A discussion about sales, sales tips and advice, and about those who land the deal

More and more, I see professional sales people chugging down coffee and energy drinks as they start their day.

Are you feeling kind of blah at the start of your sales day? All you have to do is head down to the corner store and slam down a Red Bull... or a Gatorade... or a cup of coffee. Or so the ads say. But it's a bad idea.

According to author Jon Herring, while the short-term effect of these caffeinated beverages might make you feel like you have more energy (because you'll be so wired and jittery), you'll crash after an hour or two.

Did you know that a cup of coffee can contain up to 550 mg of caffeine? That's the equivalent of more than six Red Bulls! And sports drinks aren't any better. While they are not loaded with caffeine, they are just glorified soft drinks. Unless you're exercising for over an hour, you don't need the liquid sugar.

Here's my recommendation: Stick to organic green tea made with filtered water. It will naturally raise your resting metabolism, it has a very moderate amount of caffeine, and it has lots of beneficial antioxidants and phytochemicals.

If you choose de-caffeinated green tea, make sure it is naturally de-caffeinated. Chemical decaffeination processes can remove the beneficial nutrients.