Qualifying is the blueprint of the sale and the foundation of the sales process. A seasoned sales person knows it is the most critical part of a sales conversation. Qualifying not only gives the sales person the chance to determine the basic details of the sale, it helps define which services and amenities are most important to sell. Most importantly, qualifying uncovers customer expectations, which, when met or exceeded, will lead to customer loyalty. The myth for inexperienced sales people is the feeling that qualifying takes a lot more time to ask all the questions when the customer just wants costs. When in actuality, qualifying keeps the conversation efficient, streamlined, and focused on what is most important to the customer. It will actually save you time!
Many times during training and competition, an athlete will experience what I call "don't" thinking. In "don't" thinking, people tell themselves what not to do. For example, a hockey player with whom I work used to tell himself, "Don't screw this up, don't swing too hard, and don't hit the ice before the puck." This type of thinking is not helpful, because by directing the mind to what is not supposed to be done, it increases the likelihood that the athlete will feel stress and anxiety. This state, in turn, makes it harder to pay attention to the task at hand, and thus people are more prone to do exactly what they were hoping to prevent.
I like to do this exercise with people starting a new business venture--it's a great way to troubleshoot any future problems. Basically, you're going to brainstorm potential mistakes you and/or your staff might make in the future. Be brutally honest: Where could you possibly screw up? What could go wrong if all hell broke loose? Then talk through how you would handle it. You are proactively avoiding these mistakes by anticipating them ahead of time. No one likes to imagine the "what-ifs," but it gives you greater piece of mind knowing you have a plan to handle them.
Being successful at conducting sales conversations is not something that requires loads of training or preparation. Yes, you want to have the right tools on your training tool belt so you can be prepared, but you don't need to hold back from tackling sales success due to your intimidation or the lack of knowing some of the basics of selling. Basically, you just have to keep it simple (like we instructed in the K.I.S.S. ("Keep it simple, stupid!") 
"Go with your gut"- we've all heard this advice before, but do we regularly apply it, or do you talk yourself into sorting through all of the facts so you can follow your head? We all know the battle between determining when to use our head or to let our gut lead the way. You are stuck between two choices, need to make a decision, or are at cross roads, and you desperately wish you had a crystal ball or psychic intuition to tell you what to do. Following our instincts so we can make better, smarter decisions, which lets your experience and expertise guide you, can help you to excel the success of your career and business. Did you know that about 50% of big decisions in businesses end with the gut?