Sales Tip 1843: The Perseverance Payoff – Show Up, Step Up, Stand Out – Meshell Baker

Meshell Baker: Picture this. It’s late on a Friday, the office is quiet, the lights are dimming, and your co workers are already thinking about their weekend plans. But not you. You’re picking up the phone, making that one extra call. Or maybe you’re sending that follow up email. Or maybe you’re preparing for next week’s pitch. Here’s the truth. Success in sales isn’t always about being the smartest or even the most charismatic.

It’s about showing up when others don’t and pushing through when others won’t. Today I’m going to explore how showing up when others slack off and pushing yourself when others can’t be bothered will set you apart in the sales world. Time for your three takeaways and one immediately implementable technique. Number one, Consistent effort leads to success. Let’s start with that power of consistency. A recent report from Salesforce found that 79% of sales reps who consistently followed up with prospects closed more deals than those who didn’t. The magic lies in persistent following up on that lead, even when you’re tired, could be the moment they decide to say yes. Think about it.

How many times have you stopped just short of success because you assumed the prospect wasn’t Interested? The top 1% of sales professionals, those who close big deals, understand this. They show up even on the days when motivation is low because they know consistency builds momentum. Number two, resilience enhances performance. Let’s talk about it. Resilience, that ability to bounce back after rejection. A study published in the Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing revealed that resilient sales professionals not only recover faster from rejection, they also learn from their failures, improving their techniques with each interaction. One story that always inspires me is about a top performing sales rep at a Fortune 500 company. She faced rejection from a key client 12 times, but instead of giving up, she adjusted her approach, researched the client’s need for more deeply, and finally landed the deal.

That contract became one of the largest in the company’s history. The takeaway? Resilience isn’t just about surviving setbacks, it’s about using them as stepping stones to grow stronger and smarter. Number three, Self discipline is crucial. Finally, let’s dive into self discipline, that backbone of every successful salesperson. Discipline is what gets you up early to prep for a call. It’s what makes you send that extra email instead of scrolling through social media. It’s what inspires you to call back one more time because you believe the prospect deserves the best. Studies from the Journal of Applied Psychology show that self discipline has a direct correlation with achieving long term goals.

Think about Olympic athletes. They don’t just train because they feel like it. They train every day, rain or shine, because they know consistency compounded over time creates phenomenal results. The same applies to sales. Holding yourself accountable even when no one is watching, especially when no one is watching, is what sets you apart. Here’s some science to back this up. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology highlighted that grit, which is defined as a passion and perseverance toward long term goals, is a stronger predictor of success than talent or iq. This means you don’t have to be born a natural salesperson.