Brian Tracy Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a human resources company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. President of Brian Tracy University, a private on-line University for Sales and Entrepreneurship (www.briantracyu.com).

The Customer Comes First If you are going to sell five days a week, you should go to bed early five days a week. Turn off the television, shut down the house, and get to bed by 10:00 PM. Get eight full hours of sleep prior to every selling day. The ability to close a sale can also be hindered by a lack of sincerity. This often occurs when the salesperson becomes more concerned about earning the commission than with benefiting the customer. As soon as a salesperson begins to see the prospect as a source of money rather than as a person who needs help with a product or service, her tone of voice, body language, and attitude change.

Once the salesperson starts think-ing about the commission, the prospect starts feeling like a fish in a bowl with a cat looking on. Prospects are very perceptive. They pick up emotional vibrations from the salesperson.

Prospects know when you are trying to help them, as opposed to trying to make a sale that will help you. It is essential that you keep your mind focused on what you can do for your customer. The sale and the commission will follow naturally.