Selling Through Curiosity: Your Key to Boosting Sales

Ever met someone who just gets people? They effortlessly connect, spark interest, and before you know it, you’re hanging on their every word. It’s not magic—it’s curiosity. Real, genuine, ask-me-anything curiosity. And when used right, selling through curiosity one of the most powerful (and under-used) tools in sales.

The Lightbulb Moment That Changed Everything

When I first started my business, I was naturally curious—but asking questions? That took courage. I worried about being nosy, awkward, or—worst of all—annoying. Then it hit me: How do I feel when someone asks about my life, my struggles, my dreams? Like the sky just cracked open and showered me with rainbows. That realization changed everything. If curiosity made me feel seen and understood, wouldn’t my potential clients feel the same way? Spoiler: They did.

How to Sell More by Leaning Into Curiosity

Curiosity is like a magnet—it pulls people in and makes them want to keep talking to you. But how to create curiosity in sales? Here’s how to use it to create genuine connections (and yes, more sales).

1. Ask Questions That Make People Think

Instead of rattling off your product’s features, ask a question that gets your client’s wheels turning. Here’s an example of how curiosity works:

🚫 “Our software can save you time.”
✅ “What would you do with an extra five hours every week?”

See the difference? The second one makes them imagine the possibilities—and that’s where the magic happens.

2. Tell Stories That Hook Them

We’re wired to love stories. Use them to spark curiosity. Share a client’s success story—but leave them wanting more.

🚫 “One of my clients doubled her revenue in three months using this strategy.”
✅ “One of my clients was struggling to make sales—until she tried this one strategy. Three months later? She doubled her revenue. Want to know what she did?”

Cue the tell me more!

3. Drop a Knowledge Bomb (But Leave Them Hanging)

Nothing sparks curiosity like realizing there’s something you don’t know but need to. Call out a common misconception, reveal an unexpected fact, or tease an insight they didn’t see coming.

🚫 “Most people don’t optimize their sales pages properly.”
✅ “Did you know a tiny tweak in your sales page can boost conversions by 40%? Most people miss this. Here’s why…”

Now they have to keep reading.

Curiosity = Sales Superpower

Why value curiosity? Curiosity isn’t just a fun personality trait—it’s a strategic sales tool. The more you ask, the more you understand. The more you understand, the more trust you build. And trust? That’s what turns conversations into conversions.

Understand Your Customer’s Needs & Desires

Want to know the secret to sales success? It’s not about asking for the sale or having the slickest pitch, or the lowest price. Nope, it all comes down to truly understanding your customer’s needs and desires. When you get curious about them and their needs, they’re gonna appreciate that, I promise.

I learned this lesson the hard way early in my career. I was forever curious. I’m sure I drove everyone around me bonkers with my insessent asking. But my curiosity was deemed nosy and impolite, so I stopped verbalizing things. I read encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers and books. I peered in windows to discover how people lived. And wondered about them when I saw them out shopping — how they dressed, what their home was like, what friends they had, what they did for work…

When it came to business, I hesitated to ask questions. I didn’t want to annoy people, but I was genuinely curious! Once I got over the fear and started asking questions again, my effectiveness skyrocketed. I finally got answers about their needs, desires, and motivations.

Here are some “curiosity activities”:

1. Ask open-ended questions

The best way to get inside your customer’s head is by asking questions that encourage them to open up. Avoid yes/no queries and instead use prompts like “Tell me more about…” or “What’s your biggest challenge with…?” Then sit back and really listen to their responses.

2. Look for emotional cues

People buy based on emotion and justify with logic. Pay attention to the language and tone your customers use when discussing their situation. Are they excited? Frustrated? Anxious? These emotional cues can give you valuable insight into what’s driving their decision-making.

3. Do your homework

In today’s digital age, there’s no excuse for not being prepared. Research your prospect’s industry, company, and services ahead of time. Check out their social media presence and any recent news or announcements. The more context you have going into the conversation, the better equipped you’ll be to address their specific needs.

Remember, your job isn’t to sell to everyone – it’s to sell to the right people in the right way. By taking the time to truly understand your customer, you’ll be able to create messaging that resonates and solutions that actually solve their problems. And that’s when the magic happens.

Now, let’s break down exactly how you can use curiosity to spark better conversations, create intrigue, and ultimately, sell more—without feeling pushy or salesy.

Create Engaging Content That Sells

Content is king, right? But not just any content – it needs to be engaging, compelling, and persuasive if you want it to actually drive sales. After all, even the best product or service won’t sell itself without some strategic storytelling.

I’ve spent years honing my content creation skills, and I’ve discovered a few key principles that make all the difference. It’s not about churning out blog post after blog post or flooding social media with generic updates. Instead, it’s about crafting messages that genuinely resonate with your target audience. And oozes with authenticity.

1. Know your buyer persona inside and out

Before you start writing a single word, you need to have a crystal clear picture of who you’re trying to reach. What are their pain points? Their goals and aspirations? Their communication preferences? What type of journey will your product or service take them on? What are the steps along the way? The more specific you can get, the better.

2. Focus on benefits, not just features

It’s tempting to rattle off all the bells and whistles of your offering, but that’s not what will ultimately convince someone to buy. Instead, focus on the real-life benefits and outcomes they can expect. Will it save them time? Make them more money? Reduce their stress levels? Ask yourself how it will transform them. That’s what they really care about.

3. Use social proof to build trust

People are inherently skeptical of marketing claims, but they’re much more likely to believe their peers. Incorporate customer testimonials, case studies, and other forms of social proof into your content to show that others have succeeded with your product or service.

At the end of the day, creating content that sells is both an art and a science. It requires a deep understanding of your audience, a knack for storytelling, and a willingness to experiment and iterate. But when you get it right, the impact on your bottom line can be game-changing.

Leverage Storytelling for Maximum Impact

Quick, think of a story that’s stuck with you over the years. Maybe it’s a childhood fairytale, a novel you couldn’t put down, or even a particularly memorable commercial. Chances are, that story made an impact because it made you feel something. I continually think back to the “Where’s the beef?” commercials in the mid-80s. There were rifs upon rifs of that story, and every once in a while, they still pop up. (Did you know they brought it back during Covid when there was beef shortage?)

That’s the power of storytelling in marketing and sales. When built into your sales process, it can forge an emotional connection with your audience that goes far beyond any list of product features or benefits. It’s a way to make your message memorable, relatable, and ultimately more persuasive.

1. Start with a strong hook

You only have a few seconds to capture someone’s attention, so make them count. Lead with an intriguing question, a surprising statistic, or a bold statement that makes them want to keep reading or listening. Here’s one for you from Harvard Business Review:

When our curiosity is triggered, we are less likely to fall prey to confirmation bias (looking for information that supports our beliefs rather than for evidence suggesting we are wrong) and to stereotyping people (making broad judgments, such as that women or minorities don’t make good leaders). Curiosity has these positive effects because it leads us to generate alternatives.

2. Use sensory language to paint a picture

The best stories engage multiple senses, transporting the audience into the narrative. Use vivid descriptions and metaphors to help them see, hear, feel, and even taste and smell the experience you’re describing.

3. Create characters your audience can root for

People naturally empathize with other people, so put a human face on your story whenever possible. This could be a real customer who’s seen success with your product, or a fictionalized persona who embodies your target audience. Make them relatable, likable, and most importantly, someone your audience can see themselves in.

I’ve seen the impact of storytelling firsthand in my own business. When I shifted my marketing strategy to focus on customer stories and case studies, my engagement rates and conversions skyrocketed. People could suddenly see themselves in my brand, and that made all the difference. Were these fancy sales skills? No. But were they built from authentic curiosity? Most definitely!

So don’t be afraid to tap into the power of storytelling in your own sales and marketing efforts. Whether it’s a social media post, a blog article, or a sales presentation, look for opportunities to weave a narrative that will stick with your audience long after they’ve finished reading or listening. That’s how you create true believers who will spread your message far and wide.

Build an Emotional Connection With Your Audience

If you want to truly engage your audience and drive sales, you need to build an emotional connection with them. This means creating content that speaks directly to their very human needs, desires, and pain points.

I’ve found that the best way to do this is by sharing personal stories and experiences that your audience can relate to. When you open up and show vulnerability, it helps to humanize your brand and makes your audience feel like they know you on a deeper level. That connection is the heart of effective selling.

1. Use Empathy to Understand Your Audience

To create content that resonates with your audience, you need to put yourself in their shoes. What are they struggling with? What keeps them up at night? And what are their hopes and dreams?

One way to gain this insight is by conducting customer interviews or surveys. Ask open-ended questions that allow your audience to share their thoughts and feelings. Then, use this information to create content that addresses their specific needs and concerns.

2. Tell Stories That Inspire and Motivate

People love stories. They help to capture attention, evoke emotion, and make your message more memorable. When crafting your content, look for opportunities to weave in personal anecdotes or case studies that illustrate your point.

For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of your product or service, share a story about how it helped a real customer overcome a challenge or achieve a goal. This will help your audience see themselves in the story and imagine how your offering could impact their own lives. Again, this isn’t a fancy sales process; it’s simply acknowledging the human needs of your audience.

While emotional connection draws people in, you also need to back it up with data to ensure your message reaches the right people at the right time.

Use Data-Driven Strategies for Maximum Results

While building an emotional connection with your audience is important, it’s not enough on its own. To truly maximize the impact of your content, you need to use data-driven strategies to optimize for results.

This means looking at metrics like traffic, engagement, and conversions to see what’s working and what’s not. It also means using tools like A/B testing to experiment with different headlines, calls-to-action, and content formats to see what resonates best with your audience.

1. Analyze Your Content Performance

The first step in using data to optimize your content is to track your performance metrics. Use tools like Google Analytics to see how many people are visiting your site, how long they’re staying, and what pages they’re engaging with most.

Look for patterns and trends in your data. Are certain types of content performing better than others? What days and times does your audience engage the most? Use this information to inform your content strategy going forward.

2. Test and Refine Your Approach

Once you have a baseline understanding of your content performance, it’s time to start testing and refining your approach. Use A/B testing to experiment with different elements of your content, such as headlines, images, and calls-to-action.

For example, you might create two versions of a blog post with different headlines and see which one gets more clicks. Or you might test different lead magnets to see which one generates more email sign-ups. By continuously testing and iterating, you can optimize your content for maximum impact.

Wrapping It Up

Selling through curiosity isn’t just a strategy; it’s a mindset shift that fosters trust and loyalty. When we ask thoughtful questions and listen intently, we uncover hidden needs our products or services can fulfill. This approach transforms sales from being transactional to relational, paving the way for long-term success.

When you lead with curiosity, connection, and data-driven refinement, your content doesn’t just sell—it builds lasting relationships with the people who need you most.