Show up early.
As simple as this may sound, it will differentiate you from most of your sales peers.
Why? Because it requires effort and discipline and planning. And most salespeople don’t do this.
Four Simple Rules
Here are four simple rules for showing up:
- 30 minutes before a demo or formal presentation
- 10 minutes before an in-person call
- 2 minutes before a conference/Zoom call
- Right at the mark for any scheduled one-on-one phone calls
Simple.
Thirty minutes for a demo? Yes. Because you need time to set up a demonstration or a formal presentation. There is a conference room to get to, Wi-Fi passwords to contend with, projectors that don’t connect to your laptop. You need time to problem-solve these complications, or wait for someone from IT to get there with the right dongle or navigate the right remote of the seven strewn about the podium.
Ten for a meeting? Yes again. Because the meeting should start on time, and you need to sign in, and they need to round up the troops.
But why early for a Zoom call? Because you’re developing a practice, and because you want people to know you’re ready when (or more accurately before) they are.
And yes, dialing the call exactly on the mark may seem slightly too precise or even predatory, ringing exactly at 9:00am for a nine o’clock call. But that’s what you scheduled, right?
Make It Easy On Yourself
Ultimately, these simple rules demonstrate that you’re prepared, professional and reliable. These are qualities that customers want in their business partners. And that are surprisingly rare among salespeople.
Moreover, this is supremely doable. It’s a habit, a practice. Totally learnable. And one that gives you an advantage right when you need it most – At the beginning of that important call or conversation. It’s a breather, a cushion, and a psychological edge.
Who doesn’t want that?