Marshall your energy for the first call

- So how do you marshal up your energy to go out and close deals? If you're new to sales, one thing that's critically important is to find places where you can get some quick wins. Sales is always going to be a balance between short-term and long-term goals. Quick sales tend to be smaller and lower value. Big sales take longer. And for most people, there needs to be some balance of using the small deals to fuel your enthusiasm and make your numbers, while you're also working on the big deals. Early wins can give you confidence. And it's a success story that you can share with other customers. If you're new to your territory, I recommend you see if you can find some friendlies. These are people who like you and will be happy to see you, and call on them in your very first week. Specifically, call on them in the morning, because it's really important in those early days that you start out well so you've got some positive energy. Make a plan who you're going to be calling on, when and what your objectives are. Planning in advance helps you have clear goals for each call because these are sales calls, they're not just visits, even on the friendlies. Another important element of planning your day is being mindful of where you personally get your energy. You should know, are you an introvert, or are you an extrovert? The difference between being an introvert and an extrovert isn't your social skills. It's where you get your energy. Introverts get their energy from being alone. Extroverts get their energy from other people. And some people think you have to be an extrovert to be in sales. That is not true. Introverts are often excellent salespeople because they're such great listeners. So being mindful of your energy can help you structure your day. If you're an introvert, you may want to warm up with some call planning, reporting or another solo activity. That way you have a lot of energy to talk to customers in the afternoon. If you're an extrovert, flip it. Stacking your morning with great conversations can give you the push you need to do the other stuff in the afternoon. And the last thing I want to share with you to help you jumpstart your success is about volume. Top-performing salespeople have a noble purpose. They plan their calls in advance, they manage their energy well, and they also make more sales calls. This is not a quality versus quantity issue. If you want to be successful in sales, and you want to get there fast, you need both. One of the most important things you can do is to work to make more sales calls because the more buyers you get in front of, the more deals you will close. If you want to make a big difference in the world and hit your number, you've got to be making calls. Even if you're told no at first, don't let that initial rejection rob you of your energy. You're growing, you're learning, and you're finding more customers that you can help.