customer. When customers see you as a trusted guide, not a sales rep, they keep coming back. And here is a really big thing, they also bring others with them. That’s right they start selling for us when we use influence.
Persuasion may help you win a moment, but influence enables you win the relationship, the deal, and the future.
If you want sustainable success, more yeses, fewer objections, and customers who follow your lead then build influence. It’s the skill that makes every part of selling easier.
Master the Art of Influence: Build Trust, Drive Sales, and Lead Effectively
Are you ready to become the magnetic force that attracts top performers and your best customers?
I’m Kevin Sidebottom—keynote speaker, sales trainer, and author—and I help organizations unlock the power of influence to achieve breakthrough results.
In this blog, I reveal why influence is the ultimate currency in business and leadership—and how you can use it to:
✅ Motivate customers to stay loyal and buy again
✅ Build trust and engagement with your team
✅ Transform your leadership approach to inspire stronger performance
With decades of experience studying why people buy and how leaders earn loyalty, I equip sales professionals and executives to deliver lasting value, strengthen customer relationships, and drive higher revenue.
👉 Featured Resources to Grow Your Influence:
· Email: kevin@kevinsidebottom.com
· The Sales Process Uncovered Membership
· The Sales Process Uncovered (Book on Amazon)
If you’re serious about elevating your sales process, leadership impact, and team performance, this blog will show you the path.
