In order to make it in today’s business world you have to become an expert in whatever it is you are selling. One of my friends, Craig S., said to me a few weeks ago “Jeff first you are selling computer parts, then software and now movies and each time no matter what you are dealing with you know everything about that product, How do you do that?” If you are dealing in cosmetics or bathroom accessories or whatever you must learn everything there is to know about your products, you have to become an expert. Sales is about educating people, you have to educate your customers in the products you are selling.

About 10 years ago I had bought a lot of software that Microsoft had donated to a charity. This software was older versions of Microsoft Office, MS Works, MS Windows, etc..At first nobody wanted this product they all wanted only the latest and greatest. I then called Microsoft to find out what could be done with this older software. I learned that within 90 days of the date of purchase that the End User could get a free upgrade to the latest and greatest. The only cost would be Shipping with Airborne Express which is overnight shipping I then had to educate my customersabout what I had found out. I launched a big dvefrtising campaign on TV, Radio and newspapers offering MS Office for $199, the MSRP was $799. When someone called or came in I told them this was an older version but if you take your receipt and fax it to Microsoft you will be overnighted a FREE upgrade for the cost of shipping. This was like making an extra $600. I then sold thousand of this older MS Product retail plus over

10,000 were sold wholesale.

I originally bought the MS Office, version 1.6, for only $15 each. I was selling them for $65 wholesale and $199 retail but I showed my wholesale customers where they were saving almost $400 Dealer cost from distribution was almost $500 and I showed my retail customers where waiting a day for an upgrade was saving them almost $600. MS Sen t me a nasty letter that year saying I cost them over $5 million in lost sales but the reality is I got them registered users who would buy upgrades and other products. Some of these customers would have endud up buying someone else’s office suite because they didn’t want to spend almost $800. I turned those people into MS Customers.

If you educate them the sales will be there You know all those junk emails you get? The ones that a lot of people are calling SPAM? I save all those emails because if the ad copy got my attention then its something I can use to get the attention of my customers and also I figure they have to be buying their products from somebody so why shouldn’t it be me. A few years ago I tried to partner up

with somebody who at the time I thought was so much like me that we’d compliment each other. I could cover his weakenesses and he would cover mine. Building on each others strengths.