Communication, Influence & Sales Techniques
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Communication, Influence & Sales Techniques
This course is part of B2B Sales Negotiation: Leveraging AI Professional Certificate
Included with
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Apply active listening techniques to understand client needs and build trust in sales conversations.
Use persuasive storytelling to communicate business value and influence decision-makers.
Structure effective sales conversations that guide clients toward informed decisions.
Adapt communication styles to engage different stakeholders in B2B sales environments.
Skills you'll gain
- Business Communication
- Decision Making
- B2B Sales
- Persuasive Communication
- Rapport Building
- Selling Techniques
- Recognizing Others
- Customer Relationship Building
- Communication
- Verbal Communication Skills
- Communication Strategies
- Negotiation
- Active Listening
- Sales Presentations
- Storytelling
- Value Propositions
- Drive Engagement
- Greeting Customers
Details to know
April 2026
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There are 12 modules in this course
Develop the communication and influence skills needed to succeed in modern B2B sales. In this course, you’ll learn how to build trust with clients, communicate value clearly, and guide sales conversations with confidence. The course focuses on practical techniques such as active listening, persuasive storytelling, and structured sales communication that help sales professionals connect with stakeholders and influence decisions.
You’ll explore proven approaches for building rapport, identifying client needs, and presenting solutions in a way that highlights business value. Through guided exercises and real-world sales scenarios, you’ll practice framing messages, responding effectively to client concerns, and adapting your communication style for different audiences. What makes this course unique is its focus on communication strategies used in complex B2B environments. Instead of focusing only on theory, you’ll learn how to apply communication techniques in real sales interactions, helping you strengthen relationships, improve client conversations, and move deals forward more effectively. These skills form the foundation for advanced negotiation, sales strategy, and relationship management covered later in the program.
You will identify key active-listening behaviors such as paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, and summarizing to strengthen trust and engagement during buyer interactions.
What's included
3 videos1 reading2 assignments
3 videos•Total 16 minutes
- Welcome and Course Introduction•5 minutes
- What Active Listening Really Looks Like in Sales•6 minutes
- Common Listening Mistakes That Break Trust•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Active Listening: Definition, Skills, and Techniques •10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 20 minutes
- Hands-on Learning: Identify Active Listening Behaviors•15 minutes
- Practice Assignment: Active Listening Fundamentals Check•5 minutes
You will analyze a discovery call and produce a clear, structured summary that accurately reflects the buyer’s stated needs and priorities.
What's included
2 videos1 reading3 assignments
2 videos•Total 9 minutes
- Listening for Needs, Not Just Keywords•5 minutes
- Turning a Discovery Call into Clear Notes•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 8 minutes
- Active Listening: Techniques, Benefits, and Examples•8 minutes
3 assignments•Total 40 minutes
- Hands-on Learning: Summarize a Discovery Call•15 minutes
- Practice Assignment: Listening-to-Summary Readiness Check•5 minutes
- Graded Assessment: Master Active Listening Task•20 minutes
In this module, you will examine why structured stories outperform feature-based pitches in sales conversations. By breaking down the situation–struggle–solution framework and linking it to buyer psychology, you will build a clear mental model for how narrative shifts perception, attention, and recall.
What's included
2 videos1 reading1 assignment
2 videos•Total 8 minutes
- Storytelling as a Sales Advantage•3 minutes
- Why Buyers Remember Stories, Not Slides•6 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- How Narrative Structure Shapes Buyer Perception•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Reframing a Sales Message as a Story•10 minutes
In this module, you will apply storytelling principles to craft a concise, persuasive customer success story for a sales conversation. You will focus on translating the situation → struggle → solution framework into a 200-word narrative that demonstrates customer value, credibility, and relevance. Through guided examples, hands-on drafting, and a single extended Coach dialogue, you will refine your story for real-world delivery and buyer impact.
What's included
1 video1 reading2 assignments
1 video•Total 5 minutes
- Writing a 200-Word Story for a Product Pitch•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- What Makes a Customer Story Believable in Sales•6 minutes
2 assignments•Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Drafting a Customer Success Story for a Product Pitch•15 minutes
- Graded Assesment : Applying Storytelling to Sales Conversations•20 minutes
In this module, you will learn how to diagnose B2B negotiation scenarios and determine whether a competitive or collaborative approach is most appropriate. Using real-world business cases, you will apply a structured diagnostic framework to evaluate relationship value, strategic importance, and long-term impact, ending with a clear decision-making method you can use before any negotiation.
What's included
2 videos1 reading1 assignment
2 videos•Total 9 minutes
- Introduction and Welcome•3 minutes
- Competitive vs. Collaborative Negotiation in Practice•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- How to Choose the Right Negotiation Style (Diagnostic) •6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Diagnose the Right Negotiation Style•15 minutes
In this module, you will move from diagnosis to execution by applying a structured collaborative negotiation checklist in a realistic B2B scenario. You will learn how to open with shared purpose, uncover underlying interests, design value-expanding trade-offs, and guide the conversation toward mutual agreement, ending with a practical role-play that demonstrates your ability to create sustainable, win-win outcomes.
What's included
2 videos1 reading2 assignments
2 videos•Total 8 minutes
- The Collaborative Negotiation Checklist in Action•5 minutes
- Advancing through Continuous Learning•3 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- Preparing and Structuring Collaborative Negotiation •6 minutes
2 assignments•Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Draft a Collaborative Negotiation Script•15 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Applying Negotiation Style and Collaborative Techniques•20 minutes
In this module, you learn how to distinguish between features, benefits, and measurable business outcomes, and why outcome-value framing strengthens executive negotiations. You practice converting feature-based messaging into quantified business impact statements.
What's included
2 videos1 reading1 assignment
2 videos•Total 9 minutes
- Introduction and Welcome •4 minutes
- Why Executive Buyers Respond to Business Outcomes•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- From Features to Outcomes: How Buyers Hear Value in B2B Sales •6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Reframing Drill: Convert 5 Features into Measurable Business Outcomes•15 minutes
In this module, you will learn how to structure a value proposition centered on measurable outcomes. You apply a practical framework to rewrite product messaging so it clearly demonstrates financial, strategic, and executive-level impact.
What's included
1 video1 reading2 assignments
1 video•Total 5 minutes
- Structuring an Outcome-Driven Value Proposition•5 minutes
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- Using a Structured Worksheet to Turn Features into Executive-Ready Outcomes •6 minutes
2 assignments•Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Complete the “Value Proposition Builder” Worksheet•15 minutes
- Graded Assignment: Value Selling Mastery Assessment•20 minutes
In this module, you explore how rapport is formed quickly in client conversations and why early connection shapes trust and engagement. You identify three rapid-rapport techniques—mirroring, small-talk alignment, and shared experiences—and reflect on how these behaviors influence first impressions. By the end of the module, you will be able to list and recognize rapport-building techniques used in effective sales openings.
What's included
3 videos1 reading1 assignment
3 videos•Total 11 minutes
- Introduction and Welcome•3 minutes
- What Rapport Really Looks Like in Sales Conversations•4 minutes
- Common Rapport-Building Mistakes to Avoid•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 8 minutes
- Rapid-Rapport Techniques for Early Client Conversation•8 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Identify Rapport Techniques in Action•15 minutes
In this module, you apply rapport-building techniques in simulated first-meeting scenarios. You focus on opening conversations naturally, choosing appropriate techniques, and establishing connection without wasting time. By the end of the module, you will be able to demonstrate rapport within the first two minutes of a client interaction.
What's included
2 videos1 reading2 assignments
2 videos•Total 6 minutes
- Opening a First Meeting with Confidence and Connection•3 minutes
- Demonstrating Rapport in the First Two Minutes•3 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
- Applying Rapid-Rapport Techniques in the First Two Minutes of a Client Meeting•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Practice a Rapport-Focused Opening•15 minutes
- Graded Quiz: Build Client Rapport Task•20 minutes
In this module, you will explore four common DISC-style communication profiles used in B2B sales. The lesson focuses on recognizing behavioral cues and language patterns so sales professionals can quickly adapt their approach in real conversations.
What's included
3 videos1 reading1 assignment
3 videos•Total 11 minutes
- Welcome & Course Introduction•3 minutes
- When Great Sales Messages Miss the Mark•4 minutes
- How Sales Pros Identify Buyer Styles Fast•4 minutes
1 reading•Total 8 minutes
- The Four Communication Styles: Spotting Communication Styles in Buyer Language•8 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Match the Style•15 minutes
In this module, you will practice adapting sales communication for Analytical buyers by revising real emails. Emphasis is placed on clarity, structure, data use, and credibility—all critical to gaining trust and supporting decision making.
What's included
1 reading2 assignments
1 reading•Total 7 minutes
- Effective Communication with Analytical Buyers and Writing for them.•7 minutes
2 assignments•Total 35 minutes
- Hands-On Learning: Tailor the Email•15 minutes
- Graded Assessment: Adapting Communication Styles for Sales Impact•20 minutes
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. The course introduces foundational communication and influence techniques used in B2B sales. It is suitable for learners who are new to sales as well as professionals who want to strengthen their client communication skills.
You’ll develop skills in active listening, persuasive storytelling, relationship building, and structured sales communication that help you influence stakeholders and communicate value effectively.
The course focuses on practical scenarios such as client meetings, sales conversations, and value presentations. You’ll practice techniques that help build trust, uncover client needs, and guide conversations toward solutions.
More questions
Financial aid available,
¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.
