soft sell

noun

: the use of suggestion or gentle persuasion in selling rather than aggressive pressure compare hard sell

Examples of soft sell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Netflix picked up a beloved small studio with a knack for narrative—a soft sell for a company wanting to highlight storytelling on streaming services. Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 19 July 2023 How is the soft sell done? Kj Callihan, Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2021 People prefer a soft sell. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 9 June 2022 Low-stress, loyalty-building sales techniques are preferred in these times Less direct sales techniques such as the soft sell are proving to be a winning strategy in this new principled environment. Kj Callihan, Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2021 But the longevity and staying power of the Charles Heidsieck brand — nearly 200 years later — required deeper roots than those indicated by a soft sell delivered from white gloved hands. Cathy Huyghe, Forbes, 7 July 2022 And the occasional soft sell for Botox and fillers feels at odds with its otherwise impeccable ethos of healthy aging. Susan D'arcy, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2020 These promotions are the soft sell behind the softest of purchases. Nathan Bomey, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2019 Netflix specializes in the soft sell, expecting viewers to stumble across its original films while scrolling through menus of suggestions. Bruce Fretts, New York Times, 13 July 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soft sell was in 1953

Dictionary Entries Near soft sell

Cite this Entry

“Soft sell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soft%20sell. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

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