Control speed and tip position so the cue ball stays put after a straight-in hit.
Hit slightly below center so the cue ball is sliding at contact. It stops dead where the object ball was.
Video lesson
Key points
Hit slightly below center so the cue ball is sliding (not rolling) at the moment it hits the object ball.
The longer the shot, the lower you need to hit or the firmer you need to stroke.
Use just enough speed. There's no need to hit hard.
Common mistakes
Hitting center ball from long range, so the cue ball rolls forward
Hitting too low, so the cue ball draws back
Drill
Object ball 30 cm from the pocket, cue ball moved back to 30, 60 and 90 cm. At each distance, get 5 stop shots where the cue ball stays within a chalk cube of the contact point.