Regardless of the type of business you are running, whether online or offline, in products or services, SALES always has the last word. If you don't sell you have no business. It's a tough market out there and the competition to get the consumers to listen to you is intense. Your sales pitch may be made via email, over phone, or in person. Whichever mode you choose, there are 5 essential ingredients in any selling message. Get them right and you have the perfect sales call:

1. Start with a formal greeting – Stand out from the crowd and be different. Address the prospective customer formally with a "Good morning, Mrs. Nelson" or "Good evening, Mr. Jones." Take fifteen to thirty seconds of your sales call to introduce yourself and your business and to tell the potential customer what you can do for them. Keep your introduction brief, but make sure you mention a benefit from your product or service to get your prospect interested enough to continue with the conversation.

2. Listen to their needs – Once you have made the introductions, it is time for you to find out what the customer needs. Ask questions relevant to your product or service and really listen to the answers. Don't just hear the words they say, pay attention to the tone of their voice and body language, if you're meeting them in person. You'll have to learn to read between the lines to make an accurate assessment of their requirements.

3. Present your case – Now that you know what they want, tailor your sales call to suit their needs. Emphasize the things they've indicated as important to them. If pricing is the key, see if you can offer a discount. If they compare your product with a similar one on the market, give them the reasons to choose yours over the other. The important thing here is to zero in on what the customer is looking for and targeting it.

4. Take action – Now comes the hard part, you have to push the customer to take action. Typically, you'll be faced with three scenarios:

o Customer places the order and you can close the deal. This is the ideal sales call, and only happens in dreams!

o Customer wants to think about it before making the decision. Set up a follow up schedule – does the prospect need more information? If so, plan to send the required information the very next day. More time? If so, schedule a meeting/call for an appropriate day convenient to the prospect. If pricing is the problem, see if you can come to some sort of reasonable agreement.

o Customer says NO. This is the hard part. What can you do? Do not push, find out the reasons why and if you can't offer a solution, thank them for their time and move on. The worst thing you can do is hound them. Give them your contact information and let them know you are available should they change their mind.

5. Follow up – This is a very crucial step that must follow the initial sales call, but most salespersons forget to take it. Regardless of the outcome of the discussion with prospective customers, a simple follow-up letter or email thanking them for their time is a must. Keep it short and upbeat. It will show both your company and you in a positive light and maybe, help secure some business, too!