Could you try being a heretic with your customers? Don Cooper talks with Jim Blasingame about doing some counter-intuitive -- or heretical -- things as you strive to differentiate yourself with customer.

Not knowing the difference between a feature and a benefit could actually contribute to failure. That's why Don and Jim talk about how to know the difference and how to use both to your advantage. Remember, a feature is important only to you, not to your customer.

Don and Jim talk about a number of issues around the selling process, especially the need to do more and better listening.

Don and Jim talk about why salespeople should get excited when they hear an objection, and what to do when you it happens.

Don and Jim talk about the direct relationship between effective and professional customer service and sales increases. <br></["br"]>

Don and Jim talk about how to find out how your customers and prospects will use what you sell, as well as how they feel about owning it, instead of why you think what you sell is so cool.

Don and Jim talk discuss the roles that attitude and expectation play in the success of salespeople.

Don and Jim talk about the importance of being able to close the sale, as well as how to do it.

Don and Jim discuss how to make sure that you close the sale and the time is right, including something Don calls “the traffic signals of closing.”

Jim and Don discuss the difference between up-selling and add-on selling and how dangerous it is to impose your own values on customers when they're buying from you.