The most important lesson I learned about sales methodologies, I learned baking a cake.

How to bake a great cake

1. Buy a good cake mix
2. Assemble all of the ingredients listed on the box
3. Mix according to the recipe
4. Bake at the temperature and for the time indicated on the box

If you do what you are supposed to, it is almost impossible to bake a bad cake!

How to make sales

1. Start with a decent product or service and a good list of prospects
2. Apply a procedure for changing prospects to customers
3. Work hard and with enthusiasm

If you do what you are supposed to, it is almost impossible to not make sales!

OK, I oversimplify.  My point is that there needs to be a methodology or system that effectively takes someone from whatever stage of awareness they are at about your product or service to being a customer.  If the system is good and you follow it exactly, you are sure to sell lots of whatever you are selling.

There are lots of excellent sales methodologies out there.  I will look at some of them in a future post.