.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Back in October, I created a giveaway on my Facebook fan page. I offered a prize of several autographed books for the person who submitted the best sales tip.

I received more than 260 responses, and thought it might be a good idea to share with you what your brothers and sisters in the sales profession are thinking:

• If YOU don’t care, neither will your client.

• I find that being curious and genuinely interested in people has helped me grow my business and develop stronger relationships. It has also helped me expand my professional networks.

• Sales is not about selling. It is about relationships.

• Make the call.

• Always tell the TRUTH.

• Alter the way you interact with each and every person, but never change who you are.

• My second-favorite four-letter word is SOLD. … My first is PAID.

• Make doing business with you EASY. … No nonsense. No rules.

• Just do what you say you are going to do.

• Don’t sell anything you wouldn’t buy yourself.

• Do it now. Not tomorrow, not later, not after your coffee, not after you check e-mail. Be known for your super-fast response.

• My best sales tip is “protect the base.” After I meet a prospective or existing client, I hand-write a note expressing my gratitude. I say that I realize they have a choice in where they buy supplies, but I thank them for choosing my company. Call me old-fashioned, but it separates me from the rest.

• My motto: NO PROBLEM! – no matter what. People do not want to know why something cannot be done. They just want it fixed, repaired, made like new – without any excuses, period. The better and faster you do this, with understanding of their point of view, the stronger your relationships with your customers will be.

• SMILE and mean it!

• When you work hard consistently, the numbers will take care of themselves.

• Be prepared. Know your clients and their competition.

• Never get complacent. Challenge yourself to be better. I asked my top salesperson after a really successful week if she was happy with the results. She said “no.” That is why she is my top salesperson.

• My best sales tip is to approach sales the way you desire to be approached.

• Loose lips sink ships. I’ve seen more salespeople talk themselves OUT of a sale than into one.

• I work in the hotel industry, and my competition is all around me. What sets me apart from other people is that I LOVE MY JOB.

• It’s all about the customer, stupid.

• Speak THEIR language, and you will get far.

• Confidence speaks louder than words.

• Sales is a simple concept: Help people as you would want to be helped.

• I don’t bring any of my tools, bags, computers, etc. to the door when talking to my customers. This forces me to build a rapport and ask questions and takes away the “crutch” that I have in my bag.

• Do your homework to EARN the right to have a conversation.

• Create a following by never following.

• Print out your client list and call list, then turn off your computer and pick up the phone. No e-mail you send is going to be as good as the call I am going to make.

The winner? Bill Atkins, who owns Red Bank Limo in New Jersey. His tip was: Each day, pick two customers at random. It doesn’t have to be your biggest or newest customers. Tell them you don’t have any agenda for the call, but just called to see how they are doing. No sales pitches allowed. Focus on the long-term relationship you are building, not the sale.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2010 Jeffrey H. Gitomer