> As a junior, I often wonder how many deals are signed in exclusive country clubs, on golf courses, and at the dining table with endlessly flowing Maotai. Vir

> As a junior, I often wonder how many deals are signed in exclusive country clubs, on golf courses, and at the dining table with endlessly flowing Maotai. Virtually none in our business. (Databases.) What does get deals is listening carefully to what customers actually want and putting together offerings that get it to them at a reasonable price. Incidentally, good sales people are vastly better at this than devs. There are a number of skills that go into it but being a good listener is the most important.