[hhackma]

As a former credit manager with a larger international company, I worked with all sorts of sales professionals. The most productive ones were those who knew the customers business inside and out. They knew all the key employees, many by name. They worked whatever hours it took to get the customer exactly what they needed to make their business as profitable as possible. And lastly, they formed relationships with the owners of the business they were selling to. Having that relationship meant that they were frequently given the order first.