The real selling pros position themselves as consultants and business partners to their clients. They always keep the focus precisely where it belongs-on the customer, not on themselves or their products.

7. Position yourself with your presentation. If your presentation is too slick and relies too much on memorized phrases, it comes across as canned; it sounds insincere. The key is to practice it enough so you can give a structured presentation in a spontaneous way.

Know your material well enough that you can customize it to fit each new prospect's needs and concerns. I've found that the more I customize my presentations, even for large audiences, the better the response and the more referrals I receive to speak to new audiences.

8. Position yourself by the way you handle objections. Do you challenge your prospects when they raise objections? Or do you handle their concerns in a friendly manner, by precisely identifying the main issue that is keeping the person from buying? This could make the difference between a sale and a "No, thanks."

9. Position yourself by the way you close the sale. How do you ask for the order? Are you giving the customer the idea he is doing you a favor by buying your product? Or do you let him know by your words and actions that your offer provides value for the money spent? Tailor each close to fit your customer's personality. Then your positioning as an expert will be a given.

10. Position yourself by the way you follow up. "Professional selling involves developing a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with every customer you sell to. It's turning one-time customers into clients who view you as a valuable resource in your area of expertise.

Doesn't positioning boil down to walking the walk? If you practice what you preach, you'll reap the rewards of decent behavior. Those rewards put you in a class all by yourself, and that's the essence of positioning.