Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

It’s not about them. It’s a it’s about me. And while I think management teams can make mistakes along the way to lose their top talent whether that’s. I don’t know. Not respecting their opinion or it’s not listening to you know their concerns or whatever case they’re not paying them enough. Whatever the case may be I wouldn’t say that existed where I am today and I do think that that does exist because I have plenty of friends in sales who have some horror stories but that’s not my case. I wouldn’t say that they’ve done anything wrong or that they haven’t tried to keep me. But again at the end of the day this decision was made for me not for them.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

I think the things that have allowed me to get to the top of where I am and I think we’re in a really competitive industry and there’s maybe a commoditized approach to what we do. So finding your way to differentiate is really important. And one of the first things I learned is that people are buying you essentially. You’re building relationships. You’re helping problem solve. You’re bringing new ideas to the table. You’re bringing your understanding of the industry. And those are just like we’re reading a lot of different types of books to become the best version of us. I think we have a lot of different aspects that we see where our clients don’t necessarily have that because they’re working for a single firm. So I try to take the lessons that a lot of my clients have learned along the way and help them as my other clients are facing similar issues. So that’s number one is just remembering what you’ve learned and applying it productively to the conversations that you’re having with your clients and remembering that you are the face of the firm. And it’s never you can never think about that too much. How you do anything is how you do everything and I would say that that’s number two for me is I never allow myself to not give 100 percent. Mediocrity is very very dangerous. And sure you can get by, sure you can meet your quota by just doing what is necessary to get the job done. But I do have a firm belief in putting your best foot out there every time you every time you go. I would say number three is my willingness to be open to the possibility of yes. So what that means for me is not being afraid of hearing no but getting really excited about what happens if they say yes. And I think that plays out in a couple of different ways through the course of my career not only in some of the sales successes that I’ve had but just generally and some of the opportunities that have come across my desk.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

OK. So for someone who has been in sales for a little bit I think my advice would be a little different. And I would say just to remember that that top is a fallacy. The top of one peak is really just the base of the next. And just remember to build on your experiences and if what you’ve done already isn’t working try something else. And if that doesn’t work don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are people out there who can help you with whatever your struggles are and maybe now they’re even more accessible than they ever have been. Because it’s super easy to find them. If you want it badly enough you will seek out a way to get it.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

The three that I’ll share are the first is just be patient and appreciate every stage. Like you’re so lucky that you’re in a sales role where you have the ability to make an impact with a firm. Enjoy it and learn from your mistakes. I mean I think you know you set out in at least I set out I wanted to be in sales that was my goal. And I think I did take the time to learn everything I could not only about my industry but about my prospects. And I designed a template and I went through a methodical procedure before every call and I made sure like I said that I knew I knew what questions I wanted to ask and oftentimes I even knew the answers to them. I think I’ll mention in a minute I did that because I didn’t know what else to do. To me that felt like I was preparing. I was taking the safe route and I was going in knowing what to expect and that was a good thing. And then I guess the third thing is you can’t overprepare you could never be prepared enough to walk into a meeting. So I would say that those are my top three.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

First is I don’t give up. So I think it comes from my background of being an athlete and just like nobody likes to lose. Well I don’t like to lose. But if you lose you realize OK get back up and try again. I mean I’ve been told No I’ve been hung up on I’ve been denied entry. Like literally they just wouldn’t open the door. I’ve been told I’m not the right one for the job. I have been told to make a career move that I wasn’t interested in. And at the end of the day you’re the only one who knows what you’re meant to do. So don’t give up realizing your goals because of some external force trying to push you a different direction. You’re the one in charge. Just remember that. And I think that leads me to the second. And it’s funny when you realize your goals and I think I’ve talked maybe a little bit about this but I’m a reflective person. So it’s important for me to take a step back and I think that this is literally happening to me right now. And if anything if anything I could take away from it it’s when you feel you’ve reached like your perceived pinnacle. You step back and you’re like wait a second. There’s another mountain range behind me. I need to go do that next. And realizing that. What maybe enough for some people and it’s a very respectable thing to be satisfied. It doesn’t mean that’s enough for you.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

I abhor mediocrity. And when I say that I cannot say it with enough conviction. I think that there is nothing worse than being mediocre. And we in sales are fortunate to have the roles that we have. And I noticed that and I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to just meet my expectations. The goal has always been to exceed them. So mediocrity for me is no.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

As I look at my approach. I think that people might think it’s crazy that I don’t think you can fake being genuine. Having a genuine interest in people is something that has to be just that. It has to be genuine and you have to want to get to know people and have a real want to help them. And what that means isn’t just you know being genuine in your smile or having a firm handshake but it means that you’re willing to do the little things that take time. So being responsive being helpful. If it’s not in your wheel house finding whose wheel house it’s in and connecting the dots. It’s doing the extra work. It’s just finding time to make them understand that they are important and you’re going to do what it takes. You’re their advocate and you’re going to help them solve their problem.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

I read all the books. I take stock of how my process and approach lines up to what I’m reading or listening to. And I would say I take kind of the Steve Kerr approach and I don’t know if you listened to his podcast or his interview on being a leader but you have to find. Like I said you’re .almost your magazine or your library of resources. Read them listen to them hear them and not just read the words but like figure out as you’re reading how to practically apply what they’re saying and then almost make a decision. Yes this will help me in my approach or no this won’t. Don’t dwell on it but remember it because there could be a time where oh wait you’re right the little gold book of yes attitude. Oh I could use that right now. And you can go take it out and you can reread it or whatever the case may be. But I think you you do run the risk of being being rigid in your process. If you only subscribe to a single approach.

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Clip from Episode 36: Camille Clemons – Financial Services Sales Career Transitions:

I’ve taken a ton of time to make sure that this is like a pristine part of my of my job. So when you have tools that do not work for you don’t think that there’s not a better way to do it because there is there’s always a better way. I think the bank issued laptop that I had to deal with for a couple of years. Finally I just bit the bullet and bought my own laptop and we figured out a way to have a virtual desktop in the office that got all the updates that it needed to get the new software and the patches and all of those things. So it took that off of me and allowed me to carry an efficient machine with kind of the most up to date software. So that was number one my MacBook is half of my life. The other half is my iPhone. I don’t leave the home without that or my Jabra elites which our little ear buds that are wireless. But I’ve tried probably 15 different ear buds in the marketplace and none of them were sufficient either the person on the other line couldn’t hear or you couldn’t hear or it muffled when it was windy. And I found that these are really helpful.

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