‘Keeping the Sales Focus’

Focus delivers results and provides rewards beyond our expectations

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The intent of this e book is to provide in a short but concise way

daily inspiration and sales tips to help focus on becoming a sales

professional.

To those who consider themselves as seasoned professionals,

think of this e book as providing reminders of what was once learnt

and now should be second nature.

To those who have had not had the opportunity in their sales life to

have access to sales focused content, we hope the following pages

provide your daily/weekly sales knowledge intake and put into

practice the tips to grow your sales ability and reward.

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"sales1: the top line of the income statement and the of all organizations, ideas 1: the top line of the income statement and the driving force of all organizations, ideas and progress... also used to describe the greatest profession in history and greatest

skill one can ever have"

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Face to face time – creates opportunities

Scheduled visits – allows consistency to visits and time management and optimizes face to face time.

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Confrontation isn't always a bad thing.Did you know that the word "confrontation" comes from the Latin words for "together" comes from the Latin words for "together" and "forehead"? Originally, confrontation

just meant "to come face to face.”

It's important to address issues, to constantly try to improve processes and relationships. And it's possible to be diplomatic during a

confrontation, but above all it should be done face to face.

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" Always do more than is required of you"

G Paton

Anticipate, seek, be ready to act with conviction.

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" Men make history and not the other way around"

Harry Truman

The world is full of great leaders, they all share one thing in common, they were dogmatic in reaching their goals.

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" Education is the best provision of the old age"

Aristotle

You can never read enough, attend forums on sales engagement strategies, one idea can change your whole sales approach.

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" Failure to prepare is preparing to fail"

John Wooden

Do you think about the next sales call? Did you prepare for this during the last call on the client?

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" There are no gains without pains"

B Franklin

Rejection is not about you personally, its about your approach to solving the customers pain, ask for feedback.

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" Learning without thought is labour lost. "

Confucious

Be conscious of information coming your way and ask more questions to confirm your thoughts.

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Trust should be earnt

Fulfill promises . Exceed expectations. Go the extra mile.

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" Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way. "

B Washington

Stand out from the rest of the sales people that visit, differentiate yourself, be engaging and mean it.

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Successful people never let circumstances dictate the outcome. Successful people dictate the outcome. Successful people learn to respond to their circumstances.

They know that they cannot always control what happens, but they can control how they respond to what happens.

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" We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a

habit. "habit. "

Aristotle

Review your sub conscious ways and create new habits to achieve your goals.

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Never Attempt to answer an objection unless you first clarify the objection.

An effective way of doing this is to ask “How do you mean, please help me understand?”

This will cause them to elaborate.

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Nobody ever listened themselves out of a sale

Remember its not about you, its about their pain point and where you may possible assist them.

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"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly

timed pause.”timed pause.”

Mark Twain

When you give your price and ask for the order – be quite, the next person to break the silence creates the weaker position.

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What you know about your product/service is important.

But not nearly as important as knowing HOW your customer will benefit from owning/utilising it.

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Those who say it cannot be done

Should get out of the way of those who are doing it

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Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Attitude is everything. Have the right one and people will embrace you.

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"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."

Edward R. Murrow - American broadcast journalist

There will always be obstacles in the way to the sale, but the more objections they create, the more they are talking to you and the

greater the chance to win them over.

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"Diamonds are only lumps of coal that stuck to their jobs."

B.C. Forbes - founder of Forbes Magazine

Success at sales means seeing the opportunities to the end. A sale is only closed when the money is in the bank.

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Successful people have passion. They are faithful and they pursue their dreams with a constant vigor. They do not fear rejection constant vigor. They do not fear rejection

and loss as much as they fear living without a purpose.

Successful people are persistent. They have their big idea and they stick with it.

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"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, you can do is the right thing,

the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."

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"Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up it knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it

will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up it knows it must Every morning a lion wakes up it knows it must

outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle when the sun comes up, you had

better be running”

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"Every chance meeting is an appointment."

Pablo Neruda - Chilean poet and diplomat

Know how to network, to engage with strangers and always ask for their business card to exchange with yours.

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" Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose."

Lyndon B. Johnson

Remain focused on the immediate goals and at the plan will come to fruition.

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"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

Ralph Waldo Emerson - Writer and activist

Set your heart, mind and soul on your goal, Then just go for it.

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"If you do a job, do it right or there is no point."

Cal Ripken, Jr. - Hall of Fame shortstop and third baseman

The only time you are employed is when you are face to face with the customer.

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A parachute is like the mind, it only works to its fullest potential when

open.open.

Help your customers open their mind, do not force it but plant the seeds, then slowly water and pick the rewards at the right time.

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"The big rewards come to those who travel the second, undemanded mile."

Bruce Barton - advertising executive and politician

How well do you know your customer, the organisation and the people, research, research and ask others about them.

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Successful people take a realistic inventory of their talents and abilities. They

recognize their personal strengths and recognize their personal strengths and weaknesses.

They play to their own strengths and overcome their weaknesses by capitalizing on the strengths of others.

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"If you work just for the money, you'll never make it, but if you love what you're doing and you always put the you're doing and you always put the customer first, success will be yours."

Ray Kroc - Founder of McDonalds

Pay it forward

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"Any job you're given is an opportunity to prove yourself."

Meg Whitman - Longtime CEO of eBay

Prove yourself for your own praise, don’t go looking for praise as generally it will fall short of your expectations.

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"Nothing is worth more than this day."

Johann Goethe - German dramatist and poet

Plan the day and make sure your expectations are realistic, then you will achieve more.

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"No legacy is so rich as honesty."

William Shakespeare

Transparency wins the day – customers want to be involved.

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"I'm here to build something for the long term.

Anything else is a distraction."Anything else is a distraction."

Mark Zuckerberg - Founder and CEO, Facebook

Understanding and discussing the big issues with the customer lets them know you are part of their team and being there in the

moment.

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"We cannot banish dangers, but we can banish fears."

David Sarnoff - President of RCA and NBC

Fear of rejection is nothing compared to the fear of not even trying.

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Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

You can never prepare and practice enough.

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"I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself

in the top position."in the top position."

Serena Williams

Always be looking for the order, visualise it and have a plan. Above all, focus.

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"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!"

Lord Tennyson - English poet

Objections are engagement signals, they need more information, you need to ask more questions.

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Successful people are resilient. They recognize that failure is an opportunity to

learn and grow. They do not fear failure they learn and grow. They do not fear failure they embrace it. They see every failure as a step closer to the realization of their dreams.

They become masters of overcoming obstacles and staying focused on a positive outcome.

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"I've failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed."And that is why I succeed."

Michael Jordan

Have a vision, a goal and a plan. Do not stray from them but stand fast to your values surrounding them.

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"If you have accomplished all that you have planned for yourself, you have

not planned enough."not planned enough."

Edward Everett Hale - Unitarian clergyman and writer

If you have achieved your sales budget for the year, create another target for yourself, and keep it to yourself.

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"You cannot create experience. You must undergo it."

Albert Camus - French author and philosopher

You can also learn from others mistakes, find a Sales mentor and ask them questions – then listen.

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"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."

Lena Horne - American actress and singer

Have a spring in your step, people buy from positive people,they like associating with winners.

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"Just go out and make yourself useful."

Peter Drucker - Austrian-American author and theorist

Just do it

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"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up."

Babe Ruth

Persistence reduces resistance

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"There ain't no rules around here. We're trying to accomplish

something."something."

Thomas Edison

Do not build brick walls around yourself, push through them, your customers expect this from you.

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"A problem is a chance for you to do your best."

Duke Ellington

Pitch the ideas and get the customer involved in the solution, this makes it easier for them to buy from you, as it is their solution.

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"The noblest search is the search for excellence."

Lyndon B. Johnson

Never stop looking for the next relationship, you never know where it will take you.

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Time Management is critical. There are only 8 hours of contact time per day, only 8 hours of contact time per day,

use them wisely (research, quotations, reports should be

done outside of these hours)

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" If you can't fly, run.If you can't run, walk.If you can't walk, crawl.If you can't walk, crawl.

But by all means, keep moving".

Martin Luther King Jr

Always keep your customer moving forward. At each meeting plan for the next.

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"We tend to get what we expect."

Norman Vincent Peale - American minister and author

Manage your clients perceptions and exceed their expectations.

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"I only want people around me who can do the impossible."

Elizabeth Arden

A great sales success usually required a team of support people, remember to thank them. There will always be a next time.

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"Don't find fault, find a remedy."

Henry Ford

Learn to be quick on your feet with possible solutions. Do not blame others.

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"Great labor overcomes everything."

Roman proverb

Attend as many quality seminars, invest in yourself and you will be rewarded well.

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"Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.”

John Wayne

Some days its hard to keep focused and positive. Ring a friend for support.

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"You're never a loser until you quit trying."

Mike Ditka - Former Chicago Bears coach

The sale is only lost when the order is firmly in the hands of the competitor, have another shot.

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"I'm not following anybody's tracks, I'm making my own baby."

Picabo Street - Skier, Olympic gold medalist

Remember the Australian Speed Skaters gold medal, the others fell over, he remained focused.

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Prioritisation – understanding the task that achieve the goals and objectives

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"Do or do not. There is no try."

Yoda - Jedi master

If you do not ask for the order, they cannot give it to you.ABC (always be closing)

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Interrupting a prospect or customer should always be avoided.

In many cases, it occurs because of the excitement In many cases, it occurs because of the excitement you have about a product or service feature that matches exactly what the customer is asking for.

In other cases, it's a lack of proper training on listening.

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"I have learned to imagine an invisible sign around each person's neck that says, 'Make me feel important!'"says, 'Make me feel important!'"

Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Inc.

Stroke the ego and watch the shoulders lift, now you have their attention!

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"Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will

never do all that he can.”never do all that he can.”

Henry Drummond - Scottish theologist and scientist

When was the last time you thanked a customer for an order?

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"Failure is impossible."

Susan B. Anthony - Activist for women's suffrage

Make one more sales call, send one more email, make one last phone call.

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"To play it safe is not to play."

Robert Altman - Award-winning film director

Ask for the order, and ask again. ‘No’ means ‘not yet, convince me further’.

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"High expectations are the key to everything."

Sam Walton - Founder of Wal-Mart

Do not let anyone lower the bar for you, be busy raising it.

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" Perpetual optimism is a forcemultiplier."

Colin Powell - Former U.S. secretary of state

You have an opportunity to lift people up as you enter their lives, you are from the outside world – make it count.

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"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory."

George Patton - American general

If you do not commit, then you are wasting everyone’s time.

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"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

Albert Einstein

Have all your bases covered, expect the unexpected and pounce when it arises. Plan and Produce.

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"Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate."

John F. Kennedy

Negotiation is taking one step at a time, one agreement at a time.Do not give without getting in return.

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"Business is the most powerful forcein society."

Ben Cohen - cofounder, Ben & Jerry's

Business is relationships, get good at developing relationships, your future depends upon it.

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"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.”

Beverly Sills - American opera singer

If you need to meet someone, research and approach, very likely they will listen if you have prepared for the meeting.

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"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit

there.”there.”

Will Rogers - American humorist

Make one last call to check how things are progressing.Have another contact, an internal coach, who can verify the

information.

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" Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it..."

Mary Pickford - cofounder of United Artists

Wake up on fire, show your passion, its contagious.

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"Quality is not an act. It is a habit. "

Aristotle

Your professionalism is on the line all the time, check everything, it stops with you.

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"Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's level of aspiration and expectation". aspiration and expectation".

Jack Nicklaus - Golf champion

For sales leadership and success, never stop looking for the next sales opportunity.

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"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt".

Henry J. Kaiser - American industrialist

Now and then sing your own praise, just to remind people that your success is their success.

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" Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had

wonderful things happen to you".wonderful things happen to you".

Mary Tyler Moore - American actress

If the business opportunity is worthwhile, never give up, even if they say NO.

They will respect your commitment.

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" The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set

for themselves".for themselves".

Ray Kroc - founder of McDonald's Corporation

Great leaders have great advisors, trusted people are invaluable.

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"Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was".top. Then you will see how low it was".

Dag Hammarskjold - Nobel Prize laureate

To be successful, sometimes the goal need to be planned in small actions, before you know it, you have reached your target.

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In your sales discussions moving forward, commit to adding a small gap of silence

between what your prospects and customers between what your prospects and customers say, and your response.

This will help you minimize any tendency to interrupt and encourage your prospects and customers to teach you

even more about their needs and wants.

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"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty“.opportunity in every difficulty“.

Sir Winston Churchill

Challenges are just that, needing ideas to find solutions are what great sales people are remembered for.

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"Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.”but they may start a winning game.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - German poet and dramatist

Understand the difference between your customer and the end user. Different benefits requires different approaches.

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"We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”

William Shakespeare

People will treat you the way you allow them to treat you.

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"If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.”

Lee Iacocca - Businessman and industrialist

Make another call, review your old contacts, say ‘hello’ to see what they are up to, congratulate someone, you will be amazed at what

it can do.

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"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.”about that, you'll do things differently.”

Warren Buffett

Dress for success, keep positive and be humble.

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"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”the best thing in the world for you.”

Walt Disney

An angry customer is spending time to help you/your company improve. These are great opportunities to create long term

relationships.

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"It is not necessary to do extraordinary things to get extraordinary results."

Warren Buffett

Work at making your customers successful.

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"Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends. "

William Shakespeare

Time management is simple. Do what it is you know must be done.

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"Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They're absolutely words of praise. They're absolutely

free - and worth a fortune."

Sam Walton - Founder of Wal-Mart

Never assume people trust your intentions.

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"You can either take action or you can hang back and hope for a miracle. Miracles are great, but they are so Miracles are great, but they are so

unpredictable.”

Peter Drucker

Do not expect prospects to call you back, they rarely do.

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"Every day you've got to get up and play hard.”

Jeff Immelt - CEO, General Electric

More than anything, time is money to sales people, watch what and who you waste time on.

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"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Chinese proverb

Tell a story about your last customer success, let your customers know how you helped others.

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“If you can’t state your position in eight words or less, you don’t have a

position."position."

Seth Godin

Know your elevator pitch for different levels of people.

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“The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated."

William James

Make your customer feel you are really interested in them, find something in common to build the relationship on.

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“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

Make the call, ask for the order/appointment, do not leave a message, call again, and again. Call early in the morning,

late in the day, get them on the phone.

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Acknowledge the current supplier as delivering good service.

Ask what the wish list for the future would Ask what the wish list for the future would have,

Position your solution to provide those wish list items,

Ask for a chance to prove your worth.

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You are only limited by your desire, your passion to create a sincere relationship to provide a valued solution which will provide a valued solution which will

generate a just reward.

Settle for nothing less.

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