The goal is understanding. To persuade someone, to motivate someone, to sell someone, you really need to understand that person. - Dan S. Kennedy

Get a fix on the prospect/customer/client and on his or her desires; failing to do so will undermine all your other efforts.

What Excuse Do You Make When Asked for Your Fax Number — and You Haven't Got One? Can you afford to appear “behind the times” to your clients, customers, vendors, and associates? Or is it important to you to be perceived as successful, savvy, in tune with the trends leading the American business scene?

Excuses for Not Doing Well in Business • “Everybody in my city buys by price.” • “Nobody in my town uses credit cards.” • “Everybody in my town is cheap.” • “There’s a giant advertiser in my town.” • “I never get the good leads.” • “It’s the time of year.” • “There’s already too many doohickeys in my town.” • “What I do is so unique, nobody understands it.” • “It’s the economy, it’s my spouse, my staff ...