When it comes to sales, what's the best way to close more deals and increase your bottom line? Some people might say you need to be aggressive, persistent, and always on the hustle. While that may be true, there's another factor at play that's often overlooked: days out of the office.
As a director of sales and sales coach, I’ve found a best practice to surpassing goals is to support my team to have fun on their days off. It seems simple, but it's important to foster both clarity & connection. To truly separate from our work, our direct supervisors must encourage it. Persuading your sales team to break away, even though it may be difficult to step away from work on our own accord, takes intention.
Here are two reasons why taking a day or two off can help you seal the deal.
Reason # 1. Connection Equals Closing.
In sales, we are always striving to create connections with our clients. After all, it's difficult to make a sale if the client doesn't feel like they can trust you. But how can you create a genuine connection with someone if you've never had any shared experiences? This is where reference points come in. Reference points are the key to connecting with clients as they provide a way to find common ground. When we disconnect, we add to our database of new interactions and authentic experiences. These moments become reference points that we can use to connect with our clients.
Each time we have a new experience out of the office, we gain a new story, and is sales nothing but a practice in story telling?
Let me give you an example.
My 7-year-old daughter Olivia mentioned that her little friend went to Connecticut. “What is Connecticut,” she asked at dinnertime.
Our next day off, we jumped in the car and spent the entire day exploring the Nutmeg state. We stopped at lakes found on the GPS and sang at the top of our lungs before stopping for lunch. Mid-day, we met the sweetest retail clerk at Aerie at the Danbury Mall, whose curly hair was the colors of a soft rainbow. Olivia leaned in at the counter and said “I like your hair.” Turns out she dyed it for her upcoming wedding in October. Her mom didn’t know if it was a great idea, but my daughters and I told her how amazing she looked, as I fleetingly coached her on keeping perspective while wedding planning.
See… experiences.
And guess what? I have clients in Connecticut. I created a new reference point to further our relationship when we talk about things, they have a tie to.
Reason 2. Clarity Equals Performance.
When we commit to personal time and step away from closing and producing, we can intentionally recharge and, in some cases, heal.
We have learned valuable lessons these past years, and one that I keep close to my heart is:
Burning the candle at both ends does not make it burn brighter; it makes it burn faster.
“What we find is high levels of workload, time pressure, and expectations to be available 24/7 that makes it difficult to mentally detach during non-work time,” says Charlotte Fritz, PhD, an associate professor in industrial and organizational psychology at Oregon’s Portland State University, who’s research concentrates on the interplay between experiences at and outside of work.
Ever have two consecutive days off and it felt like you had a mini vacation? What kind of work did you turn out the following week? That’s what I’m talking about!
There is a direct correlation between high sales returns and saying yes to invitations, no matter if it’s to your friend’s wedding or to the farmer’s market. When we take the time to nurture ourselves, we are better able to serve others.
Consider this a reminder to encourage yourself or those around you to take a real day off. Not one tied to texts and the ding of an incoming email, but one that will offer the chance to refresh and return centered.
My sales friends, it is normal to get so caught up in your work that you forget to enjoy life. We're always chasing the next sale, the next commission, and the next big deal. Get out there and start living a life where you create memories and be bold enough to tie them to sales calls and tours when you see the opening. Then reap the positive impact on your conversion rate.
