What was the last thing you bought or sold? A product, a promise? Is there a difference?

Considering how important selling is to our daily lives, it should be one of those things we make a concerted effort to master. We can learn to do this by thinking about how we ourselves buy things, because for every purchase there is a sale. In every transaction there is give and take. The reciprocal nature of sales, in theory, makes it easier to seal the deal.

Take the following example, courtesy of the Chairman of Buckinghamshire Business First, Alex Pratt OBE.

A boy stops you in the street and asks for £10 for a ticket to his school fête. You would be unlikely to buy on the spot. But what if he were to follow up with: “Well, if you don’t want to buy fête tickets at £10, how about trying our big bars of chocolate? They are only £1 each”?

Many would ‘choose’ to buy this chocolate. The reason being it has been presented as a retreat from the original £10 request and therefore demands a reciprocal concession on our part.

Now, what if the idea in the first place had always been to sell you chocolate? How much better a result would he get had he just asked you to buy the chocolate?

Evidence suggests he wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful. This is because of the reciprocation principle which compels us each to repay in kind that which someone else has done for us. If one person concedes ground, so will the other.

You can learn expert sales techniques and how to master them at an event on 26 March in Amersham. 'Mastering Sales Techniques to Ensure Success' is the latest in Buckinghamshire Business First's 'Focus on Sales' events.

This workshop will provide you with the tools and techniques needed to maximise the potential of every sales opportunity you encounter. It is perfectly suited to small business owners who will learn how to:

• Improve confidence and professionalism along the sales process
• Create long lasting relationships with the right clients
• Identify and capture opportunities when they arise.

Find out more information and book your place>