Good afternoon,
As I work through the grind of prospecting this week, I thought it would be a good idea to pass on a few points from Cynthia Handal, who talks about the Power of Boring Work in sales. Believe me, it’s not that we don’t know but need to be reminded. Here’s the podcast and full article-
https://salesgravy.com/why-the-basics-still-beat-fancy/Also, the following email from my prospect illustrates the power of follow up. I have been following up with this guy since August. Remember in God we trust and follow up with everyone else.
Here are Cynthia’s thoughts:
What Actually Wins: The Fundamentals
If you want to win more, stop searching for better tactics and start doing the boring stuff better. Because these five basics are still undefeated:
1. Phone Calls
Cold calls. Warm calls. Follow-up calls. Call blocks. Whatever the flavor, the phone remains your fastest path to building pipeline. And yet it’s the most avoided.
Most reps send five emails and give up. Not top performers. They make the call. Because conversations close deals—period.
2. Discovery Questions
Stop pitching. Start digging. The best reps are curious, not convincing. They lead with questions that uncover pain, urgency, and decision dynamics. And they clam up long enough to actually listen.
You don’t earn trust by explaining. You earn it by understanding.
3. Objection Handling
If objections scare you, it’s because you don’t practice. It’s because you haven’t made a habit of practicing.
Objections aren’t stop signs—they’re buying signals. But if you’re caught off guard every time someone says, “I need to think about it,” you’re not preparing. You’re winging it. And amateurs who wing it get smoked.
4. Follow-Up
Here’s the truth: the sale is almost never made on the first call. Or the second. Or even the fifth. 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch, but most reps quit after two. Why? Emotion.
They
feel rejected. Embarrassed. “I don’t want to bother them.” Bother them? You’re solving a problem they can’t fix alone. Follow up until they buy or you find them a better solution.
5. Asking for the Sale
Most reps are afraid to ask. Why?
Because they’re afraid of hearing no. But here’s the thing: no is part of the process. If you’re not hearing no, you’re not asking enough.
You’re a consultant. You’re a closer. Your job isn’t to make the prospect feel warm and fuzzy—it’s to guide them to a decision. And that means asking with courage and confidence.
