Sales is an art. It's a delicate balance of persuasion, psychology and understanding of human nature. And like any art, it takes years of practice to perfect.

At the age of 16, I launched my first business. It was a pretty simple venture — a jewelry business where I was selling mostly in Camden Market in England. I noticed that the most successful stalls had the best salespeople. They were the ones who could talk to anyone, no matter who they were, and make a sale.

After starting my first finance job as a junior FX broker, I quickly began to see the importance of sales in every industry. In finance, my role was to essentially bring in new business and sell international payments. I began to study the art of sales and how to be a successful salesperson. This is something I've continued to do throughout my entrepreneurial journey, and it has resulted in the successful launch of two fintech consultancies, which I've scaled to seven figures in just three years.

Here are some sales techniques I use as an entrepreneur, which I hope will help you in your business journey.

1. Sales is 80% listening, 20% talking

The most important thing to understand in sales is that it's not about you — it's about the customer. It's all about understanding their needs and problems and presenting a solution that meets those needs. This can only be done by spending the majority of the conversation listening rather than talking.

The best salespeople are often the best listeners. They understand that in order to sell something, they need to first understand the customer and customize their pitch based on their needs.

Remember, people buy from people. They want to do business with someone they like, trust and can relate to. With this in mind, build a good rapport and always be authentic and genuine. 

2. Open-ended questions are key

Open-ended questions are essential at the start of the sales process. They allow you to really get to know your customer and understand their needs. By asking open-ended questions, you can get the customer talking and find out information that you wouldn't be able to if you were just making small talk.

3. Be mindful of the hammock effect

The hammock effect is when your listener's attention starts to wander, and they stop paying attention to what you're saying. Luckily, research has been able to tell us when this happens and how to prevent it.