Study the most effective sales people and sales organizations and you'll find that sales is a process for them.  This doesn't have to be complicated stuff.  Here are some nuts and bolts questions and ideas to think over...

• With the customers and industries you're targeting, are you prepared to serve them?
• Do you understand their world, their needs, their goals, their challenges?
• Do you understand how to make it easy for them to do business with your company?

1. Get access to them?  Do you know people that can introduce you?  Who're the decision makers ...

2. Undercover their needs and goals?  What kinds of sign and graphics do they currently use?  Who do they work with?  Are those companies meeting their needs?  How can you differentiate your company?  How can your company help them use sign and graphics in new, impactful ways?  Use Control to track this info, and to schedule follow up calls and meetings.

3. Ask what kind of results they want to accomplish.  How much do they want to invest in this.

4. Demonstrating your expertise.  Telling about other projects that they can relate to, why you and your company are special, why they really ought to work with your company on this, etc.  Are there showcase accounts that you've worked with that they'd be impressed by?

5. Quote the job.  Can this be quoted and signed off on while you're there?  (See the earlier blog about using the IPad to get contracts sign while meeting with the customer.)

It's hard to improve much if you aren't approaching this as a process.  Create the best process you can right now.  Use it. Ask other successful people inside and outside your industry about their processes.  Read books, attend seminars (Gitomer, Tracy, and many others out there).  Find an expert in another industry and take a day off to ride along with them and observe them in action.

Then take time to revise your process as you find better ways to serve the customer more effectively and profitably.