1.

THE OBJECTIVE of each step is to get to the next step.

2.

THE DEFINITION of selling is helping people do what they do better.

3.

NO ONE “NEEDS” US or what we have to offer; if anyone did “need” us, they would have already called us.

4.

OUR NUMBER ONE COMPETITOR is the status quo—what the person or organization is already doing.

5.

SELL TO THE OBVIOUS. . . by asking how and why the person is already doing what he or she is doing.

6.

THE SALES PROCESS is an extended conversation; we can control the flow of that conversation.

7.

THE LONGER A SALE TAKES out of its normal sales cycle, the less likely it is to happen.

8.

THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE SALES is ratios, not numbers.

9.

ALL RESPONSES we hear are in kind; all can be anticipated; all are likely to be told in stories.

10.

75% OF THE WORK in the ideal sales process occurs prior to the proposal, or presentation, of your plan.

11.

OUR CLOSE should be a natural outgrowth of the sales process that sounds like this: “Makes sense to me—what do you think?”

12.

WE WANT THE PROSPECT TO DECIDE TO BUY; we don't want to have to sell to the prospect.

13.

WE CAN PREDICT FUTURE INCOME based on current activity.