Selling is the bread and butter of any organization in this world. They are many ways to value an organization viz. Fixed assets hold by the organization, Market capitalization of the organization and sales generated by the organization. But, the business world considers the only thing, i.e. sales generated by the organization and why is it important. Fixed assets would always depreciate (except land) over a period, market capitalization would fluctuate in line with market conditions, and sales is the only legitimate source that an organization ensures the inflow of cash in the organization which would happen with proper business model (products and services for specified target group(s) and revenue model (earn money through this sales). Yet, many sources available to generate and bring in cash into the organization viz. issue equity, debentures, bonds etc. and source term loans, yet the former has firm obligatory of repayment, either in principal and interest or the dividend to the investors.

But, a sale is the only aspect in which the organization enjoys no obligation and financial strength of the organization gauge through this. Fortune 500 companies across the globe and in India are considered through sales, not the fixed assets or market capitalization they hold or enjoy. Hence, the sales is the thing which every organization in this planet is aspire to achieve and this article would help the readers to understand and use certain tips to make effective sales through the inside experience of the world's best sales person!

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Joe Girard is the World's greatest sales person. Girard, who was the top car salesperson in America for over a decade, sold nearly thousand cars yearly out of a Detroit Chevrolet dealership. Today, he makes even more money by writing books (e.g., How to sell anything to anybody), making videotapes, and conducting eight-week training courses for salespeople.

How Girard could achieve this Everest task?

Girard has great confidence in himself and works at keeping it. Every morning when he gets out of bed, he looks in the mirror and says: "You are the most terrific, most beautiful guy in the whole world." He even wears a gold pin on his lapel proclaiming himself as No.1, and as he puts it: "I am the best. Numero uno"(Number One). And you know why I'm the best? I believe in myself….If you want to sell anything, you have to sell yourself, you have to sell yourself, you must have self-respect, that is, you must believe you are number one".

When he sold cars, he used two full-time assistants. The assistants greeted prospective customers and took them on demonstration rides. Once the customers were prepped, Girard took over. He took each customer into a tiny office where they sat 21/2 feet from each other—never more because "you have got keep the electricity going, maintain close eye contact, shut everything out but me and what I have got to say. People always look at salesmen like they are liars, cheats, out to rob them of their money. But I am their friend. I give everyone this button which says: 'I like you, not your money!".

Girard believes in paying close attention to prospects' body language. If their eyes narrow or they perspire or cross and uncross their legs, he changes the subject and talks about the football game or politics---anything to make them relax. And then he moves back to business.

Girard insists that he is not a phony. People sniff out phoniness, he claims and elaborates: "No one who is insincere will ever be a successful salesman. 65% of my customers are repeats. That is because I treat them the way they want to be treated. I take care of them because if I treat them right, they will bring in more customers. (To help ensure that they do, he pays a $25 commission for any referral of a potential car buyer.) "I never stop working," says Girard, "I am the best---I can do better".

Joe Girard Sales Tips for successful prospecting
1. Let the prospective customer know that you want to be a friend—and do not give a customer a chance to decline your offer of friendship. Never ask questions that can be answered yes or no.

2. Let the customer try the product to his or her heart's content. Girard tells the prospective buyer to take any car, and he suggests, "May be you should drive it by your house and show it to your wife." According to Girard, "Once the wife sees her husband in brand new car, she is going to feel excited. And he is bound to feel important". Thus, it is going to be really tough to bring it back to the dealership.

3. Use flattery, but be certain that flattery is sincere. "How can anyone walk away from someone's who is interested in him?

4. Never interrupt or attempt to upstage a prospective buyer.

5. Make your customers work for you. The most important selling begins after the sale when you make sure that the customer is satisfied.

6. Follow through after your sale.

7. Quote a reasonable price, regardless of the customer's knowledge on this point. Sooner or later, the customer is going to find out whether or not the price was fair, so if you want repeat business and a good reputation, treat all customers fairly.

8. Never pressure a customer—and not just because it is not nice to do. "I do not use hard-sell techniques," Girard claims, "because they do not work"
Mr. Girard's approach and tips are definitely eye openers to management graduates who choose sales career. Sales does not solely belong to those in sales, sales is a pervasive and in this material world, every human being is a sales man and round the clock , he/she sells ideas, product and services, irrespective of his/her position in the society. Husband sells his ideas to wife and vice versa, it may be a social selling, yet, the outcome counts a lot in maintaining harmony in family. Hence, it is evident that selling is not the thing for organizations, it is also for society.
Various Approaches of Prospecting

1. Introductory Approach
2. Mutual Acquaintance, or reference, Approach
3. Customer Benefit Approach
4. Compliment or Praise, Approach
5. Free Gift or Sample, Approach
6. Question Approach
7. Product or Ingredient Approach
8. Dramatic Approach

The above prospecting approaches may be in academic nature, yet, it is very useful to use in the field with the modifications according to selling situations and the nature of consumers deal with. Above all, the experience of Mr. Girard would provide insights and it is the experience every potential sales person ought to undergo to be a better sales person, not only for profession, even for having better harmony in personal life.