Ten Cardinal Sales Rules

By Michael Stone 1 Comment

You shall return all phone calls the same day or by 9 AM the next day.
You shall keep ALL appointments, and on time.
You shall always be prepared to make a sale.
You shall always qualify the customer to buy from you, not sell to them.
You shall not offer freebees, but get paid for all you do.
You shall keep an Objections book, up to date, regularly reviewed.
You shall continue your education, reading at least one hour each day.
You shall get written quotes or estimates on all items exceeding $300 on your estimates.
You shall not do Cost Plus or Time and Material Contracts unless for service work.
You shall set weekly, monthly and yearly sales and income goals.

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Sarah Tharp

May 29, 2011 5:34 pm

I am big fan of Micheal Stone, I have read and re-read Mark-up and Profit. I am syked to read the next book!

wpDiscuz

Over the past few years we've read your books and watched your online tutorials. You've changed our approach to the way we do business and we can't thank you enough. It's not easy in the construction industry and Markup & Profit has been like a bible for us.
January, 2020

Thanks for all the challenging thoughts & encouragement over the last few years I’ve been following your newsletters & articles. I believe you’ve made a real difference.
December, 2019

I and my team have been so encouraged and guided by your insight for many years now. I end this year very grateful for all your faithful influence over our entire operation. Michael, I can vividly remember, and often reflect on my first desperate conversation with you. It was truly a turning point for me. I can honestly say that no other single outside influence has made such a positive impact on how we run, what is now, a thriving, healthy and profitable construction business.
December, 2019

I truly look forward to each and every one of your newsletters. I have read Profitable Sales and Markup & Profit several times and browse them often. In the offseason I spend a lot of time re-reading your writings. I truly cannot express how much I appreciate the knowledge you have shared.
December, 2019

I came across your website, bought your books, read your weekly newsletters and now we are REALLY doing well. This year may be our best ever, as far as net profits anyway.
December, 2019

I am landscape contractor . . . I realize your target audience is building contractors but I wanted to let you know that I get so much out of your newsletters. I am so grateful. This has been a huge line of support, clarity and inspiration for my work.
December, 2019

Thank you for the steady emails & reminders of how to run a successful business. We attended a class a few years ago & it got us going in the right direction.
November, 2019

What a wealth of information I received at the two day Seminar as well as the Markup & Profit & Sales book!! . . . Thanks again for passing along all the construction knowledge that you put in the books & seminar!!!
October, 2019

I want to thank you for helping me restructure my business to operate as a successful business, more efficient in addition to being more profitable. Although it takes a little time, in the end, my success will be partly attributed to CPR . . . I see light at the end of the tunnel, I have used this once so far on a job won, $160,000. total estimate, during 12 weeks, my employees and myself took home paychecks, paid subs, bought materials, without ever having to 'Finance' the job . . .
October, 2019

Thank you and Michael for all your wonderful work. Your instruction has revolutionized the way I think about and operate my company.
October, 2019

It has been a hectic and amazing year since we met last fall, but I am so impressed with the strides I have made from the information in your class and books.
October, 2019

I also want to say that I find your book very helpful and is one of my most important books in my collection.
October, 2019

Just wanted to also say that Your teachings really have changed my business for the best. We are finally able to grow because we are making enough money to do so. I'm very glad I stopped listening to the idiots preaching the “industry standard” as far as markup and profit. Thanks again for all that you and your wife do.
September, 2019

I have been a subscriber to your news letters for years. Want to first take a moment to thank you for all your insights in the industry. Your newsletters are topics at many of our meetings and I have several of your books which have been of great benefit. Again thank for being such a valuable resource for our industry.
September, 2019

After the class it really took me some time to process the info. Right after I didn’t know if I was coming or going! Then my wife and I went to work – that design agreement is the most important piece for me!
September, 2019

I recently purchased your book “Markup and Profit” and love reading your newsletters every chance I get . . . I want to thank you for helping small contracting companies like ours succeed by giving us the necessary tools and resources. After reading your book I knew that sustainable growth was in our future and that we needed a shared vision to maintain direction and inspire our current and new Teammates. Thank you for helping us grow.
September, 2019

We have purchased many of your products and love learning and growing our business in a smarter way thanks to all of your hard work and efforts to teach us.
September, 2019

I wanted to see how you are doing and also, to thank you for sharing all your knowledge that made me see things in a different way. Big thank you to you and your wife from me and my Family.
September, 2019

Thank you again to the whole staff for all the help and education you provide.
September, 2019

Our team is really enjoying your book, taking it a chapter a week and we have a one-hour conference call every Monday to discuss the previous week's chapter. It's great and confirming that a lot of the things we already do as a company, but there's a lot of things that we don't do. It's allowed us to fine tune and we're looking forward to continued growth.
September, 2019

We've been happily using the contract writer software for many many years now
August, 2019

Your books and online training courses have been absolutely instrumental in getting our business on the right track. Thanks! I just wish I came across them sooner, as it would have saved me a year (or more) of bad practices and costly mistakes.
August, 2019

I was googling some articles to help me focus on my business and came across your articles. Very helpful to me right now,
July, 2019

I am taking some of your classes right now through Oregon Contractor Education for my CCB renewal and I am getting so much out of your classes. I was dreading the continuing ed - thinking it was going to be a (required) waste of time - but I am energized by what I am learning after being in business for 10 years.....THANK YOU!!!!
July, 2019

I'm learning a lot and already making a difference in my business.
July, 2019

I have attended the course twice now in my over 15 years in this business. The last one I attended I got more great information. . . . I also came away with one more thing: You guys are sincere, straightforward, no BS, and you're really good at what you do!
July, 2019

I want to say thank you for everything you do. I have bought your books and attended your 2 day class in May. I have learned so much and now my company is starting to become profitable and is turning in the right direction.
July, 2019

Hi Michael, we attended your seminar a few years ago. Not a month goes by when we don't haul out your big book and look up the answer to a question.
July, 2019

Its great to have someone on our side.
July, 2019

I have been to your class and it helped immensely!
July, 2019

Thank you for everything you do. Thank you for the work both you and Devon do to make this industry better and more professional.
June, 2019

Our company has greatly benefited from your products and wisdom over the years. The newsletters continue to be great reminders for operations and we discuss them often.
June, 2019

You are both such a tremendous blessing, to myself and so many others . . . You have brought so much of this industry up a couple of notches, into a more professional sphere.
May, 2019

Putting your principles into practice has made all the difference. The future of our business is looking much brighter than it has in a very long time. We deeply appreciate the influence you have had in that.
May, 2019

Thanks for being an ally of "the good guys" in the remodeling industry. I still read your newsletter and grow from it.
May, 2019

We thank you and Michael for everything. We are already starting to see changes from the practices we have begun implementing from your seminar. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend.
May, 2019

I appreciate all you both do. I'd love to meet you both!
May, 2019

Thanks! You are the best that has ever lived in this industry!
May, 2019

Thank you, Michael, for your continued great advice, teaching, and availability to me and many other construction business owners.
April, 2019

Thank you for your book. It is mind opening.
April, 2019

Well thank you both again for a very informative two days. I met yesterday with my bookkeeper, and ten minutes and few pages of the book in, she was online ordering her own copy.
April, 2019

I have been using the estimating and proposal writer. The proposal writer has been a very useful addition to my business . . . Thanks for all you and Michael are doing.
April, 2019

What we have learnt from you guys has helped us tremendously in our building business and we are eternally grateful.
March, 2019

I own markup and profit: a contractors guide! It’s my business bible, and one of the only reasons I’m still in business after 4 1/2 years on my own with no college education!!
March, 2019

I have been following you for some time now and I want to congratulate you both on, in my opinion, the most straight forward valuable insights for contractors I have come across.
February, 2019

We are a small construction company in MN and have been following Michael's articles for a couple of years. We have purchased several books and/or video series too. These resources have been very helpful to us!
February, 2019

Whenever I get your newsletter, I'm reminded of how many people and families you and Devon have helped.
February, 2019

I truly appreciate the advice i got from Profitable Sales, A Contractors Guide. I just cannot believe that books like yours existed.
January, 2019

I sat through Michaels classes at JLC Live in Portland more than once along with attending the two day class a few years back. I learned the stuff I never would have figured out on my own and we have put our company into profitable territory with a good projection of growth! I appreciate what you folks do and recommend the Markup and Profit book to all of the young tradesmen I know.
January, 2019

I wanted to thank you again as the processes and information I have learned and adopted have the past year looking great. While I was a little short of my goal in projects built, sales were up and so was the bottom line.
December, 2018

I like the no nonsense to the point attitude that Michael has. Thank for all the wisdom over the years.
December, 2018

Thanks for the great class, I really enjoyed it and gained so much knowledge from the class . . . can't thank you guys enough one of the best programs I have been to in a really long time. Keep up the great work.
November, 2018

Thank you again for all of the help you guys have given me and my company over the years.
November, 2018

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