The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable: Laws of Business Success

71. The Law of Advance Planning

The best salespeople prepare thoroughly before every call.

This principle is so simple that it is often overlooked. The hallmark of the true professional is thorough preparation, reviewing every detail, before every sales meeting. The very best salespeople are those who review their presentations and study the details of their products and their sales materials repeatedly prior to every new sales contact.

You cannot imagine a top athlete who did not train regularly and warm up thoroughly before every competition. In fact, the period of training for an athlete consumes far, far more time than an actual competition itself. When you think of a crack military force, like the U.S. Marines or the Israeli Commandos, ...