Sales Preparation, by Mark Blezard

Get ready. Get set. Sell.

Always prepare before any sales pitch, meeting, even each cold call.

We sales folk tend to be led by our enthusiasm over common sense, which is not all bad but could be a lot better if we simply took time to prepare.

A typical scenario is making a sale. Boom, got one, we're high, so let's pick up the phone and burn this energy on the next prospect? But just hold on a second and do a little prep, it will make all the difference! These simple pointers will enhance your success rate:-

• Do your research, Google the latest on your prospect

• Read the last notes in a CRM, sounds obvious but so many don't

• Run your pitch/opening line through your head. Rehearse

• Visualise what a great outcome would look like. Smell it, taste it, know what you want.