Steve Teel is a smart business owner. He knows there are several buyers in any sale. In his market, you have the kid taking the lessons. Let’s call him or her the end user. You also have the parents who sign the checks. They usually have a different set of needs and desires than the kids do. And then you have the area coaches who can act as a great source of referrals.

Steve realized that if his coaches do not spend time with the parents asking about their expectations, they will feel neglected and the possibility will exist that the coaches will fall short in certain areas. Steve understands that his coaches need the same set of skills a professional sales person uses. Afterall, any coach at any level has to sell their ideas to their students or clients. Therefore, you need to know how to ask the right questions, how to present the ideas so they are acted on and how to listen to your customers.

After spending an hour with his coaches, the results were dramatic. Some coaches left with a renewed sense of purpose regarding the tremendous impacts they have on the lives of their young clients. All of the coaches now have a greater appreciation of the role the parents play in the success of their lessons and are now making them an active part of the process.

Bottom line, referrals have increased as have revenues from satisfied clients.

By the way, Teel’s Baseball was very successful before they brought me in. Like all successful companies, they realized there were things they needed to pay attention to if they were going to stay at the top.

What things do your sales people need to pay attention to in order to get to the top or stay at the top? What increases are you looking for in your sales career and life? If you are looking to increase your sales and earnings, then get your copy of Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way today! This is the book I used for the presentation to Teel’s.

Buck Rogers, the famed Vice President of Sales for IBM in the early years, used to tell the story of how they would hold their annual sales meeting in Madison Square Garden and bring the top performers up on stage to get their bonuses which were paid in cash. Buck said the money was nice, but the real value of the exercise was the public display of appreciation for one’s efforts and success in front of their peers. Many surveys have been done over the years trying to figure out why top producing sales people would leave one job for another. Out of 10 variables, the number one reason was appreciation. The fifth reason was money.

Whether you are an employee, a salesperson, or even a customer, the same rules apply to everyone. If you want to succeed in leadership and increase your level of influence, you need to provide the two things people value most: being appreciated and being listened to. This was true 50 years ago and it is true today. Even truer in today’s tough economic conditions where people need to feel more “love” for their efforts. The moment a customer feels they are not being listened to and appreciated, they will go elsewhere. The moment an employee feels they are not being appreciated, they may stay in their jobs, but they will have lost their motivation and their productivity will go downhill.

This is why I titled my new book Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way. Whether you are a CEO, a professional salesperson, a provider of professional services or even a teacher, your success depends on how well you can influence others. Are you listening to them? Are you giving and presenting ideas in ways that will motivate your constituents? Tonight, you will see some of the findings and the changes in actions as Larry presents his journey on Undercover Boss.

But how about creating your own journey and “reality” show as a leader in your organization? You can start with getting your constituents time and attention by doing a few simple things, such as: Asking better questions, listening better, creating more powerful value propositions and holding yourself accountable. Little changes in these areas can produce profound results. A retired professor e-mailed me and said if he had read Lead, Sell or Get Out of the Way while he was still working, he would have been a better teacher!

Click here to see how you can supercharge your business. By showing your customers and others who depend on you appreciation for their efforts and by listening to understand their needs better you will become more valuable as you help them succeed.

Bottom line, you are the difference. Not your products or services. The difference lies in each and every person. Sales executives need to understand they are the difference in whether a customer stays or leaves. A leader needs to understand they are the difference as to whether or not an employee is motivated. If each person takes responsibility for their own actions, imagine how successful your organization would be. And it all starts at the top, as it did with Larry O’Donnell.