I was up in Oakland last week training some inside sales software reps, and I asked the pivotal question - "Out of 10 leads you send out, how many end up buying?"

The most powerful close you can ever use (in your selling situation and in life in general) is the take away. And the reason it works is because we all want what we can't have.

I don't have to tell you that times are hard for companies these days. And that means hard on you, the sales rep, too. Now when companies tell you that they don't have the budget, you really believe them, don't you?

Here are two secrets of top 20% sales performers - The most important word they use, and the five best openings they use when cold calling.

If I gave you a pencil and asked you to sell it, how would you go about it?

I've always said that the number one skill of a Top 20% producer is his or her ability to listen.

I remember a time -- and it doesn't seem like that long ago -- when voicemail was all the rage. There was no e-mail, so people tended to honor and even return voicemail messages. It was a good time...

So many sales reps send me emails all asking the same thing, "How can I sell against my competition and win the deal?"

"When was the last time you did take off on a real vacation?" I recently asked a sale manager. The response,"Heck, I can't tell you. Got to be over six years." Therein lies the problem.

You have all heard that you have about 15 to 30 seconds to establish a connection or generate interest on a cold call, right?