Get a piece of string that is approximately six inches long.  Sit down at a table and lay the string out in a straight line starting at the edge of the table in front of you and running towards the opposite side of the table. Grab the closest end of the piece of string between your thumb and first finger and push it across the table making sure to maintain the straight line.  Can you do it?  I can’t. Put the string back in a straight line.  Go around to the other side of the table.  Grab the closest end…

How many times have you heard, “Oh he’s a born salesman,” or, ”Her dad was in sales. She’s a natural?” My father is the greatest salesperson I’ve had the privilege to see in action and to learn from. When he was a young man he was so shy it was painful. I guarantee you that when he was born the doctor didn’t slap him on the rear and say, “Now here’s a born salesman.” It just doesn’t work that way. We learn how to be great doctors. We learn how to be great architects. Ultimately, we learn how to be great sales professionals. There are four steps critical…

Over the years I’ve been blessed to have worked with some great sales professionals. I looked at these older and more experienced sales pros as my personal mentors. They taught me a lot, and they really made a big difference in my ability to build my businesses. One such pro, Mike, taught me three critical lessons. I want to share those with you today. 1. If you’re not in front of a prospect or customer you are unemployed. The bottom line is that if you are in your car, or behind your desk, or at the lunch counter, you are out of business. If you depend on selling…

Ultimately, if you are going to sell any product or service, there are three questions you must answer in your prospect’s mind. This is true whether you are selling face-to-face or running a display ad. No sale has ever been made without these questions being answered either directly or indirectly. The first question is: Why should I buy? This question is all about need. It is the sales professional’s responsibility to illustrate need to the prospect. You cannot wait for the prospect to realize that they need your product or service. You are the expert. You fully understand the benefits…