Guide to Developing Habits for Sales Success

In the latest episode of the Predictable Revenue Podcast, host Collin Stewart sits down with Kevin Gilman, National Sales Director at Carvertise, to delve into the habits that have driven Kevin’s two-decade-long sales career.

This conversation highlights how structured routines and prioritizing personal and professional goals can significantly enhance sales performance.

Developing Habits is Crucial for Long-Term Success in Sales

Observing top-performing colleagues can provide insights into what works best. For Kevin, diligent time management and structured routines were crucial differentiators. One can achieve substantial progress over time by integrating new habits that align with improving life, work, or family.

Kevin emphasizes the importance of identifying optimal times for activities, such as scheduling morning workouts or dedicated periods for LinkedIn outreach. This strategic approach ensures tasks are performed when they are most effective, enhancing overall productivity.

Balancing Personal and Professional Priorities

Kevin, a father of five, underscores the value of being present in his children’s lives. By scheduling significant family events well in advance, he can make informed decisions about work commitments without sacrificing personal responsibilities.

This approach, often called the “unscheduled” method, involves prioritizing personal commitments first. This strategy reduces stress and allows full engagement in professional tasks, knowing that personal priorities are already managed.

His scheduling of personal and family events beforehand provides a framework for managing work and life effectively.

Prioritize personal commitments first to ensure a balanced life while maintaining work productivity. This approach helps you stay connected with critical personal activities while excelling professionally.

Implementing these strategies can enhance your overall productivity and work-life balance, making managing personal and professional responsibilities easier.

Scheduling for Reduced Chaos and Improved Efficiency

Knowing what needs to be done and when can significantly decrease mental clutter. This adaptable approach allows for reallocating time as required, ensuring that prospecting and managing accounts are handled effectively.

Starting Your Day Early can be a Game-Changer

Tackling the most challenging tasks between 5:45 AM and 7:00 AM ensures that your most important work is done before the day gets hectic. This method helps maintain high productivity levels and allows for a more flexible afternoon. Regular breaks, like a post-lunch walk, help recharge your energy for the rest of the day.

Balancing professional and personal commitments is vital. Blocking out time for workouts, meals, and individual activities ensures you focus on what matters most. Scheduling personal priorities first helps maintain a healthy work-life balance while allowing for necessary weekly adjustments.

For instance, Kevin emphasizes the importance of scheduling family activities and personal interests, such as his kids’ baseball games, to ensure he is present in their lives.

Taking Scheduled Breaks is Essential to Prevent Burnout

Stepping away from work, even briefly, helps maintain energy levels and improves overall performance. Avoiding work emails during these breaks ensures that this time is genuinely refreshing. Kevin shares how scheduling a dedicated lunch break where he avoids work helps him stay refreshed and focused.

Flexibility in your schedule is vital to managing life’s unpredictability. Having buffer time allows for accommodating unexpected events without compromising productivity. Whether it’s an impromptu meeting or a family obligation, this approach helps maintain control and calm.

Kevin mentions having a 30-minute block reserved for catching up on tasks that weren’t completed in the morning, providing a safety net for his daily plans.

Ending the Day with Intention and Organization

Wrapping up your workday flexibly allows you to stay productive while maintaining a balanced life. Use this time to update professional contacts, contact colleagues, and handle necessary meetings. Keeping your schedule adaptable helps you manage work responsibilities and personal time effectively.

Evening Routine for a Productive Tomorrow

Ending your day by tying up loose ends can set you up for success the next day. Handle emails, finalize proposals, and complete paperwork in the evening to ensure a smooth start the following morning. Implementing this routine can be especially beneficial to kickstart productivity at the beginning of the week.

Weekly Themes and Routine Tasks

Structure your week with recurring themes to stay organized:

Monday: Team meetings.
Thursday: One-on-one preparation and meetings.
Friday Afternoons: Casual tasks like writing note cards to prospects and contacting former connections.

Maximizing One-on-Ones

Make your one-on-one meetings more purposeful by coming prepared with updates and questions. Shift the focus from status updates to strategic discussions and problem-solving, ensuring these sessions are productive and valuable.

Leveraging LinkedIn and Cold Outreach

Dedicate specific times to LinkedIn prospecting, using tools like Sales Navigator to engage with prospects effectively. Schedule deep prospecting sessions to build lists and set up email cadences, ensuring a steady pipeline of potential clients.

Focusing on Essential Habits

Adopting numerous habits and blocks can feel overwhelming for those starting in sales or transitioning from other fields. Instead of implementing everything immediately, focus on one or two actionable items relevant to your role. Success in sales builds over time through consistent, simple habits.

Start Small and Build Over Time

Identify Key Habits: Determine which habits are most relevant to your success. Whether it’s setting aside time for cold calling or blocking out time for focused work, start with the essentials.
Quarterly Reviews: Revisit your habits quarterly or annually to assess what’s working and what can be improved or added.

Prioritize and Stay Focused

Two essential habits to maintain:

After Lunch Hold for Focus: This catch-all time block can save your day by providing a dedicated period to catch up on tasks or refocus. It helps prevent your day from spiraling into chaos, especially when meetings and other tasks pile up.
Strategically Focused Meetings: Always go into meetings with a clear goal. Understand what you want to achieve and ensure every meeting is purposeful. This strategy not only saves time but also increases productivity.

Customize to Your Needs

Tailor your habits to fit your personal and professional life. Whether working out, spending time on personal development, or setting aside time for strategic planning, ensure these habits align with your goals. Blocking out time for activities that matter to you personally can enhance your overall effectiveness and satisfaction in your sales role.

Conclusion

Developing effective habits and structuring your day can enhance your sales performance and work-life balance. You can achieve substantial progress by managing your time and integrating new habits.

Key strategies include:

Tackling challenging tasks early in the morning.
Scheduling personal commitments first to reduce stress.
Taking regular breaks to recharge energy.
Ending the day with intention by handling emails and completing tasks.

Discover proven strategies to enhance your sales performance and achieve your goals. Visit Carvertise and start your journey to sales excellence!

Unlock the full potential of your sales team with our End-to-End Go-to-Market Experiments service. Drive growth, optimize strategies, and achieve consistent results. Partner with us today!

NO TIME TO READ?