Make EYE contact when you look at another person. Look at them!! Dont look down at your shoes or away from the other person. Dont look around the room for someone else who may be more interesting.

Be sincere in communicating (talking!) with another person. Give them your undivided attention. Act interested! Respond to their questions with a positive answer.

NETWORKING takes time, but --

For years in my business career it took many nights of long meetings. Lunch/Dinner. Listening to speakers give their best shot. Not going home to see my bride or 3 children. Many nights they were in bed long before Dad got home.

There was Sales & Marketing Executives; Administrative Management Society; Jaycees; Chamber of Commerce and others. Christian Businessmen for breakfast. Rotary was a weekly lunch fellowship with other local executives.

Business success means interaction. It means Participation and Involvement with others in the business community. Building TRUST in the marketplace is an imperative. BRAND yourself as one who is a contributor of time and money to worthy causes. Make your city a better place to live and a place to do business by who you are.

A BIG SMILE

Volumes are quietly spoken when you express greetings or welcome with a smile. Few of us can help but return a smile to another person. Just a quick walk down the street and almost everyone you meet will respond in kind. You smile. They smile back.

If you send out a BIG frown on your face then youll think a lot of people are simply not happy today. You sent the wrong message. Even when things are not wonderful it still makes sense to reflect your best side to others.

Always remember that everyone has an occasional bad day. Most of us dont have to go very far to find someone with more troubles far greater than our own.

PHONE COURTESY pays dividends --

How do you react to a friend who calls you on the phone? Do you take the time from your busy day to be courteous? Most of us respond in kind on the phone.

Should I ask about the telemarketer who called? Do you take time to be courteous to a person you do not know? Do you just hang up? Talk ugly to them?

Something worth remembering about the telemarketer is that they are WORKING and trying to make a living to feed their family. Buy clothes for their children. Yes, I know that their call may have interrupted your dinner. You were doing something important and I understand the feeling.

PUBLIC folks need training --

One of my pet peeves is someone who should know better. How to answer the phone is NOT rocket science. Even the best of professionals fail miserably in dealing with their public.

Preachers, Doctors, Executives and many others FAIL to pass the courtesy test for phone etiquette. You know some of them just as I do.

Your VOICE is either smiling when you answer the phone or frowning. One says, glad you called, nice to hear from you. The other says, what do you want? Im busy, so hurry up.

Put a big mirror beside your telephone and see if you are smiling for your guests who call you on the phone. Be sure that you are NOT sending out the wrong message.

Would you greet someone at the front door or in your front office the same as you do on the phone? In the elevator or down the stairs is another time for courtesy. Should I mention AUTO [car] driving/riding road rage? Another story!

SUCCESS IN ACTION

Act as if success is already in the bag. Victory in battle comes to those who have a positive can do attitude. Your TOP salesperson believes and knows he or she will be victorious in the sales arena. You can too!

Search their vocabulary and the word cant does not exist. Highly successful sales executives practice positive thinking. Nothing is left to chance. Being prepared is simply their standard operating mode.

Goals are seen as already accomplished BEFORE they actually happen. Success is visualized in the mind which propels focused action. Your mind is powerful and ready to see to picture to act on your goals.

Action Tip: Believe in yourself. A smile is contagious and reflective of your inner soul. Show respect and courtesy to everyone under all circumstances. Believe in victory and success with your goals in advance. Visualize the future. Accept NO monkeys. Empower others to make decisions. Experience quietness within. Picture your success in advance within your subconsceous.