Joanne Hernon

A “touch” can be a call, voice mail, email, etc. However this type of persistence works best when you are in the beginning of the sales cycle or the prospecting stage. The goal at this stage is to find a qualified prospect who is interested in learning more about your product or service.

One person was convinced that hunger was the magic ingredient. His sales people were so persistent that they angered his clients and he got complaints about them. The close of the sale is only the beginning of the relationship. I believe it's important to start off on the right foot.

Many women entrepreneurs and small business owners seem to have an aversion to selling or don’t realize it is imperative that they hone these skills. When I introduce myself as a sales consultant and trainer, women often say, “I hate selling,” or “I don’t need to sell in my business.”

When it comes to selling our own products or services, many of us have gone so far the other way. If we do not feel comfortable closing a sale and our businesses may be suffering because of this.