By Todd Duncan

The Law of the Hook says that a captivated audience stays to the end. That’s because the principle that keeps your eyes glued to a screen and your hands glued to a book is the same principle that keeps your prospects glued to you. You see, an audience is an audience whether in a sales office or a theater; and to keep an audience around, the per­formance must be captivating from the get-go.

By Todd Duncan

The problem is that most salespeople rush into a commitment without knowing anything substantial about a person. Without knowing whether there are shared values and shared goals. Without knowing the others’ expectations, needs, or desires. As a result, like a whimsical marriage, the success of such relationships is shaky at best.

By Todd Duncan

True victory in the sales profession comes as a result of not only giving people a reason to buy from you, but also making sure they never forget you. It’s doing more for them after the sale than you did to get the sale. It’s the essence of the Law of the Scale.

By Todd Duncan

The Law of the Bull’s-Eye says that if you don’t aim for the best prospects you will do business with any prospect. That’s because in sales, if you aren’t aiming for the bull’s-eye, you won’t beat your competition very often. On the other hand, when you’re good at hitting the bull’s-eye prospects in your field, you can upstage your competition on a regular basis.

By Todd Duncan

Remember the popular prime-time show hosted by Dick Clark and Ed McMahon called TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes? For an hour we laughed as we watched some of the best actors thoroughly mess up their lines. We laughed because it’s very human to make mistakes. And seeing actors make bloopers reminded us that despite the flawless performances we saw on their television shows even the very best actors forget their lines from time to time.

By Todd Duncan

Most salespeople spend only 25 percent of their time selling because they spend 75 percent of their time managing the sales they’ve made. That’s because most salespeople don’t understand the value of quality.

By Todd Duncan

How valuable is your time? Would your clients say that the time you give them is more valuable than the product you provide? Do you work as though your time is more valu­able than your product? As a salesperson, you must ascertain the value of an hour of your time if you’re ever going to learn to exploit the clock effectively.

By Todd Duncan

In sales, sharing your goals and dreams with the right people can be the difference between average and above-average success. That’s because accountability produces the leverage necessary to follow through with your aspirations. The right kind of leverage is much more than motivation or hope; it is the essential link between what you desire and what you do, between your dreams and your destiny. Without leverage, you’ll never reach the peak of your potential.