With several investments in Florida real estate in 2008, Ray Higdon lost everything, but despite this, Ray went on to build a sales and marketing network business. Today as a network marketer and entrepreneur, he travels the world speaking to people about what’s he’s learned, and is the best selling author of Vibrational Money Immersion - Think and Grow Rich for Network Marketers.

Before heading out on a family vacation to Cabo San Lucas, I asked Ray to share his best tips for selling, which he accumulated while literally pulling himself up off the ground, one step at a time.

1. When you ask questions, dig deeper than the next guy

When you’re drilling down and asking questions to a prospect, don’t be satisfied with the information you’re given. Always follow up with, “Why,” “How is that?,” “What did you mean by that?,” or "How exactly did that affect your business?”

“That might seem kind of obvious,” says Ray, “but a lot of people actually don’t do this. You’d be surprised. They think they do, but they really don’t.”

 2. Make sure you like the person you’re trying to do a deal with

Once you’ve qualified a prospect, and you know that your products and services are a fit and will help them fulfill a need or desire, it’s important to step back and ask yourself, “do I really want to work with this person?” Then be honest about your answer.

“I wish I had been using this advice my whole life, because it makes a huge difference in your career,” notes Ray.

A key component to being successful at selling, is liking the person you sell to, because you are going to be more successful in sales if your goal is to help the person, rather than simply make a commission.

3. Paint a picture

“Paint a picture of what your product does, not what it is,” says Higdon. “A lot of my current success comes out of this one piece of advice I got from someone years ago: When it comes to your products and services, don’t focus on what it is, focus on what it does.”

“Talk about how it will impact them in the future, what it will change in their business; paint them the picture, with whatever it is you are selling. Let them see a vision for why they want to use your product and service.”

4. Spoil your current customers

Even more important than getting new business, is keeping current customers, advises Ray.

“I like what Gary Vaynerchuk talks about in The Thank You Economy. Right now people are fighting, and fighting for customer acquisitions. But in the meantime, they’re not taking care of the people they already have.

“In order to keep them,” he says “you absolutely have to go above and beyond what the big companies are doing, by doing things like surprising them with gifts or personal calls or letters.”

“I randomly send extremely high end chocolate to my biggest customers. I realize that’s just a little thing, but it goes a long way when no one else in the marketplace is doing it.”