Here's a simple, six-point guide for getting more prospecting opportunities, seeing more people, and making more sales when everyone seems to be saying no: 1. Make sure you're competent. Incompetent salespeople think they can wing it, and live off their charm. Prospects see right through this, but resonate to salespeople who are sincere. If you don't know the answer, be sure to know where you can get it--and secure enough to let prospects know what you are going to do. 2. Know your prospect's business. No prospect wants to hear a sales professional say "Can you tell me something about your business?" It's your job to know about prospects' business before you take their time, either on the phone, or in person. When you go in to an interview knowing how your prospect functions, you can easily explain how your product or service can benefit him or her. 3. Be prepared to demonstrate cost savings. Don't bother reciting vague generalities or using examples from your sales book about a prospect who is not comparable to the individual you have in front of you. Buyers want to see how a purchase will improve their bottom line. 4. Stress quality. Prospects want confirmation about you and your company. They may be less concerned with what a product costs than with what your product delivers in value. 5. Become an educator. Concentrate on ways you can educate your prospect by broadening their understanding, expanding their knowledge, and opening their eyes to new possibilities. As you do all this, the prospect comes to the conclusion that you are valuable because you know what you are talking about. This is the best way to blow away the competition. 6. Be patient. This is the hardest step of all, especially if you really need a sale. There's a tendency to go for the jugular, go in for the kill, but patience is the watchword now. Take time, and stay in touch with your prospects. Answer questions. Show a genuine interest. Show the prospects how willing you are to work with, and for, them. This is the best way to eventually close a sale. Excerpted from Million Dollar Selling Techniques, now available from the MDRT Center for Productivity (1-800-TRY-MDRT) and in all major booksellers (amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Borders Books, and Crown Books). For more information call 1-800-TRY-MDRT or access the MDRT Center for Productivity web site on http://www.mdrtcfp.org.