Typically, as you know, this part of The Results Report features an interview with an author, thought-leader or provocateur.

Yet when Alan Rigg, a fellow speaker and author interviewed me for a tele-seminar series on how to increase sales and grow one's business, he was nice enough to also send me the interview transcript.

And as I read it, I quickly realized, "Hey, there's good stuff here!" While I could have simply provided you with the transcript, thought it would be even more impactful and valuable, if I instead selected some key keepers. So here goes:

• Life and business are about choice. So when you hear, see or read about ideas or strategies to help you grow and prosper, you can either ignore or implement them, erase or embrace them, or anything in between. The choice is yours!

• If you'd like to make more, you need to do more. Therefore, start doing things differently. If you want to sell more, you need to think more. Therefore, start thinking differently.

• The real responsibility or accountability for your success, starts with you. It's way too easy to blame "the economy," which is what predictors of doom and gloom, naysayers and critics do.

• Eliminate moans and groans, eradicate complaints and whimpers, remove bellyaches and gripes. Stop whining, start selling. (Now there’s a great title for a bestselling book!)

• What one thing could you do once a day, or one more time a day, that would have a significant impact on your life or your business?

• What role do referrals play in your pipeline? Remember to REMEMBER: Referrals Every Moment, Every Month, Bring Excellent Results!

• What are you going to do...to increase your expertise, industry knowledge, product knowledge or sales knowledge?

• How can you provide greater value to your market or your territory? Your prospects or your customers?

• What impact would one more daily call to a customer, client, or prospect, have upon your business and your earnings?

• Attitude without action, is merely frustration.

• You're compensated for results, not intent. Grandiose plans are wonderful, yet let your results inform the world. Get to it and do it!

• Only control those factors over which you have control. Stop worrying about the rest.

• Discover whether or not your current customer, client, or prospect has got: A problem to solve. A need to fill. Or a dream or goal to realize. And if one of these three doesn't exist, you don't have a prospect. You've got a suspect. So know, the only way you can determine what their interest is, what their desire is, what their challenge is, is through asking intelligent questions or power probes.

• A feature or a fact is just that, it's what something is. What you need to focus on, is what your product or service does for your decision-maker. What are the results, benefits, advantages and outcomes it delivers?

• Adapt and apply, this four-step revenue-generating approach:

    Step 1: Ask a question that helps your decision-maker identify a challenge, an issue, a problem or even a goal, objective or dream.

    Step 2: Tell them a "tale of triumph" or "success story" about how you helped another ecstatic customer or client, solve or achieve the same or similar…problem or goal.

    Step 3: Share specific anecdotes, numbers, metrics, percentages or stats, about the impact of your solution.

    Step 4: Ask your decision-maker, "What impact would results like these have upon your business? Your life?”

• How will you deepen and strengthen relationships with current or prospective clients?

• Never answer the question, "Why should we choose / pick / hire / go with you?" from your perspective. You're biased. And prejudicial. Even if you're right! Instead, say things like:

    √    "Our customers tell us..."

    √    "Clients say we're especially helpful with..."

    √    "(Title: Presidents, business owners, leaders, managers, etc.) repeatedly let us know, how much they value our..."

If a customer or client says it, it's gospel. If you say it, even if it's true, it's open to interpretation. It appears to be too self-serving. People will listen though, to success stories. They enhance your credibility, expertise and reputation.

• Know your past success doesn't guarantee future success, it's merely an influencer.

• Be patient. Change and growth don't happen overnight. It takes time. So as much as you'd like to have a quick return or rapid reward, sometimes it ain't gonna happen in 24 or 48 hours. It  might take a month. A quarter. Or longer. Hang in. Be positive. Stay focused.

• Deliver value vs. price. If a buyer is attracted to you by only “price,” someday, they’ll leave you for the same reason.

• Your integrity is a non-negotiable. You're a walking, talking billboard for your company. If one person in your company chooses to engage in something that's unethical, it could jeopardize your entire organization. Years ago, Sales & Marketing Management magazine, called me to do a story on ethics and selling. The journalist asked, "Jeff, what do you do if one of your top producers lies, or submits a doctored expense report, or is unethical with customers?"

I politely asked, "Is that really the question?" She said, "Yes." I replied, "Okay, here's what you do. (Pause) Fire them!"

And I was done. She said, "Ummm, I've got a 700 word limit. Can you give me something else?" I said, "Oh, okay, so you need more words?" She goes, "Yes, I need more words." I answered, "Fire them, NOW!"

• It's okay to be proactive. It's okay to be persistent. Yet never manipulate another human being into making a decision. That only gets you the short, quick, fleeting hit. You're in this game for the long-term. Let your reputation rise above riches.

• When people know they can trust you, they'll buy from you. They'll recommend you. And refer you. And then they'll buy from you, recommend you and refer you...again and again and again!