In sales - especially in product knowledge training - we’re taught from day one how to pitch, how to present, and how to overcome objections. We rehearse our spiels, memorize talking points, and perfect our scripts. 

But too often we forget one of the most basic truths in sales: The more you listen, the more you learn. And the more you learn, the faster and easier it is to close a deal. Silence — shutting up and listening — is your secret weapon. 

Yes, you need to speak confidently about the value you bring to the table, and you need to be clear when you’re asking for the deal. But the words that actually sway a prospect don’t come from you — they come from them. 

Prospects convince themselves to buy. Your job is to guide the conversation in such a way that they articulate the problems they’re trying to solve, the goals they want to achieve, and the obstacles blocking their path. When you can get them to articulate those issues in their own words, you close deals. 

Embrace the Pause

A common mistake reps make is rushing in to pitch a solution, answer a question, or tackle a perceived objection. They jump in prematurely, before letting the prospect fully voice what’s on their mind. 

But if you can stay silent, if you can resist the urge to speak immediately, your prospect will usually elaborate. They’ll keep talking, often divulging the root cause of their hesitation. 

That root cause might be very different from what you assumed at first glance. If you jump in too soon, you risk addressing a superficial objection and missing the real issue entirely.

I’ve seen too many sales professionals sabotage deals because they were afraid of a little silence. They ramble on, trying to fill every pause, unnerved by any lull in the conversation. 

But in the pause, in the silence, is where your prospect gathers their thoughts. If you just wait, if you’ll just shut up, what comes next is where the real magic lies. 

Your prospect will begin to share deeper insights. They might reveal the internal politics at play, the budget constraints, or the personal motivations driving their buying decision. They’ll teach you exactly how to close the sale. 

Build Trust Through Silence

Learning to be comfortable with silence is also about showing genuine respect for the other person. When you give someone space to talk, you send an unspoken message: “I value your thoughts, your insights, and your experiences.” 

That’s a powerful psychological signal. It builds trust faster than any perfectly rehearsed line. People buy from those they trust, and trust often begins with the simple act of listening.

Now, I’m not saying you should clam up entirely. Strategic silence is not about becoming a mute. It’s about knowing when to speak, what to say, and when to remain quiet. 

Ask a probing question, and then zip your lips. Sit there, look them in the eye, and nod empathetically while they talk. Let them finish. Then pause a moment. 

Usually, that extra beat of silence after they finish speaking nudges them to continue, and they’ll share even more valuable information. 

If it’s truly time for you to respond, do so thoughtfully, directly, and concisely. Then hand the baton of conversation back to your prospect with another question or an invitation to elaborate.

Six Strategies For Leveraging Silence to Sell More

Plan Your Questions: Before any meeting, plan the key questions you want to ask. Keep them open-ended and designed to encourage deep, detailed answers.

Practice The 3-Count Rule: After the other person finishes answering the question, mentally count “one … two … three” before you talk again. Let those seconds of silence hang in the air. Leaving the gap of silence almost always compels the other person to fill it. 

Embrace Discomfort: Silence can be awkward. Learn to live with that. Recognize that this discomfort is exactly what triggers prospects to open up further.

Marcin from Warsaw, Poland, asks: What are the top sales trends shaping the future of sales?

Our conversation ranged from the impact of AI to the growing importance of a consultative selling mindset in modern selling. Below, you’ll discover practical insights you can leverage to sharpen your competitive edge—regardless of what industry or region you sell into—and take advantage of these emerging trends.

AI Will Power Sales Efficiency and Intelligence

When we think about the future of sales, AI inevitably dominates the conversation. Whether you’re a software rep, selling capital equipment, or providing professional services, artificial intelligence is quickly transforming the salescape.

Elevated EfficiencyAI will eliminate many repetitive tasks, surface the best leads, track deal progress, and remind you when a prospect stalls. At a basic level, AI can be your 24/7 virtual assistant that never forgets an appointment or misses a follow-up.

Smarter Data ManagementAI will digest massive data sets, then deliver concise insights that help you identify buying signals, forecast deal closures, and spot hidden risk factors in your pipeline.

Relationships Still MatterAs advanced as AI might be, it can’t replace human conversations—especially in complex or consultative sales. Ultimately, people buy from people they trust. Keep that fact front and center as you adopt AI-driven tools. They’re there to free you up for higher-value activities, not to take over your role.

The Return to Humanity: Relationships Make the Difference

In an age where we can automate just about anything with tech, your core differentiator will be your ability to build trust and engage deeply with clients.

Human Connection Is a Competitive AdvantageIf everything can be automated or self-served, how do you stand out? By demonstrating genuine empathy, patience, and an interest in solving unique business problems. Buyers are craving human interaction that goes beyond transactional sales.

Adapt to Cultural NuancesYour ability to adapt and flex to the nuance of both cultural differences between countries, regions, industries, and companies gives you a competitive edge when building trust.  In some markets, diving straight into business is a sign of respect and efficiency; in others, building rapport is crucial before any serious conversation can start. Being agile enough to flex your communication style to fit local norms is a hallmark of top-performing sales consultants.

Embrace a Consultative Selling Mindset

In the age of AI there is a massive shift toward consultative selling. If you’re selling complex products, services, or solutions, you can’t just pitch features and benefits anymore. To survive and thrive you must become a business advisor, diagnosing problems and developing creative and innovative solutions.

Key Skills to Develop

Deep Discovery Great consultants don’t leap in with a pre-packaged pitch; they ask probing questions, explore unarticulated pain points, and let clients talk. This patient approach sets you up to deliver precisely what the customer needs.

Business Acumen and Technical KnowledgeIn consultative sales, you often speak with senior executives who expect you to know how business works—everything from supply chain issues to profitability metrics. If you show up unprepared, someone else with deeper business insight will get the sale.

Creative, Innovative SolutionsOnce you’ve gathered the facts, your job is to co-create a roadmap. That means pulling from your experience, internal product knowledge, and general business know-how to design a solution that resonates across multiple stakeholders. This requires both IQ (to connect the dots) and EQ (to communicate the vision persuasively).

Stay Curious and Keep Learning

A big part of stepping into a consultative role is adopting a lifelong learning mentality. Too many sales professionals stop reading or stop trying ne...

WARNING: This Monday’s message will be one of the most powerful hacks you’ll ever integrate into your life—because it’s simple, easy to put into practice, and it works. It has the potential, over the course of time, to change everything for you.

It’s the BTN method, and I learned it from a friend of mine who completely transformed his life and his habits by mastering this one straight-forward tactic.

Forgiving Yourself When You Get Off Track

In James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, he talks about a strategy for making a habit stick: never miss two days in a row.

In other words, if you mess up on Monday—if you skip your workout or drop the ball on your new habit—you give yourself permission to let it go.

But get right back on track by Tuesday. You never miss two days in a row and allow those mistakes to pile up and push you right back into the bad habit you are trying to change.

I love this advice because it reminds us we’re all human. We’re going to slip up. Life happens—kids get sick, you get sick, clients call with emergencies, your boss piles extra tasks on your desk, or your flight is delayed and you’re stranded in an airport— sometimes you've just have to eat that piece of cake.

James Clear’s approach is, when this happens, to give yourself a break. It’s okay that you messed up once. Forgive yourself but just don’t let it spiral downward by stringing together multiple days of misses together. It's a great approach.

But there is another strategy that works even better for staying track, makes it easier to bounce back, still allows you to be human, and over time yields far better results. If you really want to build unstoppable sales habits and supercharge your performance you’ll love this approach.

The BTN Secret

A few years back, I was meeting a good friend of mine for dinner. We hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years.

He’s the CEO of a large company—constantly flying all over the world, dealing with high-level negotiations, board meetings, you name it.

I know from experience that this kind of schedule can wreak havoc on your diet, your sleep, and especially your exercise routine.

When Chris walked into the restaurant, I was stunned. He looked incredible—like a completely different person.

He’d lost a bunch of weight and was in fantastic shape. As we sat down at our table I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Dude, you look incredible, how on earth do you manage to find the time to exercise and take care of yourself like that with your insane schedule.”

The truth is that at the time, I was really struggling with my own health. I’d been traveling without a break and gained far too much weight. I felt bad. And even though I knew I needed to do something about it, I was wrestling with the typical excuses: busy travel itinerary, client dinners, lack of time in the mornings for a real workout, late nights in airports, and exhaustion.

Chris looked at me, smiled, and said, “I use the BTN method.”

I instantly reached for my phone to Google “BTN” because I thought it was some new, miracle workout program and I was looking for anything that could help me get my health back on track.

Chris just started laughing. “You’re not gonna find that on Google,” he said. “BTN stands for Better Than Nothing.”

Why Doing “Just a Little Bit” Matters More Than You Think

Chris explained his philosophy: No matter where he is—no matter how jam-packed his day, no matter how exhausted he feels—he refuses to let a single day pass without doing some form of exercise—no matter how little.

On a good day, when he has time, he does an intense 45-minute workout. But if he doesn’t have time, if he’s been in back-to-back meetings from dawn to dusk, then he’ll at least drop down on the floor in his hotel room and do five push-ups, or 20 jumping jacks, or a two-minute plank. Something. Anything. Just not nothing.

He explained that five push-ups is better than none and over time it all adds up.

On the surface, you’d think that “selling” and “asking” go hand in hand. In reality, salespeople at all experience levels often hesitate, tiptoe around, or dodge direct closes because they’re afraid of rejection, worried about coming across as pushy, or insecure about asking.

On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount explores why salespeople fear asking for the sale and what to do about it with author and Sales Gravy University instructor, Tony Morris 

Every salesperson starts somewhere. Tony Morris started turning a profit buying 10 pounds of sweets from a shop and selling them for 20 pounds. Before that, he sold car washing door to door. But before all that, he spent hours watching his father prep for sales calls in the mirror, honing his language and mastering his message. It drove home one idea for a young Tony: To be a sales success, you have to practice, practice, practice learning how to ask for the sale. 

The Fear Factor That Holds Salespeople Back From Asking for the Sale

There’s an underlying, deeply human factor that derails many capable sales professionals: The fear of asking for the sale.

Rejection stings, whether it’s a “no” from a potential client or crickets after your presented a proposal you believed was bulletproof.  We fear hearing “no” because we interpret it, consciously or not, as a sign that our competence or worth is lacking. Ironically, the more empathetic and relationship-focused a salesperson is, the more they tend to shy away from scenarios that might lead to an uncomfortable refusal.

When you allow the fear of rejection for creep in when attempting to close the sales it often leads to:

Hesitation: You wait for the buyer to “signal” readiness, rather than proactively closing.

Defensiveness: If a conversation veers toward potential objections, you steer away or gloss over critical next steps.

Over-Explaining: To avoid a direct ask, you bury the buyer in details, hoping they’ll volunteer a “yes.”

Practice Is the Key to Asking Confidently for the Sale

Watch any top performer in any field—a pro golfer, a concert pianist, or an elite salesperson—and they often make it look effortless. People assume they were simply “born with it.” In truth, consistent practice is usually the reason they’re able to operate at such a high level without appearing scripted or nervous.

One reason salespeople hesitate to ask for the sale is that they don’t feel comfortable with what to say—or how to say it—when the conversation reaches its critical moment. Practice, especially under realistic conditions, engrains talk tracks, responses to objections, and emotional composure. Practice allows you to lean on muscle memory rather than fumbling for words or panicking at a curveball question or objection.

The more you prepare, the more comfortable you are in the moment. When you are well-prepared you come across as “unscripted” and fluid because you’re not scrambling to find the right words. You’ve internalized the dialogue, so it sounds like a calm, authentic conversation rather than a memorized monologue.

Make Peace with the Word “No”

Time and again, top sales performers cite a simple truth: a fast “no” can be better than a lingering “maybe.” It allows you to save time, refocus energy, and cultivate a pipeline of engaged prospects. Learning to handle “no” as a data point—rather than personal rejection—keeps you in motion.

Categorize the “Nos”: Some are “not now,” others are “not a fit,” and a few are “never.” Understanding which type of no you’re dealing with can shape follow-up strategies.

Seek Feedback: If appropriate, ask, “I respect your decision. May I ask what caused you to decline?” That insight can sharpen future presentations.

Stay Professional: Burn no bridges. A gracious exit can leave the door cracked open; circumstances often change.

Shift Your Mindset About What Asking for the Sale Really Means

Whether you’re selling software,

Elli in Galveston, Texas, faces a scenario that many young sales professionals know all too well: How do you earn respect and project confidence in selling when you’re dealing with people who are older and more experienced than you?

Ellie’s question highlights a universal issue in sales. Whether you’re dealing with age differences or expertise gaps, it’s easy to feel anxious if your buyer is decades older or has been in the industry for a long time.

Below, you’ll find practical strategies to bridge that confidence gap, project authority, and demonstrate a relaxed assertiveness that resonates with prospects of any age.

1. Recognize That It’s Mostly in Your Head

A significant part of Ellie’s challenge stems from internal dialogue rather than external facts. As I reminded her, rarely will a prospect openly declare, “I don’t respect you because you’re young.” Instead, we often impose that narrative on ourselves.

Negative Self-TalkTelling yourself, “They’ll never take me seriously,” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you believe you lack standing, that energy radiates, and prospects pick up on it.

Flip Your MindsetMost professionals—older or otherwise—care primarily about whether you can solve their problems, save them time, or increase their revenue. Your birth year is less important than your ability to address their business needs.

2. Win Through Questions

The simplest way to defuse insecurities about age or experience is to ask better questions. Listening is far more powerful than talking in most sales situations.

Tap Into Their ExpertiseIf they’ve been in the business for decades, demonstrate sincere curiosity: “How have you seen this industry evolve since you started?” or “What are some of the biggest shifts you’re preparing for next?” By making them the expert, you earn respect through authentic engagement.

Use Youth as a StrengthBeing new or younger often means a fresh perspective. Admit what you don’t know and say, “I’d love to learn from someone with your track record. What advice would you give to someone like me?” You’ll be amazed at how many seasoned pros want to mentor enthusiastic newcomers.

Don’t Fear “I Don’t Know”If you get a technical question you can’t answer on the spot, say, “That’s a great question. I’m not 100% sure, but let me check with my team and get back to you.” This approach does two things: it proves you’re honest (rather than bluffing), and it gives you a solid reason to continue the conversation later.

3. Relaxed, Assertive Confidence—The “Jedi Mind Trick”

If there’s a secret weapon in sales, it’s projecting selling confidence. But this isn’t about memorizing every rebuttal or faking bravado. It’s about becoming relaxed and assertive enough to handle anything that comes your way.

Rely on Frameworks and Processes

Know the steps you’ll take to open a call, overcome objections, or ask for the business. When you trust your proven framework, you’re less likely to freeze under pressure. For instance, if you have a system for handling objections, you’ll approach objections with calm anticipation rather than dread.

Practice and Role-Play

Just like athletes rehearse plays, sales pros need to rehearse calls. Role playing with a manager or teammate builds “muscle memory.” When real-world situations or questions arise, it’ll feel familiar—something you’ve already navigated.

Overcome Obstacle Fear

Face the age-gap issue repeatedly until it no longer feels daunting. Think of it as exposure therapy. The more you engage with senior-level buyers, the more you realize they’re just people with specific needs and pain points.

Keep Your Pipeline Full

Nothing nurtures confidence like having multiple deals in progress. A robust pipeline means you can approach each conversation without desperation, which projects a sense of calm authority.

4. Rewiring Your Internal Scripts

A few weeks back, I was delivering a Fanatical Prospecting Bootcamp to a group of sales reps - all in their 20s. 

They had been assigned to me because their boss was tired of listening to their excuses about why they weren’t consistently picking up the phone and prospecting. 

When he brought me in, he said matter of factly: “They won’t pay any attention to me, but before I start firing people, I’m hoping you can get through to them.”

The reps didn’t want to be there. It was a hostile audience from the start. 

Just as I kicked off the training, one of the reps challenged me with, “Your book Fanatical Prospecting was written a long time ago. Is it even relevant anymore?” His sneering words were more of a statement than a question. 

Cold Calling is Old School Distraction

Like many reluctant prospectors, he wanted to engage in a distracting argument over whether or not outbound telephone prospecting (a.k.a cold calling) was old school. He wanted validation that his avoidance of prospecting was OK, and to make the point that marketing should be responsible for delivering hot, ready-to-buy leads on a silver platter.

Sales reps of all generations -- for at least the past 125 years -- have been eager to make any excuse -- and I mean any excuse -- to avoid picking up a phone or knocking on a door. The most common excuse always has been that synchronous prospecting (a.k.a talking with people) is old school. 

There were a couple of snickers from the back of the room in anticipation for what I would do next. But I’d been to this rodeo many times before. 

 “What do you think has changed since I wrote the book?” I asked calmly. 

The young rep shot back condescendingly. “Well, for one thing, nobody answers the phone anymore.”

So I challenged him right back. “Ok, let’s test your hypothesis. Let me see the prospecting list that you brought with you.” (We run live call blocks in our Fanatical Prospecting Boot Camps and require participants to bring a list with them to class.) 

Cold Calling Reality Bites

I waited patiently as he pulled the list up on his laptop. Then, I began dialing his prospects, right in front of the class. Instantly I had their attention. They all leaned in to watch. Reality TV is a hell of a magnet. 

I made 11 dials to his list, spoke to two decision makers and set one appointment—all within a span of about 15 minutes. As I handed him back his laptop, I turned to the group and asked, “Any more questions?” 

Elvis Presley said, “The truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.” The reason telephone prospecting wasn’t working for the petulant sales rep who challenged me was that he wasn’t doing it. 

The cold truth about cold calling is that nobody answers a phone that doesn’t ring. 

Sales Success is Paid for In Advance with Prospecting

What was true when I wrote Fanatical Prospecting is still true today: 

If you wait for people to come to you, you’ll starve to death. 

If you think your marketing team is going to supply you with an endless stream of qualified, ready-to-buy prospects, then you are delusional. 

Here’s another truth for you: When it comes to prospecting, you cannot be delusional and have a full pipeline at the same time.  

There are certainly sales jobs where your phone rings and inbound chat dings with people who are ready to buy. If you absolutely cannot stand interrupting people through outbound prospecting, but you like selling, perhaps one these roles are for you. 

However, if you take a sales job where you never have to make a cold call, be prepared for a paycut.* Sales reps in these types of roles typically get paid by the hour with minimum commission upside.

*[Also be aware that some people, including Victor Antonio, are projecting that many of these jobs will be taken over by AI in the future.]

Cold Calling is a Prized Meta-Skill in Today's Noisy Marketplace

The most coveted,

Is your website truly working as hard as your sales team? In today’s competitive digital landscape, your website isn’t just an online brochure—it can be one of your best salespeople. Podcaster and influencer Sam Dunning joins The Sales Gravy Podcast to discuss the Caveman Grunt Website Test, why effective SEO strategies are never a one-and-done exercise, and how to build and how to maximize website performance for consistent sales growth.

If your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to apply Dunning’s key strategies to turn your website into a dynamic, lead-generating sales machine.

Key Takeaways:

Caveman Grunt Website Test: Follow the “We do X that solves Y” formula for clarity and effective conversion.

Understanding Customer Pain Points: Craft landing pages that directly address customer pain points using simple, jargon-free solutions.

Leveraging Podcasts for Lead Generation: Use podcasting to build authority, get referrals, and increase inbound traffic.

Turn Your Passions Into Profit: Experiment with activities you enjoy to see if they can be monetized, and give them three months to generate results.

SEO is a Long-Term Commitment: Don’t treat SEO as a one-time task. Ongoing optimization, including backlinks, keyword updates, and metadata improvements, is key to keeping your website visible.

https://youtu.be/y3-ALV67iT4

1. SEO Strategies are Not Dead

Sure, the introduction of AI optimization has some professionals running to figure out the algorithm for getting high rankings from AI platforms like ChatGPT or even Google’s AI overviews. But as far as we know, for Google – which still dominates the landscape – the same effective SEO strategies make for high rankings on AI overviews. 

That means overall you still need to focus on Google’s EEAT format: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

If you decide that SEO is worth your time then the best place to start is coming up with what your potential customers will be searching for to solve their problem.

Consider:

Industries where you’ve already seen success selling your products or services

Companies or organizations that can afford your solutions

What those companies might currently have cobbled together to solve their problems

2. The Caveman Grunt Website Test: A Simple Formula for Success

Does your website pass the Caveman Grunt Test? The premise is simple: If a caveman visited your website, would it be immediately clear what problem you solve and how you solve it? Keep your messaging straightforward—avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity.

Tip: Focus on the "We do X that solves Y" formula for a clear value proposition. Too many businesses miss out on potential conversions by overcomplicating their website copy. Simple, direct language can drastically improve your conversion rates.

3. The Importance of Identifying and Addressing Customer Pain Points

The most successful websites address specific pain points right away. Your landing pages should immediately highlight the problem your customer faces and present your solution in a simple, jargon-free manner.

Here’s what to include:

Clear, Benefit-Focused Headlines that speak to your customer's pain point. If you confuse, you lose.

Trust Signals like customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies.

Explainer Videos or step-by-step guides to show how your product or service solves the problem.

Why this works: Customers are most likely to convert when they feel you understand their challenges and have effective solutions. Ensure that your landing pages and home page are designed to address these pain points quickly

4. Using Podcasts to Build Authority and Generate Leads

Once you’ve optimized your website for clarity and customer pain points, it’s time to extend your reach. Podcasting is a powerful tool for building your brand, establishing authority,

Zack in Defiance, Ohio, faces a unique challenge that might sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first.

In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack’s solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy.

Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I’m Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day.

1. Recognize the Real-World Obstacles

Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it’s easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it’s crucial to acknowledge a few realities:

-- Your Customer’s Motivation: They’re laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they’re assured of a win.

-- Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you’re waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions.

-- Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition.

Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour.

2. Be a Genuine Partner, Not a Peddler

It’s tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven’t secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership:

Build Real Relationships

Invest time getting to know your buyer on a personal level. Talk about local sports teams, industry news, or shared hobbies. Real rapport fosters loyalty. When your customer finally wins their deal, they’ll feel comfortable turning to a friend—you—for the solution they need.

Offer Strategic Expertise

If your offering requires complex configurations or specialized knowledge, step in as a consultant. For instance, share best practices on how to optimize a design, or explain how to streamline a process. By helping them present stronger bids or more compelling proposals, you become integral to their success.

Stay Responsive

If they’re scrambling to nail down specifics for a bid, be the easiest person on their call list. Quick turnaround times and thorough answers showcase that you’re a reliable partner. Nobody wants a vendor who goes dark when the pressure is on.

3. Avoid Becoming a “Quote Factory”

One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” who does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it’s true you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out.

-- Track Buying History

Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns.

-- Have Candid Conversations

Let them know your time and expertise aren’t free. You’re happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads.

-- Prioritize Strategic Deals

If you’re caught up producing endless quotes for “long-shot” clients,

On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it’s time for a gut check. First we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next we need to take stock of our first month sales performance and make adjustments.

We’re just a little more than 30 days away from our new year intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we’d make positive lasting changes in our lives. 

It’s Easy to Slip Off the Track

You’ll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it’s easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It’s easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone.

The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It’s just human nature. 

Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly

Let’s say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers. 

You’ve been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals.

I’ll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide. 

This was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when the year started. I know that if I don’t stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I’ll continue down this negative path — because it’s easy.

Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions

This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today, to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions. 

Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year. 

Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline.

Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track.

Evaluate Your First Month’s Performance Against Your Sales Goals

Next, step back and evaluate your first month’s sales performance. As you do, you’ll likely find one of three scenarios:

You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water.

You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you’re capable of much higher performance.

You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped.

Great Sales Month

If You Crushed it, and you’re on the top of the ranking report fantastic, congratulations!

But be very careful not to let off the gas. It’s likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather. 

Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you. 

Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don’t end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March.

In other words, you’ve set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished and keep the pedal to the metal!

Average Sales Month

If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you’ve got more in the tank — then it’s time for some honest self-reflection.

Ask yourself:

Insights into embracing conflict, staying mindful, battling internal doubt, and communicating effectively from motivational speaker and co-founder of The Constance Group Brian Parsley.

Key Takeaways

Conflict Isn’t the Enemy: Whether it’s internal (“me-me”) or between you and others, conflict can be a catalyst for growth if handled with empathy and awareness.

Self-Awareness Is Critical: Recognize when you’re slipping into negative self-talk or procrastination. Do one uncomfortable thing on purpose to regain momentum.

Mindfulness Works: A short pause before responding can prevent knee-jerk reactions and help you focus on problem-solving instead of point-scoring.

Communication Styles Differ: Tailor your approach to the other person’s style, and clarify misunderstandings by asking what they actually heard.

Find a Coach or Mentor: Don’t underestimate the value of someone else’s perspective. A coach sees the “swing flaws” in your sales approach that you might never notice on your own.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2049xdXQ5Ac

Why Conflict Is Everywhere in Sales

Sales is an inherently conflict-laden profession. You’re asking people for time and resources, you’re persuading them to make decisions, and you’re often balancing multiple interests—your client’s, your company’s, and your own. The tension stems from:

-- Negotiations with buyers who might have competing priorities.

-- Internal pressures from bosses or teammates who expect certain results.

-- Personal conflicts within yourself — especially if you’re unsure of your own capabilities.

The Three Types of Conflict

Conflict can be broken down into three categories:

Me vs. You Conflict – Disagreements between individuals (customers, peers, bosses).

Me vs. Job Conflict – Situations where your personal values clash with your job role or tasks.

Me vs. Me Conflict – Internal struggles, such as procrastination or fear of failure.

The“me vs. me” conflict might be the most insidious, because it can sabotage your motivation, self-esteem, and willingness to accept feedback. 

The “Me-Me” Conflict: Your Biggest Obstacle

Many sales professionals fail because they lose the internal battle with themselves in “me-me” conflict. They know they should spend an extra hour prospecting, turn off the TV a little earlier for a fresh start the next morning, or follow up diligently with new leads. Yet, fear of failure or simple inertia holds them back.

How “Me-Me” Conflict Snowballs

Letting small tasks slip—like hitting the snooze button or blowing off a follow-up call—quickly turns into a domino effect:

You skip a small task or ignore a responsibility.

Guilt or anxiety sets in, making you more emotionally reactive.

This emotional reaction, often anger or irritability, spills over into other areas of your life—leading to more conflict, and sometimes even lower productivity.

Overcoming Internal Doubts Through Awareness

The ultimate tool  to combat negative self-talk and “me-me” conflict is awareness. Here’s a simple yet powerful strategy: do something uncomfortable on purpose, like making a difficult prospecting call. By choosing the harder path in small, manageable increments, you train your brain to seek out the dopamine rush of achieving a win. Each small success can become addictive—in the best way—helping you build the self-confidence to tackle bigger challenges.

Practical Tip:

When you notice you’re about to avoid something important—like a call block—stop and say, “This is hard, but I’m doing it anyway.” That small statement of intent can be enough to reset your mindset for action.

Why Self-Talk Shapes Your Sales Results

In sales, negative self-talk is especially damaging because of the constant rejection and fast-paced environment. One bad day can lead to a downward spiral:

-- One lost deal leads to “I’m not good enough.”

-- One tough call leads to “They’ll never buy from me.”