Selling Machine

Diane Sanchez began her selling career in 1970 as a field representative for Savin Business Machines. In 1973 she joined the Scholl Corporation, where she developed sales coaching skills and managed promotional programmes for the sales force. In 1979, as vice president of marketing for newly formed Miller Heiman, Inc, she developed a telemarketing and direct mail system that she implemented there and, in the 1980s, in her own consulting practice. She rejoined Miller Heiman as president and CEO in 1988, when its annual revenues were just over $2 million; in the tenth year of her presidency, that figure surpassed $20 million. Stephen E Heiman has worked in sales development for over 30 years. In the 1970s, as an IBM national account salesman, he increased sales by over 35 per cent and was in the top 5 per cent for total sales and percentage quota. He continued his success at Kepner-Tregoe as Director of Marketing and at North American Van Lines where, in four years as executive vice president, he increased sales and profits by 36 per cent.

In 1978 Stephen E Heiman joined partner Robert B Miller in the company that became Miller Heiman, Inc. Heiman retired in 1988 as MHI president and CEO; he then served as the company's chairman of the board.

Tad Tuleja is staff writer at Miller Heiman Inc, and has co-written five MHI books, including the original Strategic Selling (published by Kogan Page). Among his nearly 30 other books is Beyond the Bottom Line, a study of business ethics.

From 1987 to 1991, Tad Tuleja directed the School of Management writing programme at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has also completed a PhD in anthropology at the University of Austin.