In sales, there is something infinitely more important than the techniques you employ; it's the philosophy you embrace. What you believe affects how you behave. What are your fundamental sales beliefs? What is your personal sales philosophy? Once your beliefs and philosophy are crystal clear, the behaviors fall in line. You concern yourself less with technique and more with focused actions.

Imagine the techniques that naturally fall into place when you embrace these selling attitudes:

"The sale is more about the customer than the seller." This attitude encourages the salesperson to focus on customer-centric solutions that bring meaningful value to the buyer. It's their money, their problem, and a solution with which they must live. Shouldn't the sale be more about the customer than the seller?

"Professional selling is really about making a difference, not just a deal." One of the simple truths of sales is that if you focus on making a difference for customers, versus just making deals, you will have all the deals you can handle. Profit follows performance. As you seek ways to provide meaningful value that have an impact on the customer's world, you benefit, naturally, by your success.

"Trust is the currency of all great relationships." When two people trust each other, like each other, and want to do business, they will figure out a way to work out the details. Honesty and integrity are solid building blocks for the foundation of trust you build with your customer. Following up and delivering on your promises build this trust.

"Salespeople may land the first sale, but it is the total experience with a company that brings customers back." Professional selling is a team sport, which means salespeople must be willing to subordinate their egos for the greater good of serving customers. It's not my customer or your customer; it's our customer. Without this team dynamic, there is no internal ownership for customer satisfaction. Customer service must be an attitude, not a department in your company.

"Selling is more about listening than talking." Effective salespeople know that it is impossible to understand a buyer's needs fully when the salesperson's mouth is more active than his ears. If you listen fully and patiently to what the buyer has to say, you will learn precisely how to solve the buyer's problem. I saw a tee-shirt one day that read: "Help! I'm talking and I can't shut up!" How appropriate for those in sales that are more in love with the sound of their own voices than the customer's voice.

What you believe as a salesperson determines your selling techniques and strategies. If you have a "deal mentality," you will project the image of someone who only cares about the transaction. If you have a "me-me-me" sales approach, the buyer will tire of your ego. If you have a customer-oriented sales approach, the buyer will welcome your ideas and reward them with business.