By Azriela Jaffe

THE WORKPLACE

A subscriber to my weekly e-mail newsletter introduced herself, and we got to "chatting." I learned that she is a sales professional, so after the first e-mail or two of light-hearted conversation, I asked her if she could offer some advice for my readers.

Maura Schreier-Fleming is president of Best@Selling -- www.bestatselling.com -- a sales consulting organization in Dallas. Her clients include MBNA, Fannie Mae and Fujitsu, and she is the author of the book "Real-World Selling for Out-of-this-World Results" (1st Books Library, 2002).

Schreier-Fleming also knows a thing or two about being a successful woman in a previously man's world. She is a textile engineer by training, and was Mobil's first female "lubrication engineer" in the United States.

Before I share some of her thoughts on sales, you might be curious, as I was: How does a nice lady from Texas go from "lubrication engineer" to "sales consultant?"

At first glance, it's counterintuitive. Typically, we picture engineers as more technical and introverted than the average sales consultant.

Was Schreier-Fleming misplaced in the engineering field, or does she demonstrate the dangers of stereotyping any profession? Here's how her career developed and how she blended her varied skills:

"I knew I loved sales from the first time I sold a raffle ticket in college. When I bought my first car while in graduate school -- a used '72 Corolla in 1977 -- I knew I couldn't be a helpless, single female with a car. So I went to Georgia Tech during the day to study textile engineering and DeKalb Tech at night to study auto mechanics. I loved working on my car! That's when I decided to combine sales with a technical product for my career.

"Mobil Oil offered a sales engineering job working with gears, bearings and hydraulics -- all the things I loved and knew. For over 20 years I made the recommendations for lubricant products for equipment in steel mills, tire plants, even nuclear power plants. It was a lot of hard work and a lot of fun. I worked with wonderfully interesting people and loved lubrication.

"When I decided to start my own business, I thought about what I loved and what I was good at. That's when I decided to teach others how to make selling easier and more successful. My target audience -- technical sales professionals. They're precise and appreciate my process approach to selling."

I asked Schreier-Fleming to glean her breadth of knowledge to a few simple pointers that any of us can use to improve our sales and communication skills. Here are a few of her favorites:

"Listen more so you can talk less. The biggest myth in sales is that the best salespeople are the biggest talkers. The myth is false!

"Great salespeople are all great listeners. They hear more than the words, too. They hear what their customers mean and understand nonverbal communication.

"Believe in your products. The words you say are only partly what sells for you. Your attitude and your beliefs magnify the words. How you say your words guides your customers to understand that your products and services are the best choice for them.

"Sell what you love. Forget about pushing something you can't support. Pushing products is not selling anyway.

"Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Sometimes things will turn out differently than you hope. It's especially during those difficult times that you have to remember why you are selling and what you have to offer.

"When it gets tough, talk with those who support you. Cry a little. Then it's time to move on and find the better opportunity.

"Selling is the easiest job in the world. Just ask anyone who's not in sales. People who have never sold have no clue about the work involved. Be prepared to work.

"Selling starts way before you get in front of your customer. You'll be planning your sales strategy, improving your skills and learning about your competition, business and a lot more. That's work. Only the sales greats make selling look easy. You're just not seeing the work they do before they get in front of their customers.

"Nourish your soul. Hillel, a very wise philosopher, said, 'If I'm not for myself, then who will be?' We need to care for ourselves so that we can continue to take care of our customers.

"Selling is a tough business and not for the emotionally weak. There's just too much rejection to deal with.

"Find the joy in your life and make sure you're making time to enjoy it. It doesn't matter if it's reading, exercise, gardening or tanning. What brings you joy should be a regular part of your life. You deserve it, and it will give you the energy to continue."

Azriela Jaffe writes about business and workplace issues. E-mail her at azjaffe@optonline.net