After nearly 23 years in the business of sales and marketing, my experience with sales has been indeed an education, which has removed my preconceptions as to how successful sales organizations work. For so many of us, the sales environment is an uncomfortable place you have to go to get revenue in order to survive.

Here is the deal: We are all sales people! We have been selling since we were young. We "sold" our parents on new sneakers, McDonald's hamburgers, or anything else we really wanted. We continued to sell when we sold our teachers on why we deserved better grades, our parents on more money for us to "hang out" during the summer, and of course, a nicer car to drive to school. The key is to acknowledge the fact that we all are and we will always be sales people!

Here are 7 time honored principles of sales that will help you build sales volume. It does not matter what line of work you are in these principles apply to any and all areas of business industry.

1. People Buy People- If you have any doubt about this principle, think of any successful sales person or team. The overriding factor in any sales process is you and your connection with your client. The key point to remember is if your competitors beat you on price or the product is similar, your chance of winning is enhanced by your relationship with the client. Make your client the focus - talk about your client and their business and not about yourself. Prospects buy how good you are, who you are, and not at how good you are at what you do.

2. Learn to Listen-Quick!- Amazing as it is, most sales people do not close deals because they talk too much. Successful sales people learn how to make silence golden. Here is a key point: Let the client do the talking and listen to both what your client says and more importantly, what is not said. Prospects want you to heed an old English proverb, "Don't talk unless you can improve the silence."

3. Let Go of Things That Do Not Work- Everyday ask yourself, "What can I change about my business that would make me more attractive to clients?" There is always something we can do to improve ourselves and our business. When you build a relationship with a client, you will make new discoveries each day about your client and yourself that will help catapult your business forward. If something isn't working - let it go!

4. Be Brief in Your Sales Presentation- Ever noticed how much you dislike lengthy presentations? Remember that when you create your presentation, put yourself in the customer's position and realize what you would and would not like to hear. Chances are your instincts will tell you exactly what you should say to the customer. Tell people in the most convincing way possible, in one or two sentences, why they should purchase from you instead of your competitors. It is better to say too little than to say too much!

5. Happy Customers Are Not Good Enough- Very happy customers always stay and they stay for a long time. Always ask a client what it would take for them to be totally happy. Then make it your mission to meet and exceed their needs; service, service and more service.

6. Understand Why You Sell- The real purpose of sales is to build relationships, to find them, to grow them, and to keep them. Relationships are like flowers - water them and they grow. Make sure you understand that some relationships must be let go of while investing more effort on clients with the potential to grow.

7. Sales Are About Effort (and Efficiency!)- You are always going to be measured by the company you keep. Make the effort to connect with good quality companies. Most of all connect with good quality people in those companies and make your effort efficient. The quality of your business and its sales revenue will mirror how smart you work!