Thanks to Bill’s training, company shattered its previous monthly record for safety glass sales! The owner was extremely pleased, but noticed Bill’s sales had also increased dramatically and that he continued to maintain his production lead over rest of sales force. Surprised that Bill’s production was still significantly higher than rest of sales force; he asked Bill if he had discovered any new techniques. Bill replied that he had made a minor change to his presentation that really made a major difference in his sales effectiveness. “I still use hammer technique,” Bill said, “except now when I get to part where I demonstrate strength of glass, I hand hammer to my customer and let them hit glass!”

By handing hammer to his customer, Bill discovered secret of successful selling. He took his sales career to next level by finding a way to keep his customer actively involved during his presentation. Are you keeping your customers actively involved? If not, learn from Bill and discover a way to put hammer in your customer’s hand!

Sign up at www.dictionary.com. (By way, bookmark this site, or do what I did and make it your browser's home page. It's wonderfully handy to look up a word by typing it in your keyboard instead of lugging that eight-pound Webster off your bookshelf.)

3. Listen and learn.

If you want to go on a vocabulary crusade whole-hog, order Verbal Advantage audiotape program, that aims to help you "amass a Harvard Graduate's Vocabulary in just 15 minutes a day." I enjoy listening to these tapes on long drives and find that I truly retain what I hear. The great thing about learning by *listening* is that you really learn how to *pronounce* word. There's also a quick quiz after every 10 words learned.

The narrator also gives examples of usage and touches on common usage errors to help you avoid embarrassing mistakes in conversation. One example: Many people say word "unequivocable," but word is "unequivocal." (One less syllable!)

The company offers a two-tape "trial offer" for less than $30 that gives you many useful words to get started. Check it out at http://www.netofficetoolbox.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=8904 I think you'll like it! (Can someone please order it for "Dubya"?)

Now, all you have to do is remember to use what you know! Although you shouldn't try *too* hard to pepper your conversations with words that will stump your colleagues (think of Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football), you'll enjoy being able to pull just right word out of your proverbial hat when you need it.