---
title: "The Rules"
description: "Twenty rules for selling on your terms: act like a salesperson and you'll be treated like one, diagnose before you prescribe, and let trust drive the sale."
date: 2015-08-31
source: SalesCoach
canonical: https://www.salescoach.com/blog/the-rules/
tokens: 405
---

# The Rules

1. If I act like a salesperson, I’ll be treated like one. 2. Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. 3. My prospect must convince me he has a problem that needs to be fixed. 4. The harder I push for a “yes,” the more likely I am to get a “no.” 5. No pain, no change. 6. Prospects mislead salespeople; it’s genetically encoded. 7. If they don’t have the money, even my best sales pitch isn’t likely to help them find it. 8. A [“think it over”](/blog/i-need-to-think-it-over/) is just a slow “no” with a free torture treatment. 9. I will reduce my chances for success by 50% if I’m not in front of the decision maker. 10. Not everybody is a prospect; so “no” is okay as long as I’ve qualified properly. 11. Successful selling is collaborative, not adversarial. 12. My job is to get information, not give it; I need to shut up and listen. 13. I don’t need to offer discounts to get the business if I’ve found enough pain. 14. I don’t make presentations to people who can’t, or won’t, make a decision. 15. My time is incredibly valuable and my prospect has to earn it. 16. My attitude is that I’m financially secure and don’t *need* the business. 17. [Trust is the foundation of every sale](/blog/the-trust-formula/) - people buy from people they trust. 18. [Questions are my most effective tools](/blog/questions-the-salespersons-best-friend/) for success. 19. I’m capable of a quantum leap in my sales; there is no limit to what I can accomplish. 20. See rule number 1.

Self-Study Assignment:

Read over these rules; turn them into affirmations by placing a copy where you can read them at least one a day.