Sales looks glamorous from the outside — company car, flexible hours, being your own boss, the high when a customer says YES. What you don’t see is the grind: the rejection, the discipline, and the quiet decisions you make when no one’s watching (golf course vs. pipeline).
This is a simple framework I’ve used and taught: 10 before 10 — ten small wins before 10:00 a.m. Do these consistently and you’ll separate yourself from most of the field.
The Reality Check (read this first)
- Rejection is not personal. It stings, but it isn’t about you.
- Discipline beats talent. Winners stack small habits daily.
- Activity you control > outcomes you don’t. Measure the inputs.
10 before 10 (daily)
- Calendar sanity check (3 min). What’s non-negotiable today? Confirm times, travel, Zoom links.
- Pipeline triage (5 min). Top 5 active deals: next step, owner, date. If it’s not dated, it’s not real.
- Three high-intent outreaches. People who engaged last week, referrals, or close dates inside 14 days. Call first, then email.
- Two “out of the blue” touches. Past customers, lost deals, or prospects you genuinely like. Relationship > pitch.
- One value send. Short note with something helpful (case study, checklist, intro). No asks. Just value.
- One tightening move. Propose times, send an agenda, or recap decisions from yesterday. Reduce friction.
- Block the afternoon. Two 45-minute focus blocks for deep work or drive time.
- Admin sweep (10 min). Log calls, update close dates, clean your Kanban/CRM. “If it’s not in the CRM, it didn’t happen.”
- Skill rep (10 min). One micro-drill: objection you hate, new opener, price explanation, demo path.
- Mindset reset (2 min). Read your “why.” Write one sentence about the win you’re aiming at today.
That’s it. Ten bricks laid before 10. Everything else rides easier.
Field Notes from 40+ Years — What Actually Works
Know your world.
- Master your product/service and know the competition.
- Be crystal clear on what makes you different.
- Never trash a competitor. It makes you look small. Win on value.
Solve something real.
- Solve a customer’s problem and you earn trust — and usually repeat business.
- After the sale, shut up. Don’t talk past the close. Confirm next steps and get out of your own way.
Sales has karma.
- Put in the work and the work pays you back.
- Know competitor reps. If they can’t serve a need, they might refer you — and vice versa. Be the pro others want to work with.
Don’t count chickens.
- A “verbal” is not a sale. No P.O., no party. Don’t brief the boss until ink hits paper.
Be interested, not interesting.
- Learn your customer’s interests/family/sports — sincerely. People smell phonies a mile away.
- Avoid bragging. It’s boring and it backfires.
Show up like you care.
- Dress for the sale. Clean, pressed, well-groomed.
- Be on time for meetings and meals. If you’re late, own it — no excuses.
Take losses like a pro.
- No anger. When you lose, ask why — honestly. What would you change next time?
- Don’t blame others; that teaches you nothing.
Respect the company car.
- Keep it clean. Hamburger wrappers and soda cans say more about you than your pitch does.
Upside is real.
- If you follow these, earnings can be huge — sustainably, without burning bridges.
Simple scripts (steal these)
Post-close (don’t talk past it):
“Great — appreciate the green light. I’ll send the order summary by 3 p.m. and confirm install dates. Thank you.”
Competitor-respect line:
“They do good work in a few areas. Where we tend to fit better is <specific difference tied to their outcome>.”
Value email (no ask):
Subject: Thought of you
“Two quick items on <problem>:
• 3-minute case you can share internally
• A checklist my customers use before kickoff
No need to reply — just bookmarking is fine.”
Win/Loss debrief (for yourself):
- Reason won/lost (customer’s words): ______
- Stage/step where decision happened: ______
- What I’d do differently next time: ______
- Follow-up calendar date (keep relationship warm): ______
Your scoreboard (inputs you control)
- Dials / personalized emails / booked meetings / proposals sent
- “Touched accounts” count (unique logos per week)
- Daily “10 before 10” completion
Guardrails for a career (not just a quarter)
- Never let a day start without a plan.
- Don’t torch bridges. Lost deals circle back.
- Keep a brag file. Wins, praise, testimonials. Read it on bad days.
- Health is a quota item. Sleep, steps, water. You can’t sell from empty.
Your turn: Add your #11–#15 for “10 before 10” and your best rejection lesson. I’ll fold them into the playbook.