Rosalie Marcus

There’s an art to the sales pitch—a conversation that flows seamlessly between a prospective buyer and a hopeful seller. And with competition heating up in the print and promo space, it’s even more crucial that you understand the proper techniques to fine-tune your pitch, so that you can close that big sale. Here, top sales experts give their hot tips...

If there's one thing we know about August—with its oppressive heat and stifling humidity and oppressively stifling television lineup—it's that more people are thinking about the beach than they are about Santa Claus.

Sales presentations can be quite stressful, especially for those who have a “me, me, me” mentality. Throw in the residual effects of a recession and increased pressure from your boss to generate additional revenue, and the entire process becomes even more overwhelming.

If "The Boss" tells you to meet him in Atlantic City, you better listen. While Bruce Springsteen may not be strolling the boardwalk this June, there are still plenty of reasons to visit New Jersey.

Honing in on the person who makes the buying decisions at a company and establishing a relationship with them is a crucial part of succeeding with a prospect, not only for making the immediate sale, but also for setting them up to be a repeat customer. It may seem like an obvious point, but that doesn't mean it's an easy one.

Cold calls or not, you'll still need to use the phone to return messages, call suppliers and contact referrals. Below are six things to avoid when leaving a voicemail message and how to easily correct them.