You've got a great product that all businesses should need, want, and have...so you call and tell them that. Good idea? No!

Cold calling random companies to tell them they need your product is not the most productive way to spend your valuable time. Take the more targeted approach suggested by sales trainer Sam Manfer, and people will appreciate your call.

Who needs what you have?

Don't say everyone. This attitude makes cold calling overwhelming, and you'll get lots of rejections. You must establish a list of criteria, and here's where your boss and other successful salespeople can help you.

Ask them, "What are the characteristics of our/your 3 best customers?" Get them to think deeply about the specifics - the people, the environment, the circumstances of each customer. List these characteristics and notice similarities among these customers.

Then, asked them, "What are the characteristics of 3 prospects that never buy?" Again, try to get them to be specific and add these to your list.

These characteristics will give you an idea of the type of prospects that really need what you have and those that don't. Caution: Don't get sucked into, "should need what you have to offer". Although many "should need" it, you will be successful when you find those that want it.

Since 1995 Sam Manfer has been speaking, consulting, writing and leading seminars in sales and personal development. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader Sam has addressed thousands of new and experienced salespeople and managers all over the world in all types of businesses and industries. Learn more at www.SamManfer.com.

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Be confident about your product and your price - if you're not confident, others will notice!

Your price must be stated without any hesitation in your voice if you expect the customer to believe you.

This is big fatal mistake so many salespeople make when stating their price - they don't say it clearly or strongly enough. Subsequently, what the customer is really hearing is how the salesperson doesn't even believe in their own pricing. It doesn't matter if it's a B-B or B-C, the inability to communicate vocally a strong price is a huge reason why so many customers ask for a discount or complain about a price being too high.

As a salesperson, you have to believe in your price 100% without exception. You have to be able to state your price points clearly and without hesitation, all while giving the customer eye contact the whole time. This is why I say having a high level of sales motivation is so important to closing profitable sales. If your sales motivation is not high, then you don't stand a chance in being able to convey your price confidently - unless what you're doing is giving it away for free or some ridiculous low price.

Practice reciting your price out loud 25 times while looking into a mirror. I know it sounds stupid, but I'm amazed at the number of salespeople who can't do it, and if you can't do it by yourself, then there's no way you can say it proudly and with conviction to your customers.

Mark Hunter is known as The Sales Hunter. www.TheSalesHunter.com

“It will wait until tomorrow.” There are times when it is so tempting to tell yourself that, and actually believe it. Clearly, sometimes it is true. However, when we continually put off for tomorrow those things that could and should be done today, we become less effective today. And while it is true that it is only one day, the truth is that we will never have that day back again.

If we accept mediocrity in our performance for one day, we will never be able to gain that time back, and live that day over. And a day wasted can easily become another day, and another, and eventually turn into a habit. Habits turn into character traits, and character eventually determines our performance.

Procrastination, the character trait of putting far too many things off to be done later, is one of the insidious cripplers of sales performance, lurking under the surface of sales performance, and sucking the energy out of a salesperson’s performance.

The best salespeople guard against procrastination. They work hard, with discipline, to insure that every day is spent as effectively as possible. They recognize the temptation, and build tools, practices and disciplines into their routines to prevent themselves from falling prey to it.

There are proven tools and techniques to help with this. Scheduling appointments as fully as possible throughout the course of the day keeps you working. If you have an appointment for this afternoon, it’s difficult to put that off until tomorrow. The best salespeople are in the habit of making appointments for at least the first call of the day, as early as they can, and the last call of the day, toward the end of the day. That way, the temptation to put something off until tomorrow conflicts with the need to stay mentally in the job until you are finally finished.

“To-do lists,” re-organized at the end of every day, with firm priorities and deadlines, is another effective tool utilized by the “do-it-now” group. By creating a prioritized list of the things that you must do, and assigning deadlines to each of them, you force yourself to confront the necessity to get things done.

And, of course, the regular discipline of developing realistic goals and attaching clearly envisioned rewards to them is one of the most common devices used by the pros to keep themselves in the moment and on top of their games.

The best salespeople understand that they need to manage their weaknesses. They understand that their ability to manage themselves is one of the keys to sustained sales excellence. That’s why they excel at overcoming procrastination.

Dave Kahle is the President of the DaCo Corporation, specializing in helping business-to-business companies increase sales and develop their people. Learn more at www.davekahle.com

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We often warn salespeople to be careful not to waste too much time when it comes to LinkedIn and FaceBook - but I don't think we often give the other point of view - the benefits they can bring to your business! Sales expert Colleen Francis shares this point of view with you today.

Our sales marketplace is changing. While it used to be run almost exclusively on face-to-face meetings and transactions, today, we have been transformed into a space occupied by networks of people where social capital is earned and valued. This has important ramifications for sales, because the real power behind social media is how it can help transform you from being a complete stranger into a known quantity even among groups of people you've not even met yet. Linked-in and FaceBook are great sites to start the transformation for all sales markets.

Linked-in: Widely considered as social media's go-to place for business, Linked-in helps you connect all your professional relationships and trusted personal contacts. This service is a great way to reinforce your network of clients and suppliers and discover previously untapped connections between people you know. It's also a great place for testimonials—to receive them and to write them about others who have provided you with great service.

One of the best ways to communicate your expertise and gain followers on Linked-in is by asking and answering questions. To do this effectively you can:

1. Join groups that are relevant to your business and participate actively in the forums;
2. Start your own group, focused on creating a community of focus on your product, service or topic / expertise area;
3. Search for questions based on keywords and supplant yourself in the middle of an ongoing conversation; and
4. Ask questions that will help you start a dialogue or gather research in an area that can better serve your customers and prospects.

Regardless of how you use questions make sure that you are delivering value in your answers. Do NOT shamelessly pitch your products or invite people to "check you out" on the web. Use the questions function in LinkedIn as a tool to showcase your expertise and knowledge in a specific subject matter and users will seek you out as a resource.

FaceBook: While many treat FaceBook as a more personal-focused networking tool, there's no denying that it's a great place to get noticed just by maintaining a presence. Remember: this is one of the most visited places on the web every day. Nielsen research in January 2010 ranked FaceBook third among the top-ten web brands in America today. Therefore, if you have a time-sensitive message that needs to get out, this is a good place to do that. Top-ranked real estate agents are masterful users of FaceBook, using the status updated to post news about their latest hot listings, encouraging readers to share that news with friends and family.

Make sure to create a fan page for your business and invite clients to join. The best companies ensure they deliver knowledge updates in the daily fan-page status field. They also share links and resources to fans on a daily basis. The aim is to create an active community that will dialogue with you and between themselves. You will attract referrals and testimonials if you provide high value advice everyday and reward the community for participation.

Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Start improving your results today with Engage's online newsletter "Engaging Ideas".

SalesDog.com is the world's largest network of sales and business growth experts. They offer free sales tools including expert sales advice in their free weekly newsletter. Click here to get yours.

"I have never known a really successful man who deep in his heart did not understand the grind, the discipline it takes to win." -- Vince Lombardi, American Football Coach

Anyone can be successful - but only if they put in the time and effort it takes to be successful. You can't really put in one or the other - too much time and not enough effort, and everything you're doing is a waste. A lot of effort but not enough time will leave you with unsatisfactory results.

Decide now that you'll dedicate the time and effort it takes to be successful. Then focus on using every minute as wisely as possible. Don't get distracted, don't waste time. Both are precious things that will take you to the top!

SalesDog.com is the world's largest network of sales and business growth experts. They offer free sales tools including expert sales advice in their free weekly newsletter. Click here to get yours.