NASCAR driver Kurt Busch says, "What it takes to win a championship is to have your preparation meet the opportunities, whether it's out on the racetrack or behind the scenes." In sales, winning starts at the beginning. Do the right things throughout the process, and you'll be better positioned for success. The steps can vary, but in talking to hundreds of successful salespeople about the pitfalls of closing sales, some very specific disciplines are regularly mentioned:

* We don't ask.

* We're asking the wrong person.

* The prospective customer is not yet sold.