Work Hard AND Smart!

Key Takeaways:

  • Success in sales demands relentless dedication and hard work.
  • Maximising your “golden hours” can significantly enhance your productivity and effectiveness.
  • Continuous learning, resilience, and strategic adaptation are essential for staying ahead in the competitive sales landscape.

I’m risking the wrath of the “work smart, not hard” brigade today! This week, I’m addressing the tiny number of people who want to reach the absolute pinnacle of sales success. Those people with a genuine drive to be the best. I was never motivated by money but was driven to be the best wherever I worked. I knew if I succeeded in this aim, the money would come.

I worked hard, and I like to think I worked smart too. Now there’s a winning formula if ever there was one! I’m not sure many in the “work smart” brigade thought of adding hard work to the mix.

Sales is a field often romanticized for its high earning potential and fast-paced environment. But behind the perceived glamour (it’s not all glamorous) lies the relentless dedication required to consistently bring in new clients and close deals. Here’s why hard work is the cornerstone of success in sales and how maximizing your “golden hours” can give you the edge.

The Concept of “Golden Hours”

I have my own concept of “golden hours” – between the hours of 9-5, you are only truly working effectively when you are speaking to a client directly. This can be on the phone, face-to-face, or via Zoom.

Anything else, such as writing proposals, driving, emails, CRM work, LinkedIn posts, etc., can and should be done before 9 am or after 5 pm.

A recent study by InsideSales confirms that the average salesperson only spends 35% of their time selling. In my experience, I’d put the figure nearer to 25%.

… Think about that for a minute! Wow!

By far, the biggest enemy of a salesperson is Time! You can never have enough. This is why learning to manage and maximise it is the single most important trick you can learn.

Discipline and Hard Work

As a young junior salesman, I lived in Stockport near Manchester. My sales area was Stockport, Cheshire, and North Wales. I ensured I was on patch ready to work at 8:30 am every morning. I would make my first appointment as early as possible. Some potential clients will see you before office hours (if you ask) as it maximises their day too. This would often mean leaving home before 6am to reach an appointment in Pwllheli by 8:30am.

I would try to make 2-3 appointments a day. The first one was the furthest away, and I’d work my way back home. I’d canvas and prospect between appointments, never finishing on patch before 5:30pm.

Discipline is an essential ingredient.

I started my sales career in 1988 and finally stopped in Dec 2019, a career that spanned over 30 years. One thing I can tell you is very little has changed; sales was a numbers game in 1988 and it’s still a numbers game now.

The more prospects you connect with, the higher your chances of converting them into customers. Hard work fuels every step of this process, from researching leads to crafting compelling proposals and following up relentlessly.

Imagine a salesperson who makes 50 calls a day with a 2% conversion rate. Their colleague, through sheer effort, dials 100 numbers daily. Even with the same conversion rate, the second salesperson generates over double the potential opportunities. This persistence creates a robust pipeline, ensuring a steady flow of opportunities.

Learning from Every Interaction

Hard work not only enhances your potential number of appointments gleaned on a call day or the number of appointments you carry out in a week, but it also enhances your all-around ability.

If you look at every interaction with a client or potential client as a learning opportunity, you’ll realise that the more you do, the more you’ll learn. You’ll learn about the intricacies of certain markets and industries, and how your products and services can help reduce time and costs.

The more interactions, the greater and steeper the learning curve!

You’ll learn from your successes and failures alike. Your learning should never stop. The top performers are looking to learn continuously. This drive to improve keeps them ahead of the pack.

Mastering Your Craft

In today’s ultra-competitive landscape, deep product knowledge is no longer a bonus, it’s a necessity. Hard work translates into mastering your product’s intricacies, anticipating customer needs, and learning from every interaction. This empowers you to tailor solutions, address concerns effectively, and build trust – all crucial for closing deals.

Building Resilience

Sales is an emotional rollercoaster. Rejections are part and parcel, and there will be days when reaching your target feels like scaling Mount Everest.

I used to use the term “walking through treacle” for those difficult days. Pushing through those hard days, turning up, and doing the necessary basics helps you develop the resilience to bounce back from setbacks and keep pushing forward.

Look at it like going to the gym when it’s the last thing you want to do. Some of those sessions turn out to be some of your best.

The salesperson who puts in the extra hours to hone their skills, analyse their failures, and adapt their approach is the one who emerges stronger and better equipped to succeed.

While hard work is undeniably essential, it shouldn’t be confused with simply putting in the hours. Sales success often hinges on a blend of dedication and strategic effort. Utilise sales tools, analyze data, and collaborate with your team to work smarter alongside your hard work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the path to elite sales success is paved with dedication and perseverance. By embracing hard work, maximising the golden hours, and continuously honing your skills, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an Elite Sales Professional and achieving your sales goals.

Ready to elevate your sales game? Schedule a consultation with me to explore how these strategies can be tailored to your specific sales approach. Subscribe to our newsletter for more insights and tips to accelerate your sales success journey.

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