What is The Schedule Of a Successful Salesperson Like?

One of the most important aspects of being successful in your career is focusing on yourself and how you can improve your skills over time. In order to achieve this, your schedule needs to be set up in a way that allows you to practice and build these skills while it also allows you to perform at your peak level.

Luckily for you, BBC Member,This blog will outline the schedule of a successful salesperson. We will talk about how to manage their time wisely and spend the most productive hours of their day. They will also go over the different types of schedules that successful salespeople follow, including a morning routine, lunch routine, afternoon routine, evening routine, and weekend routine.

A Successful Salesperson’s Day in the Life

Salespeople are not confined to their desks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have the busiest lifestyles, juggling many tasks, making endless phone calls, meeting new people, traveling frequently, and taking on new challenges. Success does not come easily to them; they earn it through their ability to learn quickly, work smartly, handle pressure, and organize themselves.

Modern customers are more knowledgeable buyers who compare products and services before making a purchase. Convincing them is a skill in itself. It is impossible to win new customers, maintain them, and rise to the top unless sales professionals commit to working hard and staying current with industry expertise.

The most successful salespeople follow strict habits and live a disciplined lifestyle. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a good salesperson, now is your chance.

Here’s an example of how they might spend a regular working day…

Getting Up Ready

All successful people schedule their days because they understand that if they don’t, they will be dragged around by the will and want of those around them.

I’m sure you’ve experienced those days where you wake up inspired, energized, and ready to take on the world. Only two commutes home in the evening, exhausted, sweaty, and filthy, your eyes scarcely able to remain open… only to realize you haven’t actually accomplished anything that has moved your life forward.

This is why it’s critical to plan what you want to do each morning so you can concentrate on your own success rather than being tugged about by the success aspirations of others. An extraordinarily successful person is to do something to energize oneself every morning. You must raise your heart rate, which signals to your body that game time has arrived.

 

It may be a cold shower, a morning run, or walking the dog… Whatever it is, it must boost your heart rate so that your body can sweep out all of the nocturnal chemicals produced by your circadian rhythm or body clock.

Here’s a personal recommendation: use a SAD lamp. They’re made to treat “seasonal affective disorder,” which is caused by people getting less sunshine during the winter months, causing their circadian rhythm to be thrown off.

Each morning, I sit in front of the bright SAD lamp for 15 minutes as I plan out my day to gain an instant boost of energy. SAD “lumie” goods are my favorites, and you can find them on Amazon.

 

I’m not suggesting that you get up at 5 a.m. and leave the house. You shouldn’t, however, ignore your alarm or hop in the shower at 10:30 a.m.

Successful salespeople start their day by getting up at 6:00 a.m., exercising, and eating a good breakfast. This provides them with the much-needed energy boost they require to get through a long, stressful day at work.

When you look beyond the podcast guests and consider more successful people like Sam Walton, the man who established Walmart, or even Arnold Schwarzenegger, you’ll notice that they all get up early.

 

Consider this: if you’re going into a one-on-one sales battle at 10 a.m., who will perform better in the sales presentation – the sales chump who got out of bed at 9 a.m., took a two-minute shower, and rushed to the meeting, tying his tie while driving, spilling coffee on his pants as he tried to chug it down while dodging traffic on the way to the office? Or… the person who got up, went for a run, ate a healthy breakfast, watched an inspiring sales video book, and practiced their presentation before leaving the house?

Naturally, the second person will defeat the first and take home the bacon.

Following that, they must dress impeccably, which is a vital stage because clothing and accessories enhance confidence and provide them a competitive edge. Dressing sharply lets individuals stand out and appear more professional by demonstrating that they have given careful consideration to what they wear.

There are no prizes for guessing that looking sharp is crucial to their success!

Keeping up with the Latest Information

Going-getting sales professionals value every second of the day, and you’ll find most of them checking up on the latest industry news early in the day, especially when commuting or shortly after arriving at work.

Who knows, they might learn something that will benefit them later in the day with their sales pitch! They might also benefit from additional knowledge of buyer insights and market difficulties, which they could apply to find potential solutions.

Organizing a Quick Team Meeting

Before starting their work, sales reps always hold a quick standup meeting with their colleagues.

The meeting’s goals include, but are not limited to, reviewing the day’s goals, going over the pending tasks on the schedule, understanding the major priorities, and so on.

They also use this time to brainstorm sales pitches and learn from each other.

Finally, it’s all about teamwork and achieving a common objective!

Making Phone Calls and Emails

Successful salespeople use a combination of calls, voicemails, and emails in addition to cold calls. They make cold calls on Wednesdays and Thursdays, according to an infographic published on HubSpot, and call their prospects early in the morning or between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

They make planned calls, answer voicemails/leave voicemails for potential clients, and read and respond to emails/draft follow-up emails.

They keep proposal templates on hand to save time, and after personalizing them for their prospects, they just hit the ‘Send’ button.

Prospective Clients

When sales people speak with prospects, they use the information gathered to help address their problems. By forcing customers to confess their problems, a seasoned sales specialist gets to the bottom of their issues.

Because the research on their buying patterns, services they use, and other habits has already been completed, talking to their prospects and addressing their issue areas becomes simple!

They also never end a conversation or meeting without arranging a follow-up call or meeting.

Prepare in advance

Salespeople who wish to succeed should always plan ahead.

They constantly have their to-do lists with them, which include appointments and small things to complete.

Following that, they prioritize their duties while also making time for unforeseen or urgent chores. This guarantees them a smooth ride. They also swiftly examine the day’s, week’s, and month’s goals, as well as the chances needed to attain them.

Salespeople use this time to practice their pitches. They may practice it with their coworkers or management until it is perfected.

In this way, planning ahead of time helps individuals avoid procrastination and boosts their productivity.

Breaking Through

Salespeople must maintain a high level of enthusiasm at all times.

Even if they have back-to-back meetings and getting a quick bite is practically impossible, they make it a point to take a little break or get some coffee. Alternatively, they may meet a business prospect for lunch, go for a quick walk, play a quick game of foosball (or anything else) with employees, or simply step outside for some fresh air.

Some of them also use this time to read through their newsfeeds, add individuals to their networks, and post a picture or two on social media! They might also utilize this time to learn more about social selling or to look into different solutions for automating and streamlining procedures.

Meeting with the Supervisor

By the evening, sales people have completed all of their obligations and are likely to hold the final meeting, even if it is only for 20 minutes. This is usually a meeting with their boss (s).

They discuss areas that need to be improved, brainstorm new methods or reconsider old ones, and decide on a follow-up action plan to make selling more effective.

Tightening Loose Ends

Before departing for the day, sales professionals make sure to analyze their day, complete any outstanding work, conduct research, and prepare for the next day. This aids in their organization and time management.

Keeping a Work-Life Balance

After a long day of hard sales, top sales people realize and understand the value of work-life balance and relaxing.

They spend time with their family or partner, pursue hobbies, read a book, attend social gatherings, watch their favorite shows, or prepare a delectable meal.

This really assists them in de-stressing.

The End of the Day

Sales reps get enough sleep to prepare for the next large and tough day by feeling refreshed and re-energized when they wake up.

They make a point of going to bed early and getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.

Rather than that, we will also discuss the different habits of the successful salesperson.

They will, however, provide you with the ideal starting point for long-term success.

 

Remember that sales is a zero-sum game, just like so many other aspects of life. This means there can only be one winner. As a result, to win, you only need to be 1% better than everyone else in the competition. These habits could be the 1% difference between winning and losing.

The best approach to succeed in anything is to follow in the footsteps of successful people.

So, here are the four habits of the insanely successful people I’ve interviewed for The Salesman Podcast. Stay tuned until the conclusion for a practice that will instantly create a sense of productivity, allowing you to accomplish far more each day.

The first habit is to go over the numbers

Poor sales people only look at their revenue numbers when their target is approaching.

High-performing salespeople know exactly how much revenue they’ve previously brought in, as well as how much revenue they need to bring in and have in their sales pipeline, day after day.

Nothing will reduce your business stress levels more than removing the ups and downs of cash flow and dry times. This is accomplished by maintaining a regular check on the numbers and adjusting your activities as necessary.

The second habit is to read a book

Bill Gates, the former CEO of Microsoft, and Jeff Bezos, the current CEO of Amazon, are both avid readers.

“Will, I don’t have time to read sodding books?!?” I know what you’re thinking.

“Well, if the CEOs of some of the world’s most powerful corporations can find the time… then you can, too.” The problem for salespeople is that most sales books provide a poor return on investment for the time it takes to read them because they are lousy.

Unfortunately, I can only propose a few sales books to you.

Instead of reading sales books, I recommend reading business literature and other genres relevant to your product or industry sector.

If you’re selling medical equipment, study up on the procedures that your equipment is utilized for, such as a urology journal.

Because, once you’ve established your selling framework, you’ll know how to take a potential customer from prospecting to discovery to close, which you can learn in the salesman.org training product. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, industry knowledge will help you sell more effectively than strange sales tactics that you’ll have to climb a mountain to learn and pay a Tibetan sales monk $1,500 a month to learn.

The best part is that you don’t have to read for 15 hours a day to get the rewards. Reading 10 to 20 pages each morning adds up quickly, and at this rate, you’ll have read roughly 25 volumes by the end of the year. What a great feat.

The third habit is to Stay away from the news.

This is not a well-known practice. This is something you won’t find in any other YouTube success videos…

It’s something I discovered after listening to more than 600 episodes of the salesperson podcast.

Are you all set? Well, very few of the people I’ve spoken to are interested in politics or the news cycle.

So don’t start your day by watching the news and being enraged or agitated over things over which you have no control.

If you want to keep up with what’s going on in the world, do it after you come home from work; don’t waste the most productive hours of your day, the first few hours after you wake up, thinking about someone else’s agenda. Concentrate on yourself.

Getting in the zone is the last habit.

Depending on your environment and productivity goals, getting in the zone can mean different things. Getting into the zone for me means either –

Getting focused on selling and closing business, which requires me to be enthusiastic, quick-witted, and pay attention to the individual with whom I’m conversing. This is something that comes more naturally to me. I can easily transform myself into this state.

When I’m concentrating on content development, I also need to get “in the zone.” This entails sitting in a chair for 90 minutes at a time, staring at a computer screen, writing scripts, producing videos, and distributing content such as this one. This is not something that comes readily to me. I swear, I’d rather have a sales manager yell in my face that I’m their worst team member than gaze at a screen for 90 minutes before I get into the zone. However, by following the advice below, I can be productive in minutes…

 

I use music to get in the zone, that state of mind where time seems to slip away and you just crush your tasks.

I listen to fast-paced, high-energy music when I need to focus on selling. I use an app called Brain.FM to become more introverted and focus on the content creation side of things. They’ve designed background music tracks with beats that have been scientifically shown to affect your brain and make you more attentive. Simply search for brain.fm in the Apple or Google app stores to get it.

Although it may differ from person to person, this was a look inside the life of effective sales reps. Their unwavering enthusiasm and love for learning, thorough preparation, and accomplishing their goals remains constant.

Do you recognize yourself in this salesperson’s routine? Or do you have your own schedule? Please let us know!

 

That’s it for this blog BBC Member, remember to subscribe to our channel and if you feel like we’ve delivered value please share this blog with ONE person. That’s right just one person as a token of your appreciation for the hard work we put into making content that educates and helps you on your mission of building your own fortune. Remember you can read blog after blog, but it isn’t until you actually take action that you’ll start to see results. See you soon!

---

12 Important Things That The Best Sales People Do

Hello, people. Welcome to the BBC Youtube channel. Who is brilliant at selling? What makes them so successful? How are they able to do it?

BBC Member, a great salesperson knows exactly what actions publicly, on social media, and via email are necessary to make sure that the product being advertised catches the attention of current or future customers. If you want more of this content, subscribe to the BBC Youtube channel and hit the notification bell.

 

A salesperson sells products using a variety of techniques, which varies depending on the client. Even if you know what to say, an effective salesperson knows when not to try and aggressively sell a product. It is important for a salesperson to consider other conditions such as what other factors might influence the prospect.

When it comes to sales, responsibility can only be attributed to the person who is responsible for them.

A great salesperson understands and accepts their work, knowing that the outcome may not be in their control. An understanding and acceptance of this can improve performance and help to reduce problems that might arise with consistent business.

Here are some skills that can improve your customer experience as a salesperson. 

Dazzle Your Prospect with Your Personality

The saying ‘the first impression really matters’ is true in most cases when someone is trying to make a sale, especially when they start talking without any substance whatsoever. If the salesperson just starts aggressively trying to push someone else to buy their product/service, making no effort to connect with them on any level, then the sale is unlikely to progress.

Being personable in your meeting with prospects conveys that you know the product, and shows them how important it is to you. When salespeople create a connection with the customer, they work to build trust, which in turn leads to consumers purchasing the company’s product. Nobody wants to engage in business with an individual who doesn’t enjoy the time spent together, or who doesn’t take their time seriously.

It’s important to put your personality on full display when you’re trying to sell something. Your personality will help build trust between you and the person that is considering a purchase of your product or service.

Don’t Talk About Trivial Things

Some bad sales people talk too much out of the main point, but it can make people feel put off. The best strategy for sales is to listen and be transparent about why you’re talking about your product or service. Be useful and present a real solution for your clients.

An effective salesperson expounds accurately and clearly.

Good salespeople should be clear and precise in their communication; they understand that time is a precious commodity. They ask the right questions to get to the heart of the matter, to help prospects understand their needs, and optimize how their product meets them.

Keep in Mind That Resourcefulness Is an Asset

When salespeople face difficult situations, they will not complain and lose motivation. Instead, they will focus on finding ways to effectively meet their goals. New research suggests that by staying focused with a positive attitude, salespeople are more successful at both short-term and long-term

Salespeople often face difficult situations. When things get stressful, they don’t let it get to them. They handle changing circumstances on their own and find workable solutions to problems by improving their adaptability and resourcefulness.

Work Smart

The best salespeople out there don’t believe in wasting time or delaying work. Their goal is to maximize their sale and get it done in the shortest amount of time while reducing any risks associated with the process. What’s more, they know how important the job is. That’s how they’re able to deliver results quickly but not recklessly.

Help Your Prospect

The salesperson understands that clients are a key piece of your sales process and cannot sell anything without them.

To become a successful salesperson, you must listen to your clients’ problems and needs in order to help them discover how the product can benefit them. A good salesperson will keep an open mind and be ever prepared to adapt.

After meeting with a salesperson, the client or prospect should know what they need to do, and leave feeling optimistic about their future.

A salesperson’s duty is to attend meetings and steer prospects in the right direction. You need to understand their problems and sell them on solutions. After the meeting, the client or prospect should feel clear about what they have to do and leave feeling optimistic about the future because you addressed all their problems and provided a solution.

 

As we gradually transition to our new normal, organizations will likely still be very different. Top-ranking salespeople are elite members of the few companies that can recognize their skill and persevere with creativity and persistence. Company revenue may be affected by a third of their number, who in turn produce mediocre results and struggle with low pay.

Whether under good or bad economic conditions, commissioned salespeople typically occupy a strong position in terms of distribution. This gives rise to the question – what are the top performers doing that leads them to outsized success?

Though these are not actually furtive secrets, there are characteristics that effective sellers possess that are absent in those at the bottom. In sales and marketing, these traits include maintaining high energy levels and having deep knowledge of their industry or area of expertise.

Successful Salespeople Do Not Possess All the Answers

Not all top salespeople are the smartest, even though they might look at themselves this way. The most successful salespeople understand personal shortcomings, which can lead to success.

In order to speak with confidence, salespeople must prepare using structured data and machine learning to present their knowledge in a way that generates lasting connections. More importantly, they understand when trying to convince a prospect of your knowledge often backfires because the aim is to create long-term customers. Being humble is effective.

Good Salespeople Help People Buy

While understandable for those selling products, it is surprising to learn that the majority of top sellers do not actually sell. They are concerned with solving people’s problems and helping them make purchases. Such “servant salesperson” tactics lead to increased customer satisfaction, more repeat business, and more referrals.

Good Salespeople Have a Scoreboard

In some cases it is about the money and in other cases it’s about the results. Regardless, top salespeople like having a way to keep score. Whether that scoreboard is on the wall in their manager’s office or in their bank account, successful salespeople enjoy having a way to keep score.

Good Salespeople Have a Learning Attitude

Most salespeople don’t want to read self-help books, watch sales training videos, or attend broadening seminars. However, most would rather spend their downtime on the internet or gaming on smartphones.

On the other hand, top salespeople are always learning. Some learn by reading books, some through video training, and some by attending every session of training that they can find. Regardless of the medium they use, the very best salespeople aren’t afraid to leverage external resources to become even more adept.

Good Salespeople Comply with a Process

Companies can’t be successful without following a process. As long as top sellers follow the same process, they are able to get in front of enough people and achieve success at their company.

Processes allow for greater efficiency and quick identification of areas for improvement. If you always follow a process, you will improve your business in the future.

Good Salespeople Have a Good Attitude

Top salespeople are happy with their choice of profession, as it is their own job and choice to determine whether they love or hate what they do. The bottom dwellers want to love what they do but they aren’t the ones in control. Love doesn’t come from success, but choosing it makes them successful.

Good Salespeople Have a Plan

In contrast to waiting for things to happen to them and relying on luck, top selling experts are proactive and plan for success continuously. All their hard work and planning is what creates their “luck.”

Good Salespeople Work on Their ABS

Top sellers know closing a sale is not the most important thing, but instead knowing how to open and connect with their customer. ABC for “Always Be Closing” means that you should close the deal when you have an offer on the table. A top seller must put their attention at the first third of any sale, while they focus on building trust, understanding your interests and finding solutions to your needs.

They utilize the principles of Assumptive Selling to Always Be Selling. Assumptive Selling. When you stay focused on converting your customers, it is easier to convert others as well. In essence, people likely want to buy something from someone they trust or like. So when you seem like a good fit for potential customers, they are more likely to refer you to others or do business with you again.

Good Salespeople Live in the Future

Despite the great success of the month that just passed, recent data shows that successful salespeople are already looking ahead to the next month. For those at the bottom, they’re thinking back to three years ago when they were selling a lot. Yawn.

Good Salespeople Are Not Complacent

It’s important to note that top salespeople continuously stay vigilant and ready to improve what they did this month. They’re dissatisfied with their results, if you will.

Top sellers understand that good is always improving; however, great can only come from pursuing greatness. This past month was good, with potential to become great. What next month holds?

Good Salespeople Work Their Moneymakers

Top salespeople work aggressively to turn their revenue opportunities into actionable deals. They make business happen by completing activities that move them closer to making money. If they’re at work and not in front of a prospect, top sales people are working on other tasks that may take them right into the potential customer’s sightline.

While they may not call these activities the moneymakers, by knowing there are only so many hours in each day, they understand that spending these minutes working gives more value. The benefits of this outweigh the negative of continuous smoking.

Good Salespeople Have Specific Goals

Without goals, salespeople are doomed to fail without a concrete plan. They will adhere to the path of least resistance rather than a route that is right for the long road ahead.

Goals give everyone perspective

Not every manager has the responsibility to have one incredible salesperson on their team. A salesperson’s success depends on many factors, not just talent.

Sales success is not predicated on talent; hard work always wins with no exceptions.

It takes time, effort, and dedication.

Successful salespeople are a special breed. They might not be aware of what makes them different from the rest of the field, as for machines with natural talents, they may simply know that their success is derived from their talent alone.

Steve Martin has extensively researched top-performing salespeople and discovered that personality traits account for about 75% of their success. In his book, **Heavy Hitter Sales Psychology: How to Penetrate the C-level Executive Suite and Convince Company Leaders To Buy**He administered personality tests given to 1,000 successful salespeople and ranked them based on annual quota attainment.

Upbeat

In sales, you’ll often hear a no before landing your first yes. One of the most important traits in sales is the ability to bounce back after the inevitable loss.

Successful salespeople are confident and can work with a reluctant partner. More than this, they can rev up the target by playing to their needs and have success in a wide range of situations.

In tough times, unlike pessimistic ones, optimistic salespeople do not get daunted, lowering their probability of a slump or a perceived cold streak. This leads to high performance and moving forward. Happiness is contagious in the workplace and customers pick up on it.

Slow to Embarrass

Salespeople who don’t have insecurities about making calls or potentially inconveniencing someone when selling their product because they are affirmed in who they are. They know what they’re doing is difficult and to be successful, the customer will enjoy their purchase.

Self-conscious people, however, are unable to be great salespeople. They feel bashful, easily discouraged, and don’t want to take the initiative when it is time to close a sale. They worry that they are annoying their customers with calls or emails, or do not have the confidence to discuss the benefits of their products with high-level accounts.

Because you think of yourself as more than a product and are able to be contrite, those who value themselves tend to take responsibility for their actions because they don’t have any shame for mistakes. With that can come some progression in the future. The call coach will keep improving you until you stop making errors.

Professionalism

85% of the top salespeople from Martin’s personality tests had high levels of conscientiousness. They take their jobs seriously and feel that their significant contributions are a personal responsibility.

A 2017 study proves that conscientiousness was one of the top five traits in the highest revenue-generating job. With other traits such as extraversion, emotional stability, openness to experience, and agreeableness too.

Working passionately has a positive impact on one’s work. People feel they are providing value, which is linked to increased revenue.

Individuals that are still new to the industry, must maintain focus more than their counterparts. They can also perform tasks better, be less distracted, and require less oversight when compared to others.

Lack of Ego

Contrary to popular belief, confidence and aggression are not common traits of the most successful salespeople. The top salespeople almost always show a healthy dose of modesty and humility, even when their sales results are impressive.

The clear takeaway is that a pushy, aggressive salesperson is unlikely to build a successful portfolio. That salesperson may sell the occasional sale, but they’re not likely to be recommended by others, which is crucial in building a solid portfolio and becoming a successful salesperson.

Friendly, But Not Too Friendly

Martin’s fascinating study showed that the best salespeople had lower levels of friendliness and preference for being with people than the average salesperson did.

Findings from the Harvard Business Review in 2006 show that a salesperson needs both empathy and an inner drive to succeed.

 

There are many factors to consider when people consider their salespeople. If a salesperson is inexpensive and easy to like, they’ll be more effective. But it’s also important that the salesperson isn’t too close with people because it may be hard for them to assert themselves as the buyer makes a decision.

That’s it for this blog BBC Member, remember to subscribe to our channel and if you feel like we’ve delivered value please share this blog with ONE person. That’s right just one person as a token of your appreciation for the hard work we put into making content that educates and helps you on your mission of building your own fortune. Remember you can read blog after blog, but it isn’t until you actually take action that you’ll start to see results. See you soon!

---

7 Tips on How To Effectively Work From Home

The spread of COVID-19 has changed our lives. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one as a result of this unforgiving virus. Even if you are in good health, it wouldn’t be far reaching to say that it is affecting your everyday life. For some of us it is having an impact on our pocketbooks. Many of us are now working remotely from home. You can be just as productive from home, as you can from the office. It is simply a matter of discipline and mindset.

I’m going to share with you seven tips that you can use to make yourself an uber successful work at home warrior.

1. Create A Routine

Human beings are creatures of habit. When you have a formal schedule that you follow daily, it makes it easier to adhere to. Little things like going to bed at the same time every night can dramatically affect what time and how you start the next day. Do you exercise before going to the office? Follow that same routine! Your workout may be different these days, but your schedule and habits don’t have to be. Without a routine it is easy to feel lost and less productive.

Work in the same area every day – If you are fortunate enough to have a home office, do all your work from there.
Same cup of coffee – Have the same cup of coffee to kick start your day.
Same time – Start your day at the same time. Take your breaks at the same time. End your day at the same time.

2. Create A Work Station

You don’t have to buy any new furniture. You do have to designate a specific and permanent area that you are going to work from. The luxury of working from home is being able to bounce from desk, to sofa, to porch, to poolside, and to your bed. The danger is doing this is the lack of routine and permanence.

In addition it also sends confusing signals to everyone in the home. Are you working? Are you watching Netflix? No one knows, but when other people see you in your designated work area, it tells them that you shouldn’t be disrupted.

Lastly, some areas of the home are much more likely to invite distractions. Working on a pool chair beside the pool is very cool. I’ve seen many people brag about being able to do that on social media. Is it effective? Debatable. I argue that you are much more likely to get lost in a backyard pool environment than you are at a desk.

3. Post Your Schedule For All To See

When you combine this with having a permanent work area, it reinforces that you are in work mode. Tacky? A little. Effective? You better believe it. Take time to explain to everyone in the home what your schedule means. If you have young children they may or may not adhere to these rules, but they deserve a hall pass or two on this one.

4. Don’t be distracted by the distractions

When you are sitting or standing at your workstation you start to notice things around you. Things like cobwebs in the corner of your ceiling. Maybe it’s the dust on the plantation shutters. Here’s my point, there are a lot of errands and chores that are going to distract you.

What would your manager, boss, customer, or client think of your work habits if they were recording you? Make your work hours sacred. Avoid household chores, errands, and items on your honey do list during your work hours.

5. Isolate Yourself

If you can work in a private office or study that would be ideal. Not everyone has that luxury. If the bedroom is the only place that is quiet, then you may be forced to set up your workstation there.

If your bedroom isn’t ideal, then the next step is to wear headphones. Listen to something that is upbeat, or music that will inspire you and motivate you to keep working.

6. Avoid Alcohol

Polls show that over 50% of all people who are working from home during the quarantine are drinking during work hours. I’m certainly not judging. Nor am I confessing. You probably already know that alcohol is a sedative and a depressant. Drinking while trying to be productive does not work. Period. It. Slows. You. Down. My personal recommendation is to save any alcohol for after work hours.

7. Clock Out

Hours, days, and weeks are a blur for many of us right now. We find ourselves checking the calendar frequently. These blurred lines have spilled on over into the workday as well.

Because of the accessibility our clients, customers, and co-workers have to us, it can get harder to clock out. This can put a drain on our relationships at home. It is just as important that we follow our routines and end at a specific time as well for our health and mental sanity.

I hope that these tips help you not only survive, but thrive during this pandemic. It is my goal that when we come out of this crisis, we come out better than when we went in. Let me know if there are any other tips that you can recommend or comments on the tips above.

Stay healthy and well!

– Paul

---

6 Common Salesperson Personalities in the Office

Are you familiar with the DISC personality assessment? It is a widely adopted principle that  everyone falls into 4 general personality categories: Dominant, Introvert, Supportive, and Cautious.

Are there are more personalities beyond the 4 quadrants of DISC? I’m not sure. In my 25 years of being a sales professional and coach, I can tell you that there is a broad spectrum of personalities amongst salespeople. It is important that you know the different types of personalities on your team and how to lead them. Comment below if anyone comes to mind as your scroll down the list, or if there was someone we missed.

1. The Narcissist

This member has a high sense of self-importance and can be manipulative. They feel that they are special or superior. They are too confident with their skills and may underestimate his or her teammates. Controlling and giving them advice can be tough because they think they know everything.

This can be hard to deal with, but you can manage this person by creating a strong bond and team cohesion. You may use team meetings where each member provides peer feedback. This is less threatening to them compared to a manager’s criticism.

2. The Insecure

This member lacks confidence. They tend to ask for help often, even after something has already been explained to them. They compare themselves to others. They feel hopeless when they don’t contribute to sales.

I have a saying, “Don’t apologize for asking for help if you are working hard.” The message this sends to my team members is that I appreciate their efforts. Like anyone, I don’t like having to repeat myself over and over again, so what I do is record videos as I train people and screen record what I am doing. This way when someone asks for help again I direct them to the video. It saves me the hassle of repeating myself one more time.

3. The Teacher’s Pet

There’s one in every organization. They’ve confused their title of “assistant to the regional manager” to “assistant regional manager.” This person regularly performs well and loves to be praised.

You wont have to worry about the production of a teacher’s pet.  You will have to worry about them sharing the spotlight.  Their competitive nature can discourage others. Great managers know how to recognize high achievers without alienating others, and specialize in fostering growth out of the less productive salespeople.

4. The Happy-Go-Lucky (HGL)

This salesperson is always late, takes long lunches, and loves to party.  Their mood is not dependent on their sales production or their success. Some people might see this as positive, but it can be a bad influence on other team members.

The HGL salesperson isn’t motivated by production. If they sell, great. If they don’t sell, no big deal.  This can get very sticky if this person is a top producer. You don’t want to lose a top producer, but you don’t want other salespeople mimicking bad behavior either.

I have found that the best solution for this is to give this person more responsibility. Give them opportunities to develop training programs or presentations so that others can benefit from her/his sales experience. If the happy-go-lucky team member is not a producing member, it is imperative that we discuss their performance and schedule with them subject to the terms of their employment.

5. The Negative

This is someone who often talks bad about his or her teammates, the management, and the company. Even when they make a sale, they are predicting a cancellation or a chargeback. They somehow seem to find something wrong with everything. This is dangerous when it graduates from being verbally negative to outright defiant without being addressed.

You can’t change people, believe me I’ve tried. I’ve worked with top producing sales people who were negative and it can be exhausting. Instead of trying to change someone, it is easier to request that they bring any suggestions or negative comments to you directly. This doesn’t mean that their feedback isn’t without merit. It just preserves morale amongst the troops.

6. The Blamer

This salesperson blames the economy, the training, the lack of buyers, and the company for poor sales. They blame everyone and everything else but themselves.

Most blamers are not top producers. When speaking to a blamer divert the conversation in a positive direction. Praise them for their progress including their ability to overcome hurdles. Reminding them that they are still winning in spite of all the challenges will help them take responsibility for their own successes and failures.

In my 25 year career I’ve learned a few things. I’ve learned that the people you think will-won’t and people you think won’t will.  I’ve seen that the people you think can-can’t and people you think can’t-can.  You can’t prejudge who will succeed and who wont.  You can make sure that your message is framed properly so that it is embraced by the right personality.

Go out and sell!

– Paul

---

7 Steps to Handle Difficult Conversations with Your Salespeople

It’s easy to assume that all a sales manager cares about is posting good numbers. Sales production is just the tip of the iceberg. What isn’t visible is all the hard work being done behind the scenes. Managing a team of salespeople requires a lot of training, adjustments, understanding, and patience.

Part of leading a team is being able to handle difficult conversations. Each member of the team has their own unique personality. If you use the same approach with everyone, it can create animosity and poor sales performance.

Let’s review 7 different ways to handle difficult conversations with your salespeople.

1. Addressing Them By Name

People love hearing their name. Using their name while you are talking to them is a way of showing respect. Sprinkle in their name throughout the conversation. This is also an excellent way to reign in your team member if they begin to become distracted.  Do not overdo it or it may come off as condescending or manipulative.

2. Show Them you Care

It has been said that people don’t care about how much you know, until they know how much you care. Poor performance can be the result of a lot of things happening inside and outside the office. Find out if there has been any dramatic changes in their personal lives that might have impacted their sales.

3. Actively Listen

Sales managers are not therapists by any stretch of the imagination, but genuinely listening can go a long way. Watch for cues about what they say to better understand why they’re behaving or feel a certain way.

4. Do Not Interrupt

Most heated debates can be avoided by letting one party speak uninterrupted. You don’t have to agree with the other person, but have the courtesy to let them finish. In many cases after someone has vented, they come to their own realization that what they may be upset over isn’t worth discussing.

5. Avoid Conflict Words

Did you know that saying words such as “Never”, “No”, “Wrong” and “No way” may increase conflict? Try to acknowledge their point of view before disagreeing immediately.

You might say “That sounds interesting. What makes you think that way?” or “Seems like a plan.  I want to know more about your idea.”

Lastly, make it a habit to replace the word “but” with “and” when rebutting. Notice how different the following sentence sounds when you do this: “I know you like offering discounts to your clients, but you need my authorization first.”

6. Establish Facts

Before the words “You are wrong.” or “You made a mistake.” leave your lips, it is important that you establish the facts. Numbers are very easy to reference. Lean on them for documentation to support your position. Salespeople are persuasive and can appeal to your emotions. There is a time to trust your gut, and there are moments where the facts speak for themselves.

7. Create a Plan of Action Together

What good is a fierce conversation if there isn’t any closure? It is imperative that you and your team member identify the challenges that are stifling their productivity, and end the discussion with a checklist of items to take action on.

This homework must also include a due date and a mandatory check in. Everyone must be held accountable including management, hence the check in. We inspect what we expect.

Conflicts and misunderstandings will happen from time to time. Handling difficult conversations isn’t easy, but it is necessary. Brooding over how to handle a situation is just like watching a wound fester. Great leaders address these conversations quickly and professionally using the techniques described above.

---