Secrets Of A Million-Dollar Salesman

By Matt Pillar, Business Solutions magazine.

It's clear that Mark Dodson is on the road before he even announces his name on the line. The hum of passing 18-wheeler tires and the crackle of cell static will accompany our conversation for the next hour or so, as Dodson drives from Pittsburgh to one of his "honey holes" south of Cleveland to visit customers. Dodson is sales manager for Mechanicsburg, PAbased Penn Center Systems, which serves up hospitality technology solutions to customers across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. And that's where our story begins — with a successful hospitality technology salesman crossing state lines to close well researched and strategically scouted deals.