Punctuality: Part 6 of 8 – The Evolution of the Modern Day Sales Professional

sales training

Punctualitythe fact or quality of being on time

There are so many different paths to success that really knowing the perfect combination is going to be hard to pinpoint. The attributes I’ve laid out so far are what I have observed and experienced myself that are cornerstones to top-performing sales professionals. Punctuality is probably one that can be argued either way but I’ll share why I think it is paramount to any successful person, sales, or otherwise.

There is a great saying that goes, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I think it fits well into this example.

When you are on time it generally means that you are prepared and organized. If you are prepared and organized then one can assume that you are good at the work you do, thorough, and always follow-up through on expectations.

Those go a long way when serving your potential clients. They recognize the little things in your interactions with them. Politeness and punctuality are generally two of the most glaring. I’ll assume everyone knows how to be polite so we won’t focus on that here. Remember, selling is as much about the product fit as it is about a trusting relationship. You are an extension of the company you sell for and therefore if you are professional, polite, and punctual in all of your interactions with the potential client then they are going to assume that’s how the organization is run as well and they’d be a great long term partner to have.

The flip side, which I was reminded of just last week, is not where you want to be. I was on a first discovery call with a potential client and we had built rapport throughout and the conversation was fluid so when they brought up that they had been exploring some other products I made sure I pried in a bit more and here’s what came out.

Brian: That’s great you all are doing some exploration to see what’s out there, who have you looked at so far?

Potential client: Just one other one at this point…like Gov something..or you know I can’t remember their name exactly

Brian: (in jest) I guess they didn’t make a great impression then, huh?

Potential client: Oh you don’t know the half of it. We called and had a conversation and scheduled a demo of their product and then when the time came for it the sales rep didn’t show up. They didn’t send a message or anything. So we called in later to find out what happens and not only did they not have a good excuse they weren’t even remorseful for missing the call in the first place. Let’s just say they didn’t leave a good impression on us.

Going back to the dating analogy from a prior post, if you were to stand up a date and then not even feel bad about it when they called you do you think that relationship will progress anywhere? It’s disrespectful to the other person and shows that you are thinking about yourself more than them.

Besides scheduled meetings, being prompt with proposals, emails, etc are also very important. I don’t believe you have to reply the minute a message comes in but I like to at least get back to someone within a half of day or at worst by end of day. If the message comes in during the afternoon then certainly first thing the next morning. If you are needing to gain additional information internally prior to responding at least take a minute to acknowledge their email and tell them that you are on it and will return the message soon (or put a more defined time on it). This goes for proposals or other important documents. When you agree on a time then hold yourself accountable to that time (or earlier). It amazes me how simple this notion is but yet it can be missed without properly organizing your efforts.

I’ve written a lot about outward-facing activities when working with potential clients as it relates to these attributes but it should be noted that many of these, including punctuality, is extremely important when working internally with other teams. Showing up to meetings on time, being respectful of getting back to emails that ask for your guidance/insight, and completing tasks when your voice is needed are all things that show you care about the greater mission and are helping the other members of your team succeed.

Sales can seem like an individual sport but it generally takes a village to make you successful. Someone had to build the product, someone had to organize sales materials, someone had to define the ideal client that fits the product, someone had to sell and implement other partners before you so you had great references. Unless you have done this all by yourself, you need others around you to support your efforts and therefore it is important to show up for these types of activities or discussions even though it may not be your top priority. The company needs to hear your feedback in order to improve and it’s an opportunity for you to share your knowledge and help everyone get to the next level. 

Remember, A rising tide lifts all boats. Start by being on time.

Thanks for reading,

Carpe Diem,

Brian

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Punctuality: Part 6 of 8 – The Evolution of the Modern Day Sales Professional2021-03-19T10:43:04-04:00
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Dale Dupree

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Was really cool to have Dale Dupree of The Sales Rebellion stop by for episode 60 of the Podcast. I’ve been following Dale for a couple years and since we had so many mutual connections and I always enjoy reading his thoughts on sales, I had to have him on to share his journey and knowledge. This was a really interesting interview where we go all over the place talking about his new company, what he learned from his Dad, when he was touring in a band, and much more. Definitely think you all will enjoy some of Dale’s thoughts and his perspective on not only sales but life.

Dale also talks about two former Podcast guests on this episode that i’ll link up below:

Stu Heinecke – http://www.stuheinecke.com/

link to our interview -> https://brianondrako.com/podcast/stuheinecke/

James Carbary – https://sweetfishmedia.com/

link to our interview – https://brianondrako.com/podcast/jamescarbary/

Find Dale Online:

Website: https://www.thesalesrebellion.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/salesrebellion 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salesrebellion/

About Dale:

To understand my Sales Rebellion, first you need to hear and acknowledge the role my Father played in my life. His legacy is one of integrity, perseverance, and service to others. I spent my life in the shadow of one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth and I am eternally grateful for his amazing example. I realized my calling in the Technology world through his business and also just how much fun I had being in a sales role. Copiers and Printers are pretty boring and usually not top of mind, they are also the most important piece of hardware in the office when they break, am I right? I enjoyed the challenge behind making them a fun piece of your business puzzle.

in 2017 I moved on from the company I had represented most of my career, after my Dad’s passing (see my shared articles for the saddest story I have ever told). I stayed in the copier industry for 2 more years before creating my Sales Rebellion. I have gone into sales training and develop for both individual contributors and entire sales organizations.

In 2019, The Sales Rebellion was born. My conquest of changing the game has expanded beyond my role as an individual contributor in the sales world, as The Copier Warrior. Now I am teaching the masses how to choose legendary for their sales career. No longer will the mediocre rule throughout our profession. It is time for a Sales Rebellion to rise.

I believe in Radically Educating your prospects on a first touch. I believe in Responses, good or bad, but never indifferent. I believe your Territory is your Community, we enable Sales Wanderers. I believe your Pipeline is Alive. I believe people are more than just a signature for your deal. I believe in fellowship over negotiations.

……..

If you enjoyed this interview you may also like my Just Get Started Podcast Interview with Sales Leader, Kevin Dorsey.

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If you enjoy this episode I’d be grateful if you would leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, if you believe I’ve earned it.  Thanks for listening!

Dale Dupree2020-01-20T19:05:05-04:00
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Morgan J. Ingram

MORGAN J. INGRAM

EPISODE 23: Motivational Speaker | Sales Coach | Host, The SDR Chronicles

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Had an awesome time connecting with Morgan on Episode 23 of the Podcast and we covered a lot of ground in a short period of time.  Morgan provides some great insight into how he leveraged his learnings from being on 2 State Championship Basketball Teams to help him be a better coach and mentor to young sales professionals.  We also discuss how he started his SDR Chronicles show and some different ways he’s developed his chops as a sales professional which might be helpful to younger sales reps out there.  I know you all will love the energy and positivity Morgan brings to the show!

About Morgan:

Morgan J. Ingram is a motivational speaker who has been nominated to the final round for TEDxSBY and TEDxUGA. His clients have begun to nickname him the “Liberation Sensation” because of his powerful messages.

An avid fan of social media and communicating on-line, Morgan has been featured in the Red and Black and OnlineAthens for a previous startup company Collegiate Gaming LAN, written college articles for CampusSports, and has done sales and marketing research for a start up shoe store that Dunta Robinson started and has also done Partnerships for a start up music company which helped promote artists in Athens,GA such as Judah and the Lion and the Shadowboxers.

In addition, Morgan won two state championships in basketball during his high school years.

Morgan’s mission now is to liberate others from their negative thoughts to turn them into positive thoughts by using motivation and social media. Through his speeches Morgan teaches students how to remove negative thoughts from their head and to cleanse their environment to unlock their potential to strive for excellence as a scholar.

In Morgan’s free time, he enjoys a good book, watching The Flash or Arrow, and going on a hike.

Books He’d Recommend:

“I Got My Dream Job and So Can You” by Pete Leibman

“The Law of Success” by Napolean Hill

“15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” by John C Maxwell

Where to Find Morgan Online:

Website: https://www.morganjingram.com/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganjingram

Twitter: https://twitter.com/morganjingram

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganjingram

SDR Chronicles: https://soundcloud.com/thesdrchronicles

……..

If you enjoyed this interview you may also like my Just Get Started Podcast Interview with John Barrows, Founder of JBarrows Sales Training

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If you enjoy this episode I’d be grateful if you would leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, if you believe I’ve earned it.  Thanks for listening!

Morgan J. Ingram2020-02-12T03:00:19-04:00
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John Barrows

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In Episode 19 I get a chance to talk sales with one of the most well sought out after Sales Trainers out there, John Barrows.

John has provided sales training and consulting services to some of the world’s fastest growing companies like Salesforce.com, Google,  LinkedIn, DropBox, and many others. His previous experience spans all aspects of Sales at every level from making 400 cold calls a week as an inside sales rep to a VP of Sales at his first start up that was sold to Staples.   

He’s an active sales professional who has learned a lot about what works and doesn’t work in Sales and loves sharing the tips and techniques he has found to have had an impact along the way. His main goal is to improve the overall education and quality of Sales by sharing ideas and techniques that work.

In this episode I get to talk with John about his upbringing and how he came about to become a sales trainer, insight for sales professionals and how they should look at their careers, and one of the biggest differences between top performing sales professionals and the rest.

Links / Quotes in Episode:

12 Guiding Principles of Sales Success eBook https://app.box.com/s/41vaelagx0108zdle0ci

“The Creative Curve” by Allen Gannett – Link to Amazon

“The Unfair Advantage: Selling with NLP” by Dr. Duane Lakin – Link to Amazon

The Acronym Him and His Daughter Discuss Every Day – E.A.T – Effort, Attitude, and How to Treat People

Find John Online:

“Make It Happen” Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/jbarrows/

Website – https://jbarrows.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JohnMBarrows

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/

……..,

If you enjoyed this interview you may also like my Just Get Started Podcast Interview with Kevin Dorsey, Senior Sales Leader

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Listen To The Podcast

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Review On Apple Podcasts

If you enjoy this episode I’d be grateful if you would leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, if you believe I’ve earned it.  Thanks for listening!

John Barrows2020-02-05T21:51:46-04:00
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