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Ever write anything on a napkin? An idea, a phone number, a to-do, a note, even a sales pitch? Sure you have.

In an airport, I picked up a book by Dan Roam titled “The Back of the Napkin.” Great concept. A book about napkin scribbling. I do it all the time and wanted to see what someone had to say in 275 pages that I hadn’t thought of or understood.

The cover is a napkin-like print with stick people drawn on it. Cool.

I began to read. Or should I say, tried to read. For the record, I am not an academic. I’m a salesman. Oh, I’m a student, just not a structured one. My brain has no patience. I want answers that I can understand in two seconds, not 275 pages.

I started writing in the margins of the book to expand or clarify Roam’s thoughts. The first thing I did was add to the subtitle. His was: “Solving problems and selling ideas with pictures.” I expanded it to read: Capturing thoughts, creating ideas, clarifying ideas, solving problems and selling ideas with pictures and words.

NOTE WELL: This is not a criticism of the book; rather it’s my take as a napkin user for 40-plus years. Not “how to” – rather “how I do.” The book was not written in my style, but it was inspirational. Got me thinking and writing.

I speak and write with rapid thought and high emotion, then I logically justify it with supporting thoughts, clarifying thoughts and expansion thoughts. Not just the idea, but detail about what the idea entails. AND – I don’t do this for others. I do it for myself.

Here’s what I mean: I met my friend Ray Bard of Bard Press for lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Austin. Ray published my book, “Customer Satisfaction Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty Is Priceless,” with some success. He eagerly leaned forward and said: “I have an idea for a book, and I think you’re the perfect person to write it. Are you familiar with Harvey Penick’s ‘Little Red Book of Golf’?” I nodded yes, not wanting to interrupt his words with mine. “‘The Little Red Book of Golf’ has sold more than 2 million copies,” he said. “WOW!” I interrupted.

“Jeffrey, I think you should write ‘The Little Red Book of Selling.’ It’s a natural for you. Write it in your edgy style, and you could outsell Harvey Penick. What do you think?”

“Waiter! Can I have a large paper napkin please?” I bellowed.

I wrote the title at the top of the napkin. The ideas for a table of contents came fast and furious. “‘Kick your own ass’ is Chapter One!” I said with enthusiasm. “Salespeople are always looking for someone else to motivate them, and I believe they need to take responsibility for motivating themselves.” Ray smiled. I continued: “The last chapter is definitely, ‘Resign your position as general manager of the universe.’ Just focus on yourself and your own situation, and stay out of other people’s drama.”

Ideas began flowing. I began filling in the blanks with my red Sharpie. I decided that the book would be about why people buy, not how to sell. And that the opening quotation of the book would be my trademarked phrase, People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy.

The napkin was filled to the edges with content, clarification and other thoughts. I looked up at Ray and said, “I’ll do it!” That was in the spring of 2002. Two years later, the book was complete, edited and ready to print. I still have the napkin.

Because of that collaborated idea, because the two people at the table had mutual respect and mutual trust, because the waiter brought me a napkin, and because of readers like you, “The Little Red Book of Selling” has sold 750,000 copies, and that’s just the English version.

Last month I was in Austin and passed by the Mexican restaurant where Ray and I met for lunch. I smiled.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2008 Jeffrey H. Gitomer