One of the greatest points of distinction between top sales performers and everyone else is average sale size.

Great salespeople typically make much larger sales than the rest of the team — often by a factor of four to 10 times that of the typical salesperson.

But how is this possible when Salesperson A and Salesperson B are selling the same product or service? The answer is that their approaches to selling are completely different. Here are the five secrets that top performers use to make larger sales:

1. Sell at the highest possible level

Most salespeople sell to lower-level buyers simply because they are more comfortable calling these types of prospects. However, this approach also leads to lower-level results. Prospects lower down the food chain may be willing to hear what you have to say, but they often don't have the authority to actually make a decision — especially on a big purchase. It's time to start selling at the highest possible levels.

2. Sell solutions, not products or services

If you think people buy your product or service, you are missing the point of sales. Your prospects are actually buying a solution or result when they purchase from you. Take a very simple example: when you hire a personal trainer, your decision to do so doesn't stem from the thrill of having someone yell at you during your workout, but rather, from the result of getting into great shape.