In poker, the win comes at the end of the hand and the winner is the one who was better prepared and able to out play their opponents. Similarly, the best part of the sale is the close. But that comes at the end of a long process that starts when you get a new sales lead. The better prepared you are from the start the better chance you have of winning.

To gain an advantage, poker professionals constantly take mental notes of their opponents’ style and actions: like how often they raise, call and fold. They study how an opponent played a hand in a similar situation. They watch for tells that will indicate the strength of their opponent’s hands. The goal is to effectively acquire necessary information to improve their odds.

Everything you and the others do at the poker table, or during a sales call, conveys information. The goal of a salesperson, before and during a sales call, should be to gather information to be better prepared for the opportunity. More information makes for better decision and better decision make more profitable decisions. ACE Selling will help you move closer to a win with every sales opportunity by providing skills to identify key factors so you will be better prepared to react correctly during the sales opportunity. Winging it is for amateurs; professionals know that success requires preparation and skill.