Have you wondered what sets successful people apart from unsuccessful people?
According to research, it’s not intelligence or luck, but rather, their habits. My habits are my constant companion, both good and bad. This is something I’ve been focusing on in 2023 since I recently finished reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear (a great read, by the way)! This book, coupled with Butler Street’s Four Cornerstones of Success® – Attitude, Personal Accountability, Perseverance, and Habit, put me on the right track to forming good habits and keeping them top-of-mind. By taking an inward look at my day-to-day behaviors, I am able to recognize what isn’t serving me well or hindering the achievement of my long-term goals.
In my role, I have the honor of speaking with dozens of Sales Leaders and critical team members such as Sales and Business Development Managers, Recruiters, and Account Managers on a regular basis. There is one common theme I see amongst the top revenue producers – they have great systems in place, aka good daily habits! I am often asked about best practices on this subject and I’d like to share the list of my top three:
1. Start off right
Start your day early with a morning routine that helps create a positive mindset! Attitude is 100% in your control. Starting each day doing something that will get your head in the right space will impact the rest of your day. For some, it may be a workout, meditation or yoga, motivational, reading, or going for a brisk walk. Whatever you choose, it will set your intention for the rest of the day! Then, plan your day and what you’d like to accomplish.
2. Make the time
This one is specific to those in a customer-facing role: ALWAYS block time for new business development. Did you know that the number one reason salespeople fail, is a failure to prospect? If you aren’t already in the habit of daily prospecting, I recommend changing that immediately. What works for me? I reach out to 5 new prospects and 5 existing customers each day, in addition to a 12-week prospecting plan for my larger targets. Prospecting should be a blend between calls, emails, InMail, and posting on social media. If you need help developing an effective prospecting plan, Butler Street offers a tool in our online learning called the “12 Week 16 Touch Program”.
3. Develop habit for productivity
Productivity is not a coincidence, rather it is a conscious choice born out of habit and good process. A few strategies that have worked well for me and those I work closely with:
Time blocking – use Outlook to block time on your calendar for prospecting and other important sales activities. Blocking time out for activities that help you generate revenue and increase your productivity is imperative to your success. Be selfish with this time – take it seriously.
The 1% Rule – If you can consistently and persistently be 1% better at what you do each day, over the course of a year you will make significant progress! At Butler Street we love the saying
“Progressive improvement is better than postponed perfection.”
Simply get started and improve a little bit each day – start with smaller goals that are more easily attainable to help you achieve getting 1% better each day or week.
At the end of each work day, spend 10 minutes creating your “to-do” list for the next work day. This way, you start each day with a clear picture of your most urgent priorities! It also prevents the whirlwind of emails and other distractions from taking over.
Are you looking to create better habits and behavior changes that will impact your life and career? Butler Street can help. We coach and train on the skills necessary to be a better salesperson, recruiter, and leader. Contact us today for more information on how to up your game!
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