hard sell
a method of advertising or selling that is direct, forceful, and insistent; high-pressure salesmanship (opposed to soft sell).
Origin of hard sell
1Words Nearby hard sell
Other definitions for hard-sell (2 of 2)
to sell or advertise (something) in a forceful and insistent way: to hard-sell new car models to reluctant buyers.
to convince (someone) in a forceful and insistent way: to hard-sell customers on a new product.
characterized by or promoted through a hard sell: hard-sell tactics.
Origin of hard-sell
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use hard sell in a sentence
Promising that communities that donate their DNA will someday reap the benefits can be a hard sell.
By not including everyone, genome science has blind spots | Tina Hesman Saey | March 4, 2021 | Science News For StudentsBrand-sponsored shows are nowhere near new, but they continue to be a hard sell.
Future of TV Briefing: Ad buyers want to fix the TV ad market in this year’s upfront | Tim Peterson | March 3, 2021 | DigidayConvincing developers to invest money, time and resources into making a AAA experience in VR is a hard sell.
Virtual reality has real problems. Here’s how game developers seek to delete them. | Derek Swinhart | January 21, 2021 | Washington PostThat, plus the lack of results for many advertisers has made using LinkedIn ads a hard sell.
LinkedIn launches LinkedIn Marketing Labs on-demand courses for advertisers | Carolyn Lyden | January 15, 2021 | Search Engine LandAll that’s required is a willingness for brands to partner with media sellers to use the same standard — which shouldn’t be a hard sell, given that both stand to gain.
Why ad buyers (and sellers) need to pay more attention to viewer attention | TVision | December 2, 2020 | Digiday
As for the political class, I doubt I need to give you a very hard sell on its failure.
The U.S. Will Torture Again—and We’re All to Blame | Michael Tomasky | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA bemused line reading sneaks in when you are anticipating a hammy hard sell.
No Kardashian coverlines, no hard sell on the clothes; the beautifully composed image was everything.
Vogue Photographer Erwin Blumenfeld: Secrets of a Fashion Legend | Tim Teeman | September 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“People are getting bombarded,” says Baker, and the need for reform is not a hard sell with these voters.
She was there to sell her book, Hard Choices, out Tuesday, and Hard Choices got a hard sell.
British Dictionary definitions for hard sell
an aggressive insistent technique of selling or advertising: Compare soft sell
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with hard sell
An aggressive, high-pressure sales practice or promotion, as in Used-car salesmen tend to give you a hard sell. This expression gave rise to the antonym soft sell, a low-key sales approach that relies on gentle persuasion. [Colloquial; c. 1950]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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