Don't be late

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Yet, I'm constantly surprised how many times a customer or prospect says, "Thanks for calling on time." Surprisingly, many salespeople fail to connect with prospects when they say they will.

A participant in one of my sales training workshops said, "But being 5 minutes late isn't a big deal. Besides, all kinds of things can cause me to be late." He went on to list every excuse and possible reason he would arrive late at a scheduled appointment.

Your excuses don't matter. If you say you're going to show up or call someone at a specific time, then do it.