Be Olympic Teleprospectors: The Games' Effect on Inside Sales Reps
I don’t know about everyone else, but I am absolutely addicted to the Winter Olympics. Every night when I am relaxing at home, I get sucked into the speed skating, skiing, and of course curling competitions! After watching the first few nights of events and discussing with coworkers throughout the day, I started to think about how our office has the same qualities that the Olympics in Sochi have.
Drive. Determination. Practice. Teamwork.
All of these words seem fitting for the Olympians who have qualified for the games, but they can also be attributed to the inside sales reps at AG Salesworks. Believe it or not, there are many similarities between the athletes and our reps.
Working as a teleprospector is not an easy job. You interact with people at all different levels within their organization, and catch people at their best and worst attitudes throughout the day. Regardless of their attitudes, you have to remain professional and answer their questions and concerns just like the athletes have to shut out the booing and teasing from competitors’ fans. When you are doing your job, you have to keep calm and be focused on the task at hand, no matter what background noise tempts to distract you.
As the month kicks off for all inside sales reps, the slate is clean and anything can happen. I like to burst out of the gate with vigor and determination to reconnect with interested pipeline and reach out to new prospects as fast as I can, creating a larger pipeline of opportunity for the rest of the month. The Olympic athletes we root for throughout the two weeks of games always start out strong and try to put themselves in a good position, like in the 5,000 meter speed skating. You don’t necessarily want to put all of your energy into leading the pack, but you want to be in a comfortable position in order to overtake your competition and sprint the home stretch. If I set myself up for a good month early on, I can reconnect with interested pipeline towards the end of a month and create opportunities for myself in order to reach my goal.
As coaches help their athletes with their starting positions, stamina, and efficiency moving throughout a course, our inside sales managers coach us through our call cycles and train us in areas where we have room to improve so we can tackle next month's quota. Training is never complete and there are always improvements to be made to go faster, finish stronger, and achieve what you have worked so hard for.
So as we watch our countrymen and women compete with speed, skill, and flat out drive, we should all take note and work hard to achieve our goals back home.