Sales foundations: how people decide to buy

Learn why people buy, how to earn trust early, and how to run a first sales conversation that ends with an agreed next step.

Most people learn to sell by copying the person at the next desk, and they pick up that person's habits too: talking too much, pitching before asking anything, and chasing people who said maybe three months ago. This course begins with the buyer. You look at how you decide to buy things yourself, then build each sales skill from there: trust, listening, value, the first conversation and the follow-up. It is meant for anyone whose job now includes selling, such as a new financial adviser, a freelancer quoting for a client, or an engineer moving into a customer-facing role.

What you'll be able to do

• Describe the buying process from the buyer's side and identify which stage a prospect is in
• Write and deliver a 30-second introduction that leads the other person to ask a second question
• Run a conversation in which the buyer does most of the talking, using open questions and summaries
• Turn a product's features into benefits stated in the buyer's terms of money, time and risk
• Lead a first meeting from the agenda through to an agreed next step
• Write a follow-up sequence where each message adds something new
• Track your own sales activity and review it every week

Syllabus

Module 1: See the sale from the buyer's side

How people decide to spend money, why most deals end with the buyer deciding nothing at all instead of choosing a competitor, and how to tell where a buyer is in the process.

• 1.1 People buy a way out of a problem, not a product
• 1.2 The five stages a buyer goes through, whether you are there or not
• 1.3 Why no decision beats every competitor
• 1.4 Map a purchase you made recently

Module 2: Earn trust before you pitch

What trust is made of and how first impressions form in person, on calls and on WhatsApp. You will also learn to show credibility without bragging.

• 2.1 What trust is made of
• 2.2 First impressions in person, on the phone and on WhatsApp
• 2.3 Credibility without bragging
• 2.4 Write your 30-second introduction

Module 3: Listen more than you talk

You practise active listening, open questions and summarising back, so the buyer explains their real problem and feels understood before you suggest anything.

• 3.1 The three levels of listening
• 3.2 Open questions that get people talking
• 3.3 Summarise back what you heard
• 3.4 Role-play a listening conversation

Module 4: Turn features into value the buyer cares about

You will learn to explain what a product changes for a particular buyer, in money, time, risk or how they are seen, and to back that up with examples.

• 4.1 Features, advantages and benefits
• 4.2 Value in the buyer's terms: money, time, risk and status
• 4.3 Stories and examples that make value concrete
• 4.4 Build a value sheet for one product

Module 5: Run your first sales conversation

How to structure a good first meeting, from setting the agenda to agreeing a next step, and how to respond the first time a buyer says they need to think about it.

• 5.1 The shape of a good first meeting
• 5.2 When the buyer says I need to think about it
• 5.3 Ask for a next step every time
• 5.4 Record and review a practice sales call

Module 6: Follow up without chasing

Why deals stall after a good meeting, how to make each follow-up useful to the buyer, and when to stop while keeping the relationship open.

• 6.1 Why good meetings still end in silence
• 6.2 Follow-up messages that add something
• 6.3 Knowing when to stop and how to leave the door open
• 6.4 Write a three-message follow-up sequence

Module 7: Build the habits that make selling sustainable

You will learn to sell ethically, handle rejection, track your own numbers and build a 30-day practice plan, so the skills from this course become routine.

• 7.1 Sell what the buyer needs, even when it pays you less
• 7.2 Handle rejection without taking it personally
• 7.3 Track your numbers: activity, conversations, outcomes
• 7.4 Your 30-day sales practice plan

Frequently asked questions

How long does the course take?

About eight hours across seven modules, including the exercises. Most people finish in three to four weeks, spending two or three hours a week.

Do I need sales experience?

No. The course begins with how you make buying decisions yourself, so you do not need any sales background. If you already sell full time, you will probably get the most from the listening and follow-up modules.

How is this different from the Prospecting and Discovery courses?

This course covers the whole sale at a basic level. Prospecting covers finding and booking buyers in more detail, and Discovery covers the questions you ask in a meeting in more detail. Take this course first.

I am a new financial adviser. Is this enough to sell insurance or investments?

It covers general sales skills only. Selling financial products in Singapore also involves licensing, the fair dealing outcomes and the needs analysis rules, which are covered in Selling financial advice in Singapore.

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