Are you a member of a sales department or a sales force? There's a big difference. Members of a sales department don't make much of an impression on the prospect and, as a result, make the next person look better. Members of a sales force are tough acts to follow.

Consider figure skating. There are certain figure skaters -- Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill and Michelle Kwan come to mind -- who were so good that following them onto the ice was daunting for any competitor. Even competent skaters look less competent if they have to follow one of those skaters onto the ice.

But back to selling. We received a copy of this letter recently. It's from a satisfied client to a sales manager.

Dear Kelly:

I am writing this letter to you concerning the attention and service I have been receiving from your sales associate Kim Delwiche. She has taken my account and shown me not only the benefits of WAPL, but educated our company in regards to the best approach in marketing, positioning and our media analysis. She has done an extensive amount of research, made us feel comfortable with her, and shown us the strengths and weaknesses in our media plan.

If you don't have a nickname for her, I suggest you try "The Yardstick." Why? Because she is the standard of measurement by which we measure all of the other media sales associates.

If I could only instill in my own staff the tenacity and willingness to do work in the fashion she has done with our company, I would be worry-free. I believe you should know this since it is far more common to hear the negative than the positive. Without Kim's attention and skills, we would have taken a less beneficial path.

[I believe] we are headed in a better direction than we were without your services and your station.

Sincerely,

Ray Lasee, Store Manager
Parker Coatings, Inc.

Kim is a tough act to follow into Ray's office. Clients buy the way you sell before they buy what you sell. The most interesting thing to me about Ray's letter is that, at the time Ray wrote it, Kim had only been selling advertising for six months.

It's a great coup for Kim to get a letter like that. At the same time, it says a lot about the impressions the veteran salespeople and top billers are making, or not making, on the client.

Salespeople are not just competing for dollars in the marketplace. They are competing for precious time in front of buyers and prospects. Until you get more face time, you'll be hard-pressed to land bigger orders.

What can you do right now to set the standard for how things are sold in your industry? Start by avoiding the top 10 things salespeople do that buyers dislike. This list comes from a Purchasing magazine survey:

• Failure to keep promises.
• Lack of creativity.
• Failure to make and keep appointments.
• Lack of awareness of the customer's operation ("What do you guys do here anyway?").
• Taking the customer for granted.
• Lack of follow-through.
• Lack of product knowledge.
• Overaggressiveness and failure to listen.
• Lack of interest or purpose ("Anything coming down this week?" or "Just checking in.").
• Lack of preparation.

Being a great salesperson is more than just avoiding the 10 things buyers dislike. The salesperson who wants to be a member of a sales force instead of a sales department will want to make every call one that could trigger a letter like the one Ray Lasee wrote.

The goal is not to get clients to write you a letter, although that's a nice reward. The goal is to get clients to reward you with larger and larger orders. Then you can write them a thank-you letter.

Your clients get better when you get better. And your clients are rooting for you to get better.