My wife and I just enjoyed our second vacation cruising the Caribbean together. We are fans of cruising for many reasons, but one of the things I personally enjoy the most is being able to see different parts of the world and how people live and SELL! It always intrigues me as a salesman how the locals make their living selling their goods. On this recent cruise we stopped in Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel Mexico and I was reminded of 3 sales lessons from the locals during these stops that serve as great sales lessons for us all.

• Treat Everyone Like A Buyer

One thing is for sure when you get off the ship and visit these beautiful places and tour the local shops, the locals will treat you like a buyer. It doesn't matter what you look like, what you're wearing, or whether or not you show any interest in their little piece of the marketplace, they treat you as though you can and will buy.

This is a great lesson for sales people everywhere to remember when selling, treat your customer as if they can buy and they are more likely to. I believe too many sales people get caught up in whether or not their customer can or will buy and they miss opportunities. Take a lesson from the locals in Ocho Rios and treat all your customers like they can and will buy, and more of them will.

• No's Lead You Closer To A YES!

One of the hardest things for salespeople, especially new salespeople is the rejection that comes along with the job. You cannot take this personally but many salespeople do and it becomes their demise. You are going to hear "No" often in sales, but this is not a personal rejection but rather a business refusal. The point to remember here is that every no gets you closer to a YES!

The locals in Grand Cayman know this well, they greet everyone with the intention of presenting and selling their merchandise. You will see them get no after no and the smile never leaves their face, as they know the next person is likely to say yes, and that's exactly what happens.

You won't sell everyone you talk to, but you won't sell anyone if you give up after hearing a few no's. These locals show the determination and understanding required to succeed selling their goods. They hear hundreds of no's every single day, but it's the yes's that they are hunting for!

• Make Yourself Stand Out

If you have ever been to one of these islands and marketplaces you know that you can see the same merchandise over and over. Hand made items, hats, trinkets, t-shirts, jewelry, and many more items can be found from shop to shop. The locals in Cozumel know this, so to stand out some offer a unique experience to you so you want to buy their stuff.

You can make yourself stand out by how you dress, talk, or the uniqueness of the product/s you sell and how you present them. However, the best I have encountered make themselves stand out by the service and attention they offer. One shop owner in Cozumel stood out to my wife and I this trip simply because he offered us individual attention, care, and understanding. My wife was interested in some of his jewelry and he gave her the service she deserved, and created a great experience.

This shop owner answered questions, presented his handmade jewels with real passion, and he made us both feel very comfortable that we were not only making a great choice but getting a great value. He treated us like buyers, he wasn't afraid to invest the time needed to make the sale even though we could have said no, and he stood out above the others who simply just wanted to sell us something.

In the end, he made the sale and you will too!

Remember these 3 lessons from the locals I encountered this trip and I am positive you will see great results in your own sales career. Treat your customers like they can buy and they are more likely to do just that. Don't allow the No's to stop you, remember that a Yes is right around the corner. And finally, make yourself stand out, people can buy from anyone so be sure to give them reasons to want to buy from you!