Page 104 - 100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

Quick Ideas 78 to 79

Epilogue
Make sure your image is working for you. Because if it
isn’t, it’s working against you. Why start the day by swimming
uphill?

79
Don’t Take It for Granted

One huge problem in getting new customers is falling into
the trap of complacency. If you go in unprepared, and the com-
petition follows you with a great dog and pony show, guess
who gets the sale? You will be left asking what went wrong,
and the competition will walk away with the customer.

A Las Vegas sales rep

had an opportunity to make Assignment
a presentation to a large or-

ganization. Because they Ask yourself, am I too

knew him and he knew complacent? What do I re-

them, he debated what kind ally need to do to sell this

of sales presentation to prospect?

make. Finally, he called one

of his mentors who sat on that organization’s board and asked

what kind of presentation he recommended. The wise man

said, “If you had never met this group, what kind of presenta-

tion would you make?” The sales rep responded that he would

have a full-blown PowerPoint presentation, a custom book with

all the details, and a room set up to sell the project. That is

exactly what he did, and he had a very successful presentation.

Always prepare as if you had never met your customer or

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