Most people think sales means being sneaky, manipulative, and narcissistic. For decades, the most widespread formula for sales has been: "Close the deal as much as possible, as fast as possible. No matter what, CLOSE THE DAMN DEAL.”

And the average crowd expects salespeople to be loud, dominant & influential.

Is that the only way to become the top 1% in sales? Do you need to learn manipulation psychology to play the sales game in your company? Most importantly, do you need to sell your soul to go big in your sales career?

I've met so many sales experts while building RogerRoger who have been there & done that (and regretted it later).

So, to save you from your future regrets, I'll share the top 3 sales secrets I've collected over the years that you can use to become the top 1% in sales without losing your mind.

Before that, let's first start with the question: can manipulators really become the top 1% in sales?

Manipulation vs Sales. Or is it manipulation = sales?

The old-school way tells you to use psychology to close more deals, to which people started interpreting: use manipulation to close deals.

Look, there is a thin line between using psychology and manipulation. Understand it this way:

Psychology = Understanding the desires, fears, and goals to guide them to their best decision.

Manipulation = Using the same info to bypass the truth & tweak the facts in a way that leads to your advantage & the loss of the other.

That is why salespeople don't go hard on disqualified prospects. They weed them out instead of selling to them.

It does 2 things:

– Doesn't contribute to the increased churn rate inside the company
– Keeps you & the company a trustworthy partner in the long haul

Whereas a manipulator tweaks the facts & makes them believe it's the best thing for them despite the truth being the opposite.

So yes, sales are not manipulation. Neither does manipulation equal sales.

Can Manipulators Really Go a Long Way in Sales?

And the short answer is NO.

It might have worked in the short term in the past, but today, it doesn't work in the short term, either. And the reason is simple: buyers are savvy today.

They have more access to information, more options, and much higher expectations. As soon as they see you making false claims or tweaking reality, they RUN, hang up, ghost you before you can even say, "Hey, are you there?"

We are in an era where people have less trust, are more skeptical, and are harder to convince. Adding a fake, hyped-up story to manipulate their decision just gets your social media accounts and number reported by them.

So gone are the days of manipulative sales.

Suppose someone is really great at manipulation & narcissistic behavior that doesn't even let the prospect realize or gets them into decision paralysis, well, after the deal is done. In that case, the prospect is immediately going to post on socials, networks, and review sites and spread this story like wildfire.

In the end, the salesperson & their company both suffer the cost. Ultimately, the salesperson digs their own grave.

What the Top 1% Actually Looks Like Now

The real top 1% in sales aren't pushy. They’re persuasive because they genuinely understand their prospects.

They ask a bunch of questions with curiosity to dig deep, find the psychological cues, and help prospects see the reality. From my personal experience, every time I hang up a call with a great salesperson, I end up in reflection mode. I can see a lot of things way more clearly & rationally than before.

They are masters at turning their prospects’ messy heads into clear aims and goals & finding if the service is the best fit. If it is, they go a little hard, make them understand the consequences of not getting on board, the results they could lose, and what they could achieve while clarifying all the objections.

If they see the lead is unfit, they don’t shy away from downselling or not selling at all, if needed.

And they win not by forcing decisions but by helping buyers make the right ones, for them.

3 Sales Secrets to Become the Top 1% Without Losing Your Soul

1. Don’t Chase, Qualify Ruthlessly

The top 1% aren’t desperate for the “yes.” They’re obsessed with finding the right yes.

Instead of chasing every lead, they filter hard. They know that trying to sell to everyone burns time, energy, and credibility. So, they ask the tough questions early. They challenge unclear answers. They’re willing to walk away from anyone who isn’t a genuine fit, no guilt, no pressure.

Because real pros don’t sell to stay busy.

They sell to solve.

2. Objections Are Gold, Treat Them That Way

Most salespeople get scared when objections come up. The top 1%? They want to see the objections coming as quickly as possible.

Because objections aren’t fake; they are real. If they don’t share it with you, they’ll keep it to themselves, and you won’t close deals despite having multiple back-and-forth calls.

They’re windows into what the buyer is really thinking. Fear, confusion, and resistance are all signals. The best reps want to unpack them during the call with their questions, answer them calmly, and reframe the conversation with empathy.

Handle objections well, and people will thank you for selling to them.

3. Don’t Convince, Clarify

This is a big one.

Top performers don’t “convince” anyone. They clarify everything.

They help the buyer understand their current problem better. They paint a clear picture of what life could look like with the right solution. And they highlight what’s at stake if nothing changes.

That clarity turns indecision into action, not with pressure, but with perspective.

Final Thought: Selling With Soul Wins

You don’t have to be manipulative. You don’t have to fake urgency. You don’t need a giant ego. And you definitely don’t need to copy someone else’s aggressive tactics to crush it in sales.

What you do need is:

• Curiosity

• Emotional intelligence

• Strategic thinking

• Relentless focus on helping

If you combine those with a solid product, a smart process, and a little patience, you’re already on your way to the top.

And the best part? You’ll get there with your integrity intact and with clients who actually want to hear from you again.