12 Sales Psychology Techniques That Make People Buy (Backed by Research)

People often think sales psychology is manipulative — but most of the techniques you see every day are simply grounded in how our brains work. When you understand why people buy, you can communicate more clearly, reduce friction, and make it easier for customers to say “yes” without pressure or gimmicks.

In this article, you’ll find 12 ethical, research-backed sales psychology techniques you can start using today.

Want a copy you can refer to every time you write a sales post?

Download the PDF version of these 12 sales psychology techniques — perfect for bookmarking and using as a checklist.  Download the PDF version here.

1.Foot-in-door technique

Think back to the image of a 1950s or 60s door-to-door salesman. The movies showed them talking their way into a home to make the sale, often by putting their foot in the doorway or getting themselves inside by asking for water on a hot day to prevent the door being closed. Now I’m not suggesting that.

This technique is more about the fact that once we perform one small action, we are likely to perform another.

Example: Taking an upsell after free plus shipping offer.

Example: Adding upsells at or after checkout (Vistaprint are big on this one)

2.Mimicry

Apologies to anyone who has anyone who has spoken to me and thought I was mimicking their accent, I’m an unconscious mimic.

Mimicry is using the language, tone, expressions of another person in your communication with them. Mimicry works as it makes you seem more familiar, trustworthy, and likeable. And we all know that people buy from those they know, like, and trust.

Example: removing industry jargon and using the common terms used by your audience to overcome objections to a sale.

3.Visual cues

Sometimes we all need that extra nudge and especially in our time-poor, distractedness, we need all the cues we can get. By adding claims with the prices & help reinforce the consumer’s belief that the 9-ending price is cheaper.

Example: By using the terms “sale”, “discount”, “save”, “just” with a 9-ending price, we reaffirm the client’s psychology of getting a cheaper price than if the amount was presented alone.

4.Pay what you want pricing

This is where a business runs a sale on the premise that the client sets the price by paying what they want. While customers will discount the majority of clients will end their offer price with a 0 or 5. The majority of purchases will end in a 5.

Example: when offering pay what you want pricing, suggest a price ending in 5.

5.Pricing and tipping

When a bill does not come to a whole dollar amount and tipping is required, customers will round their bill to a whole dollar amount rather than a percentage of the bill.

It’s believed that our preference for whole dollar amounts contributes.

Example: if your company uses tipping, a charity donation system where people add it to their bill or the like, ensure that the total is not a whole number to increase the gratuity.

Make sure you grab a copy of the PDF of this blog to refer back to.

6.Pricing and perceived quality

While there is a lot of information around about discounting and 9-ending pricing, what happens when you are selling a luxury or perceived quality item? The research shows that if your audience is interested in luxury items or perceives your offer as being a luxury item then you will have more sales if you end the price with a 5 or 0.

If your item is not seen as a luxury item or your clients are only interested in a cheap price or a ‘good deal’ then the research shows that you have more sales if you use any other ending number except 0 or 5 in the price.

7.Bundle pricing and sales

So what if you want to bundle products and services, how do you use psychology to make more sales? Well the research shows that if the individual items have an even price but the total price payable is odd, then there are more sales.

This reinforces the research that shows that psychologically, consumers see odd prices as being a bigger bargain or better value than even prices.

8.Reviews sell

70 % of Americans and Australians will read at least 7 reviews before making a purchase.

Want to make sure you sell more? Then make sure you get reviews and better still, use them as content for your marketing (FOMO is real and that’s a bonus way that reviews influence the psychology of your consumer)

Do you have reviews or testimonials on your sales page? Make sure you have at least 7 of them on the page. Wondering how much is too much? People remember 7 +/- 2 things, so a minimum of 7 and maximum of 9 reviews will do.

9. Reconsider influencer marketing

In Australia, 63% of consumers aged 30+ said they would not buy from a brand if they used an influencer in their marketing.

Understand how old your audience is and if using an influencer would help or harm your sales.

10. Keep it positive

Back in 2012, Facebook did an experiment to show how the mood of posts impacted on the mood of the posts made. They found that the more positive posts seen, the more positive posts made. This backed up research done the year before that showed that more positive posts seen, the more positive the intent to purchase is.

So keep your posts positive on social media and your clients will be happier and have a higher intention to purchase.

11. Tell a story

We are hardwired for stories and when it comes to sales, stories help by making us feel good and triggering oxytocin (connection, love, happiness) and when we are happy we buy more.

Effective stories are relevant to the audience, we want to hear about us or people like us and how you make us better. We also like metaphors because they help us understand the story.

12. New sells

Want an easy way to make more sales? Do your customers like a bargain? Do you use 9-ending prices?

Just adding the word ‘New’ to a price via merchandising increased sales by 8.5%. No discounting needed, just a word and a price ending in 9.

Use with caution and sparingly as your consumers will soon realise that the item you say is new is actually old stock you’re trying to clear out.

Bonus sales psychology trick

I used psychology to get you here. When I researched top-ranking articles and videos, most had 10 sales psychology tricks to make people buy from you. We all like more and something for nothing. So I’ve given you 12 tips, well 13 including this bonus tip because I knew you wanted more!

Since you’ve gotten all the way to the end, make sure you grab a PDF version to refer back to.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Psychology

1. What is sales psychology?

Sales psychology is the study of how people think, feel, and behave when making buying decisions. It isn’t about manipulating people — it’s about understanding the brain’s natural patterns so you can communicate more clearly and reduce friction when someone is deciding whether to buy.

2. Are these sales psychology techniques ethical?

Yes — when your intention is to help the customer make a confident, informed decision. Most of these techniques are already used in everyday marketing. As with anything, ethics depend on the intention behind the strategy, not the strategy itself.

3. Do 9-ending prices actually work?

Research shows that 9-ending prices increase sales when customers are motivated by getting a bargain. For luxury buyers or high-end offers, prices ending in 0 or 5 work better because they reinforce perceived quality.

4. How do reviews influence buying decisions?

Most people read 7–9 reviews before deciding to buy. Reviews reduce the fear of making a wrong choice, build trust, and give social proof that others have had a good experience — which is why they’re one of the strongest psychological drivers of conversions.

5. Does storytelling really increase sales?

Yes. Humans are wired for stories. A good story triggers oxytocin (connection and warmth), which helps people feel safe, seen, and more open to buying. Stories also help people understand how your offer fits into their life.

6. Is influencer marketing still effective?

It depends on your audience. In Australia, research shows that 63% of people aged 30+ would not buy from a brand that uses influencers. If your audience is older, influencers can damage trust more than they help.

7. What’s the easiest place to start if I want to use sales psychology?

Start with the basics:

• Use simple, familiar language

• Make your prices easy to understand

• Share relevant stories

• Display at least 7 reviews

Small psychological tweaks often make the biggest difference.

8. Can I download a copy of these techniques?

Yes — you can download the PDF version of these 12 techniques to save, print, or keep as a checklist.

👉 Download your free copy here.

Our brains remember more when we revisit information. If you want these techniques to stick (and actually use them), download the PDF and keep it handy.

👉 Download your copy