Making a sale on Monday does wonders for your week

I'm often asked if there is some secret for consistent sales performance. The answer is simple. Have a great Monday. Have a great Friday. If you're looking for consistency in selling performance, try these nine steps. You won't believe how lucky you'll start to get. " Make a sale on Monday morning to start the week.

" Listen to a sales training tape on Monday morning (mental weight lifting).

" Make enough (at least five) appointments on Monday to ensure a productive week.

" Work like hell all week.

" Listen to a sales training tape on Friday morning.

" Make a sale on Friday afternoon to end the week.

" Confirm and solidify your Monday appointments on Friday.

" Make five appointments on Friday for next week.

" Keep your pipeline full. Have enough qualified prospects "in the bank" so that a Monday sale isn't a major barrier. PREPARE for your success or it won't occur. Monday

How you do on the first day of the week sets the tone for the rest of it. And how you do on Monday is based entirely on how smart you worked last week. If you are disciplined enough to follow these methods, you won't believe the difference it will make in your week and your productivity. " Make a sale first thing Monday morning … Set an appointment for early Monday morning with someone you are confident will buy. It makes you feel great to capture a sale to start your week, sets you in motion and gives you a mental boost to work harder (and make another one). NOTE WELL: Since many companies have sales meetings Monday mornings, you're as productive as you can be with an appointment. You can start making sales calls after 10 a.m. (If time permits you can also try a few calls before 8 a.m. Lots of decision makers are early risers.)

" Learn something new … Pop a training or motivational tape into your car or home stereo (or both), and instead of listening to the same old news or music, try to feed your head with new knowledge that will help you make that first sale. When you learn a new technique on the way to an appointment, you can try it out in minutes.

" Make at least five appointments for the rest of the week … Why not have a Monday full of success and positive anticipation. It's up to you. Pick up the phone and work at it.

" Work like hell all week.

Friday How you do on the last day sets the tone for next week. Most people slack off. If you work intensely on Friday, it will ensure success next week and give you good reason to have a great weekend. " Learn something new … Continuing your sales education throughout the week on a regularly scheduled basis is as important to your success as any other aspect of sales, but make sure you listen on Friday morning.

" Make a sale on Friday afternoon … Schedule a close for Friday afternoon … nothing like ending the week on a positive note.

" Confirm and solidify your Monday appointment on Friday … If you worked hard the last four days, you've already set your "Monday morning make-a-sale" appointment. Call the prospect on Friday and confirm it.

" Make at least five appointments for next week … Why not guarantee yourself a full schedule next week? Spend your weekend relaxing instead of worrying about how few appointments you have. Make this commitment to yourself: I won't leave work on Friday until I have five appointments and I've set my Monday appointment/sale.

" The secret to a great week is to use Monday as a springboard. The bigger secret is to trigger it by making a "sale" call on Monday. The biggest secret is you having enough qualified prospects in your pipeline to make that Monday sale possible. Keep your sales pipeline full. Sounds simple. Make appointments, listen to tapes, make sales. It is simple. It just isn't easy. But if you work intensely, you can do it. I can make one promise to you … follow these guidelines and you'll have sales consistency (you'll also earn money). Now you know the secret. I've given you the answer. The question is what will you DO with the answer.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of "The Sales Bible" and "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." President of North Carolina-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts training programs on selling and customer service. He can be e-mailed at salesman@gitomer.com