At-ti-tude, n.

One of Webster's dictionaries describes the word attitude as:

a mental position; the feeling one has for oneself.

Your attitudes are mindsets-or points of view based on what you believe to be true about life, other people and yourself.

The $elling Edge?, Inc. has taught thousands of selling professionals how to consistently close sales. Some of these people have incredibly high natural sales ability but sell very little and others, with seemingly few innate skills, are able to achieve high levels of closings. What is the reason for this paradox? Very simply, a sales representative or service industry professional's attitude toward selling.

In our research, we have found that many selling professionals do not truly value the role of selling. They dislike being described as a "salesperson" because they see selling as a manipulative process that somehow conflicts with their personal values. When these attitudes are combined with fear of rejection and failure, it is no wonder they would prefer not to undergo the discipline and hard work it takes to succeed in sales.

Your attitudes can positively or negatively influence your ability to consistently perform effective prospecting activities or vital selling techniques. Weak or negative attitudes toward the selling process will block your ability to succeed in vital sales methods. On the other side of the coin, a strong, positive, "can-do" attitude about selling can help you to sell more-even if you do not possess great natural selling skills.

My Sales Success Strategies series of articles outline techniques you can use to keep your attitude positive, your sales performance high and your selling goals focused. Check out the archive at: http://www.thesellingedge.com/newsletter1.htm

VIRDEN THORNTON is the founder and President of The $elling Edge?, Inc. an Ohio consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training, personal coaching, advisory services and publishing. Clients have included Sears Optical, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Service Linen Supply, Bank One, Jefferson Wells International, and Wal-Mart to name a few. Virden is the author of the "best selling" Building & Closing the Sale, Prospecting: The Key To Sales Success and Close That Sale, a video/audio tape series published by Crisp Publications a division of Thompson Learning. He has also authored a client acclaimed Self-Directed Learning series of sales, coaching, telemarketing, and personal productivity manuals. To obtain a substantial discount on two of Virden's latest books, 101 Sales Myths or Organizing For Sales Success, go to: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/book1.htm.

NOTE: You can contact Virden at: virden@TheSellingEdge.com or check out his detailed biography at: http://www.TheSellingEdge.com/bio.htm