A few Sales Tips

I have a bit of a different outlook on sales than many of the books I have read, and many of the salespeople I have seen in action. These ideas work best if you are in a business where you have potential customers that you see over and over.

I have found in 25 years of sales that the key to my success has been in building relationships with people.  As I call on people I always go in with a smile on my face and a good attitude. Having a positive outlook is so important. If you go into a business with confidence (not arrogance)  and enthusiasm, it is somewhat contagious and your enthusiasm will begin to give your potential customer enthusiasm for you and the product you are presenting.

Sales can be really exciting when things are going well, and really depressing if you are having a bad day. It is so important to keep a positive outlook, even when people don’t buy from you. No matter what, always thank the customer for his time and be courteous, and keep building that relationship. If they say no this time, it could very well be because of circumstances that are such that even if you were the best salesman in the world you could not overcome. So, just go on to the next one, realizing that the “no” you just got means you’re one step closer to the next sale. There have been people that I have called on seven or eight times over a two or three year period that had told me no each time, only to surprise me one day by saying yes.


Never assume someone is not going to buy from you. I can remember several times in my career in advertising making cold calls, where I’ll be going through a shopping center, and I’ll see a business and say to myself that this one would be a waste of time, but then I’ll change my mind while walking back to my car and go in and actually make a sale.

One of the principles of successful selling is to “assume the sale”.  This means basically that the question is not whether or not they are going to buy your product or service, but rather what type are they going to buy, how do they want to pay for it and what information do they need to give you to finish the transaction.

On the other hand, a sure way to have a bad day is to go into a business thinking to yourself that you are NOT going to make a sale. It is critical to keep a positive mental attitude. Years ago I was doing a little 1 time publication showing how old businesses were in Douglas County. The ads were $39 each, and I was selling 3 or 4 a day. I was getting kind of frustrated, and one night I decided to read a book called “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino. It’s kind of a cheesy book, but it is full of good principles, and it really got me fired up. The next day I went out and sold 13 ads. It’s pretty short - takes about 2 hours to read. I'd recommend it to anyone in sales.

One of my prime objectives really is to help the business owner. Even if they do not buy an ad from me, I still try to provide them with helpful information. The more helpful you can be to a potential customer, the more he or she will want to become your customer.