soft sell

¹

noun

1. a method of advertising or selling that is quietly persuasive, subtle, and indirect (hard sell ).

soft-sell

²

[sawft-sel, soft-]

verb (used with object)

soft-sold, soft-selling 

1. to promote (a product, service, etc.) using indirect or gentle persuasion.

   an advertising campaign to soft-sell a new perfume.

adjective

1. (of a sales technique) quietly or indirectly persuasive.

   a soft-sell approach to marketing.

soft sell

noun

1. a method of selling based on indirect suggestion or inducement Compare hard sell

Word History and Origins

Origin of soft sell¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Origin of soft sell²

First recorded in 1950–55

Idioms and Phrases

see hard sell, def. 1.