Selling in a Crisis

24One More Call

Back when I first started my career in sales I worked in an industry that wasn't glamorous. It was an industry that chewed young salespeople up and spit them out. Only the strong survived.

In this world, prospecting activity was everything. It was grueling. I literally wore holes in my shoes prospecting for new business. But those holes made me successful and filled my bank account. Those holes bought my first house.

When I look back on those years of dawn-to-dusk grind, there was one core philosophy that made me successful:

When it's time to go home, make one more call.

On days when I was bone tired, I'd make one more call. When I'd been rejected so many times I wanted to scream, I'd will myself to make one more call. On Friday afternoons when all I wanted to do was quit and have fun with my friends, I'd make one more call.

More times than I could count, that one last call turned into a big sale. It also gave me confidence that I could get through anything.

Over time, this one simple philosophy, practiced relentlessly, placed me at the top of every sales ranking year after year.

In a crisis, you cannot afford the luxury of excuses: “This is a waste of time because nobody is answering their phone.”

You cannot complain: “Nobody is calling me back.”

You cannot waste a moment whining: “No one is buying.”

You cannot live in fear: “What if she says no?” Or “What if this is a bad time?”

You cannot not procrastinate: “I don't have time right now. I'll catch up on ...