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Bragging Rights Received a compliment, praise or award lately? Play it up in your ads.

By Jerry Fisher

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What kind of person would call me at seven in the morning, bendmy ear nonstop for nearly an hour about his passion for hisprofession, and then sell me on helping him become even moresuccessful at it . . . all before I had taken even one swig oforange juice or bite of toast?

His name is Ramon Williamson, of McLean, Virginia, and it wasnot surprising to learn he is a professional sales trainer andcoach, one of those caffeinated supermotivators hired to give peptalks to company salespeople to get them to move more merchandise.And I have to say, this guy delivers the goods . . . at least ingetting me pumped up to work on an ad makeover for him.

Williamson sent his small-space ad for review, and my reactionwas that it had a decent hook--affordability, for a typicallypricey service--but still needed more to separate him from othertrainers. Also, the prospect might wonder whether, behind all thepulpit-pounding, fist-pumping, rah-rah enthusiasm andself-promotion, this guy is as good as he claims to be.