Practice your sales conversation to make sure you are on top of your game?

Double check to make sure the conversation will not focus on you telling your story, but will instead focus on your ability to improve the story of the prospect?

Yeah, every one of these is critically important and will improve your odds for success; however, the one thing you can do to most improve your odds for success has nothing to do with the prospect with whom you are about to meet, or even the sales conversation you will be taking to them.

The one thing you can do to most improve your odds for success in your next prospect meeting is to put five more opportunities into your pipeline before you go.

Having a full pipeline of prospects is one of your greatest sources of confidence, and nothing will make you more attractive to your upcoming opportunity than confidence.

We all know that the more you need something, the less likely you are to get it. Desperation is not attractive.

If your pipeline is inadequate, it leads to desperation, increases the likelihood of failure, and puts up unimaginable barriers to success for the few opportunities you do have. However, when your pipeline is full, you can focus on the positives of your circumstances instead of the negatives.

When you are focused on positives, you further increase your confidence, become more passionate, and you expect to win.

And, guess what happens when you add a positive perspective, confidence and the expectation of winning to the four bullet points listed above? Yep, you win.

Bonus idea to fill that pipeline

One of the most powerful ways to fill your pipeline with prospects and close more business is through referrals—if you know how to do it.

The truth is, most referral requests fail because the work is left to the client, who's too busy to do it.

Here's how to avoid this mistake.

List out the clients who love you most—your raving fans.

Next, for each raving fan, make two additional lists, labeled A and B.

“A” lists all the great things you've done for each client, which is a source of continued confidence reminding you that you've earned referrals.

“B” is a list of other companies within their circle of influence; companies you'd like to do business with. Find these by exploring their LinkedIn connections, business neighbors, non-profit boards, customers, vendors, industry groups, etc.

With the hard work of identifying introduction opportunities already done for them, all the client needs to do is make the call.

Game on!