There are a lot of different ways to "sell" what you have to sell.

One proven method is to present some of your best "success stories." These real-world stories about real customers - and how you overcame real challenges - not only speak to your professionalism, but can make potential customers think, "Gee, that's an issue I have, maybe these guys can really help me." And bingo, you've made a new sale.

One thing that will help you create good success stories is to see one coming. If you have a big job coming up, or one that looks like a tough job, while you're doing it, plan on using it.

Take photos, if appropriate, as the job progresses, because a picture is still worth a thousand words. Take the time to take a few notes as you go, so you have a rich list of details.

And, as with all success stories, you'll need to get the permission of the company you did business with, so get their buy-in as soon as the job is done. Also, see if you can get some nice quotes from the people involved as testimonials.

Helping a business save money always makes a good success story, particularly if the numbers are impressive. For instance, DOTmed helped a hospital in Canada turn a potential $25,000 loss into a $40,000 gain by auctioning equipment, instead of paying to have it removed. The net difference was $65,000.

Now that would make a good success story...or did I just do it? Well not exactly. Without all the details, and names of the people involved, it's somewhat lacking in credibility. We're actually working on this case for a future issue of DOTmed News, and when you see it done correctly, you'll see how convincing it is.

Success stories are not hard to recognize; they're always a little out of the ordinary. And they can have an extraordinary effect on your sales.