Today's consumers are faced with a dizzying array of products and accessories in the marketplace. With global competition on the rise, there is no lack of companies offering products that meet a wide variety of consumer needs. In this competitive marketplace, successful selling is not about old fundamentals like price or products; it's about understanding complex problems that customers encounter and having the ability to choose the right solution from among an ever-increasing number of options.

Being a good salesperson requires putting oneself in the customer's shoes. Salespersons that once relied on polished presentations and glossy brochures must now function as personal advisors able to give customers a competitive advantage. They must provide this advantage not by sitting across a desk and spewing information, but by becoming an integral part of the customer's business. By diagnosing problems, listening carefully, and patiently finding solutions for specific issues, sales representatives can move beyond the sales strategies of yesteryear and become tomorrow's sales leaders.