From command performances on Oprah to best-selling books to coffee-room chatter at work, The Secret has taken America by storm. But how does it apply to selling? Is there any element of Rhonda Byre's book that could help improve the sales process? The answer is yes, and the key is focus.

Even if you disagree with the concepts of The Law of Attraction or The Secret, sales careers have many times been made or broken based on one's ability to focus. Authors Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale were the first I read to understand that "we become what we think about the most." In selling, we must think of success and how we can get there rather than entertaining any thoughts of failure. Is it fair to assume that if you have a negative thought before you make a sales call that the negative thought can affect your body language or your confidence? Yes, it can, and it will. Consequently, we must attract business through positive thoughts, preparation, and actions. Here's an example:

Prepare your week before it starts -- or Don't Watch 60 Minutes. Rather than watching 60 Minutes or any other television program, sit down and prepare your entire week. Write down every client you plan to see that week and the day you plan to see him or her. To the left of their names write down how much money each client is worth if you close them. Then, to the right of their names, write down how you help them. The money you can earn gives you incentive. The idea that you help them will give you confidence. By preparing the entire week before it starts, this allows you to use your subconscious mind to think, attract, and become aware of things to help you reach your goal.