By John R. Graham Selling is tougher than ever.
Customers are less accessible, more skep- tical and take longer to make a decision to buy.
Before they sign the order, they not only want the salesperson to dance a jig, but they want to make sure the price is right. All this adds up to added frustration, slimmer margins, longer hours and even lower commissions. This is why everyone in sales needs an extra edge, even a slight advantage over the competition. When you're making sales calls, following up on the telephone, answering inquiries and attending seemingly endless meetings, there isn't much time to develop a strategy. Maximum accessibility is the new reality and it counts for more and more in business.