The Tennis Ball Theory | A Powerful, Non-Pushy Approach to Sales

Season Two | Episode 29 | The Tennis Ball Theory | A Powerful, Non-Pushy Approach to Sales

Is it possible to sell without pushing, pressuring, or chasing? In this episode of The Sales Circle, internationally renowned sales coach Rob Spence introduces one of his most talked-about ideas: The Tennis Ball Theory—a concept first shared in his best-selling book Relationship Selling.

The Tennis Ball Theory gives you a fresh, non-aggressive way to approach sales conversations, helping you build relationships, remove friction, and increase conversions—without the hard sell.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ What the Tennis Ball Theory is and why it changes the way you think about selling

✅ Why selling should feel more like a rally than a return

✅ How to use the theory to create dialogue-led, value-driven conversations

✅ Ways to apply this technique to your cold calls, meetings, demos, and follow-ups

✅ How this approach leads to higher trust, better rapport, and ultimately, more sales

💬 Rob Spence on The Tennis Ball Theory:

"If you throw a tennis ball at someone, they’re likely to step back. But if you gently lob it toward them—what do they do? They throw it back.

That’s the art of relationship selling. It’s about creating engagement, not resistance."

📚 Book of the Week – Relationship Selling by Robert Spence

This week’s book recommendation is Rob’s own: Relationship Selling by Robert Spence – Discover how to build lasting client relationships, sell with confidence (not pressure), and understand how trust and rapport drive modern sales success.

➡️ Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/42XEItx

✔️ Track interactions, build trust, and follow up at the right time with Monday.com CRM: https://try.monday.com/w6un6aq14jsb-wzpmg4

✔️ Sharpen your sales skills with online training from Rob: https://www.paragonsalessolutions.co.uk/online-sales-courses/

🎙 About The Sales Circle Podcast

The Sales Circle, hosted by Rob Spence, is your weekly destination for authentic, effective, and practical sales advice. From sales psychology and non-pushy techniques to closing strategies and social selling, each episode helps you sell smarter and more confidently—without the sleaze.

📅 New episodes every Thursday on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

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