Best sales advice I was ever given

“Complexity is the enemy of execution” - Tony Robbins

I could probably just post this quote and call it a day, because it sums up the best sales advice I have ever been given perfectly.

Let me set the back story....2009.

I was working as a sales rep at a staffing agency. I know right!  It was really the worst.  My supervisor was an asshole, my teammates were crazy competitive and totally unsupportive.   It was a kill or be killed sales environment.   I thought I was a killer..

Every sales rep knows you have to prospect and research in order to have leads to work.  This should be a very very small fraction of your day.  The best time to do this is at the end of the shift and prep for the next day.    I would from time to time do this mid-day, morning, etc.  I thought taking a few extra minutes here and there to research a prospect was me being a smart salesperson.

I got this very nice message (insert sarcasm) in my email:

Adrienne – you will never make it here if you are not on the phone. 

I was so taken back – how rude!  You don’t know me...none the less this was not an email from a supervisor, just a teammate.  Man did I get defensive.  I stormed out of the office, being dramatic (not me at all – more sarcasm).  

I didn’t last long in that job.

As many things in life it might take a little maturity to see a situation for what it really was.   While this chick went about this in a very wrong way – she was right.   I was over preparing, over researching.   I was letting it suck my time and energy!    In sales you must be on constant motion and I know that now.  I can now catch myself if I am going down a rabbit hole of prospecting - stop and act.