The following is an excerpt from The Complete Sizzle Satchel: A Get-Real Workbook for Red-Hot Marketeers.

Success in Selling

The most successful sales people are those who carefully think out their strategy before they make contact with the customer. Six tips to implement a successful sales campaign are suggested here:

1. Create a plan

Take the time to organize a strategy. Creating a sales plan upfront will eliminate many wasted hours in the long run.

2. Do your homework

Learn everything you can about your product/service, your customers and your competition. By doing so you will understand what your customers are looking for and how you can shine above the competition.

3. Set sales goals

Setting goals will enable you to evaluate what is reasonable to expect and help you gauge the success of your efforts. Be specific with quantities and deadlines for each of your goals.

4. Work smart, not hard

By creating a plan you can determine the most effective and time efficient methods to reach your customers. In some cases, a short telephone call can achieve the same result a personal sales call.

5. Follow-through and follow-up

When you make promises to your customers, always deliver. If possible, make good on the promise before they expect you to. Once you have made a sale, follow-up with customers to ensure they are completely satisfied. Set up a "tickler file" on each customer so you will be reminded to follow-up at appropriate times. It will nuture loyalty and develop repeat customers.

6. Regularly evaluate your progress

Reviewing your goals to see if you have met your quotas and deadlines is essential to the success of your sales campaign.