Lifestyle Habits Sales Reps Should Adopt

BY Jessica Helinski
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Lifestyle habits are important to a salesperson’s success. Just like good sales habits, which were discussed in a previous post, reps should be mindful of the lifestyle habits that they have and if they align with those of successful counterparts.

Aja Frost builds upon on her list of good sales habits by shifting her focus to out-​of-​office habits that salespeople should adopt. These lifestyle habits can help create a well-​rounded individual who is successful both in and out of the office.

  1. Stay balanced
  2. Take breaks
  3. Build personal relationships
  4. Always look for prospects

Lifestyle habits to live by

Stay balanced. Selling can be an emotional roller coaster. If you allow stress, frustration and anxiety to take hold, prepare to be overwhelmed (and underperform). “Salespeople experience more highs and lows in a single week than most professionals do in an entire month,” Frost writes. “Some days, you feel invincible. Other days, you wonder if you even belong in sales.” Being able to balance your emotions and cope with these ranges of feelings can help you stay mentally healthy and on track. Director of AdMall Sales Denise Gibson agrees, pointing out that, "Sales can be very stressful. It is very high energy. If you don’t keep things in balance something suffers. You need to keep up your momentum and stamina."

Take breaks. One of the most important lifestyle habits may seem counterproductive: Take breaks instead of pushing yourself all the time. This can be tough for reps, as success seems to correlate to activity. But with this mindset, reps often push themselves beyond their physical and mental limits. When it comes to how much you do, think quality over quantity. Focus on effectively using your time, streamlining process and other actions that will free up time to take a much-​needed break. This lifestyle habit may seem like a waste, but it prevents you from burning out and it gives your brain and body rest.

Build personal relationships. Most reps realize that relationships are vital to sales success. (74%) of high-​performing reps say forming strong relationships with buyers has a big impact on their ability to achieve quota (vs. 60% of other sales reps). This vital lifestyle habit positions reps for success by establishing trust, understanding, credibility, and so much more with prospects. For salespeople, relationships are their capital.

Always look for prospects. Just because you're clocked out doesn't mean that you put up blinders to new business opportunities. Networking is a lifestyle habit that you can nurture even when you aren't at a professional event. But, Frost does caution salespeople to always "read a room" before attempting to talk shop with someone. If anything, ask for someone's business card and save the business chat for a more appropriate situation.

These habits work when put into practice

With this advice, salespeople can go beyond average, but they must make the effort to adopt these habits. As Frost explains, "There’s not one single way to become a good salesperson, but the habits mentioned above are essential to providing a positive sales experience to your customers." Be thoughtful about implementing them, along with the sales habits, to grow as a well-​rounded successful sales rep.


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