In this episode of SalesTV, Joe Pelissier, a communications advisor and tutor at the University of Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education, explores what it really means to communicate with confidence in sales conversations. The discussion challenges the idea that confidence comes from talking, emphasizing instead the role of listening, curiosity, and asking the right questions. It explores how sales professionals can build trust, establish rapport, and adapt their communication style across different personalities, industries, and cultures. The conversation also examines how effective communication shapes business relationships and influences how value is perceived in both traditional sales environments and experience-driven industries like luxury.
Chapters
00:00 Intro - Communicating with confidence in sales
01:45 How great communicators simplify ideas
04:45 How to recover from the wrong question
06:20 Saying “I don’t know” in Sales
07:42 Communication habits that build trust
09:34 Communicating across cultures and industries
11:57 Adapting to personality styles
13:29 What makes a business conversation effective
15:31 Handling resistance in training and communication
19:29 How luxury brands communicate value
21:48 The ONE Thing - Curiosity builds trust
In this episode, we asked…
* How can I communicate with confidence in a sales conversation?
* How do great communicators make complex ideas easy to understand?
* When should I use open versus closed questions in a sales conversation?
* What communication habits help professionals build trust quickly?
* What communication skills matter most when working across cultures or industries?
* What can sales professionals learn from how luxury brands communicate value?
Key Takeaways
* Confidence in sales comes from listening, not talking.
* Asking the right mix of open and closed questions drives better conversations.
* Paraphrasing helps confirm understanding and keeps discussions on track.
* Saying I don’t know builds trust when paired with honesty and follow-up.
* Adapting to personality and cultural differences improves communication.
* Curiosity leads to rapport, and rapport leads to trust and better outcomes.
The ONE Thing Joe Pelissier wants you to take away -
Curiosity is the foundation of effective sales communication, because it drives better questions, builds rapport, and ultimately earns trust.
Sales communication skills are rooted in the ability to listen, ask effective questions, and adapt to different personalities, cultures, and business contexts. In sales conversations, confidence is not driven by talking more, but by understanding the other person through active listening, paraphrasing, and a balanced use of open and closed questions. Strong business communication skills help sales professionals build trust, establish rapport, and navigate high-pressure discussions without relying on scripted responses or overconfidence. Effective communication in sales also requires adapting tone, language, and approach based on whether the audience is more analytical or more emotionally driven, as seen in differences across industries such as technology and luxury. Ultimately, successful sales conversations depend on curiosity, as it enables better questioning, deeper understanding, and more meaningful connections that lead to stronger relationships and better outcomes.
About SalesTV
SalesTV.live is a weekly talk show created by salespeople, for salespeople. Each episode explores sales, sales training, networking, and social selling, bringing together sales leaders, enablement professionals, and practitioners from across the globe.
About the Institute of Sales Professionals
The Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP) is the world’s only body dedicated to raising standards in sales. Through its Sales Capability Framework, certifications, and global member community, the ISP works to elevate sales to the level of a recognized profession.
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