So, how's your prospecting? Do you rush to work and immediately grab the phone and start making outbound calls? Or, do you arrive at work and after organizing your desktop for the ninth time that week, pouring your fifth cup of coffee, and catching  up on the weekend game, then settle in to see who's going to reject you for the day?

If the second description sounds like you or your sales team, you will need to read on. If you want to earn the bucks, you'll need to "prospect to prosper". No whining now! Pick up the phone and get rolling! It's amazing that just when we hear that no one is in, or the prospect won't return calls, low and behold, success!

Here are seven steps to get you going using the acronym "PROSPER".

P= Put away all of your negativity. If you want success, you'll need to visualize that you have it. Dispel the nay-saying and focus on the positive!

R= Reward yourself with strokes. Literally pat yourself on the back when you leave a message, talk with a prospect, and you get double pats when you book an appointment! (If your arms are short, try chocolate, a latte, or a deep breath of fresh, cool air.)

O= Organize your follow up plan. What is your next step? If the prospect isn't in, when will you try again? Is an email in order? What about a fax, snail mail, or an invitation to an event? Have some structure and reap the benefits.

S= Sell, Sell, Sell. (Need I say more here?)

P= Present yourself less and focus on asking your prospects more questions. Most salespeople yak, yak, yak. Customers today want to know if you are listening--all of us can talk!

E= Enjoy your profession. There is no other job out there that provides as much delight and satisfaction as selling. Where else can you  (legally) use both sides of your brain, meet new people all the time, make a difference, and earn great money?

C= Count on consistency to get results. Make those calls and start early in the morning. Save the fifth cup of coffee for later in the day; not as a procrastination tactic. Keep track of your calls, your results, and maintain a system for success.

T= Time your calls so they have the most impact. Executives tend to arrive early in the day, are in meetings from 9-4, and are tired at the end of their long days. Ask assistants "what is the best way to reach John?" Then be quiet and see when he's in and you may even get a mobile number or other method of reaching the decision maker.