Sales: Where the Rubber Hits the Road

Coauthor Jim spent the majority of his business career in Minneapolis. One of that city’s most successful entrepreneurs, the late Curt Carlson (known for Radisson Hotels, TGIF Restaurants, and Carlson Travel), coined a phrase years ago that Minneapolis business veterans know by heart: “Nothing happens until a sale is made.” What Curt was saying is that a product or service, no matter how good it may be, will live or die based on the ability of the sales and marketing staff to generate sales.

Because sales are so critical to the success of your small business, we dedicate this entire section to the topic. Read on to find out how to make sales a top priority in your business.

Pitting in-house versus outsourcing