The cost of praising someone is nil - but every psychological study shows the payoff is huge.
If you don't climb the mountain, you can't see the view
You don't need a big close, as many sales reps believe. You risk losing your customer when you save all the good stuff for the end. Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.
For the real winners, there are no finish lines.
I have ten marathons under my belt, including four New York races and one Boston.
Employee loyalty begins with employer loyalty. Your employees should know that if they do the job they were hired to do with a reasonable amount of competence and efficiency, you will support them.