No matter what you're selling, every sale follows roughly the same pattern. It's a rare sale that doesn't include each of these steps in one form or another.
In order to succeed in sales you need to master each one of these stages. If you're weak in one or more areas, you might survive as a salesperson but you won't thrive.
1. Prospect for Leads
You can't prospect effectively without knowing all about your product(s). If you don't understand the product, how could you know who will want to buy it?
2. Set an Appointment
It's time to use those leads you collected in stage 1. Many salespeople prefer to cold call over the phone, but you can also call in person, send email or even mail out sales letters.
3. Qualify the Prospect
The qualification stage usually takes place at the...