There's a certain art to selling, a delicate balance between the need to build relationships and the urge to blurt out some cheesy Retail 101 closing line while shoving a contract across a prospective customer's desk.

But armed with the right documents to support your pitch, an arsenal of to-the-point questions and go-to answers, any solution provider's sales team should be able to both increase sales and build a long-term client base.

There's no shortage of strategies for closing clients without pressuring them, but AJ Agrawal narrows in on a few that he says bring the most success. In an Inc.com column, Agrawal boils these strategies down to three easy-to-understand tactics that can also be easy to overlook when the heat is on.

Agrawal is advocating a holistic approach to sales, and when done properly these techniques will help buyers feel more comfortable and in control while helping salespeople improve their close rates and build long-term relationships.

Click here to read Agrawal's full column.