I am what I am

Never sound too over reactive or obviously nervous on the phone or when you shake your prospect's hand.  Never try to be somebody you are really not with an aim to getting the attention you need.  Assume that talking to your prospective customer for the first time should be the key to a lasting relationship.  

Calm Down

Anticipate that you'll be declined.  That's it.  It's really hard but never take it as a personal attack on you.  Don't let the feeling of being dismissed put you down and roll you back.  Be patient and learn from your mistakes.  You will reap a good harvest if you commit yourself to being persistent.  This will also help you find a strategy that will work in the long run.  Look at each turn down as if it were the next stepping stone.

The Art of Questioning

You cannot expect someone to believe you right away and just sign up after describing your company's objectives.  You have to ask the right questions.  Ask what they do correctly and promptly to help you use it along the conversation.  A sure attention getter when opening a conversation can be "May I ask you about something Ms/Mr?"  People want to help and this question lowers their guard.  The next question will be "Can you help me out about this thing sir/ma'am?"  This question does not ask for a yes or no answer but would definitely give you a valuable response that you can use all through out the interaction.

It's possible that the little Girl Scout on the street asked the same question and left the doorway with 2 less boxes of cookies at hand!