Surviving Outside Sales

The outside sales world offers abundant opportunities to reinvent your approach and grow your business, but success requires building a strong foundation that can withstand market changes and client turnover.

• Without the right foundation, your territory becomes vulnerable like a house of cards 
• There's no such thing as status quo in sales – you're either growing or shrinking
• Recurring revenue models allow you to stack clients and grow more quickly than one-time sales
• Becoming the go-to expert means understanding how to elevate your buyer's future state
• Decision-makers constantly ask colleagues for referrals, making word-of-mouth invaluable

Building a relentless growth mindset is the foundation for scaling your sales business without fear, allowing you to overcome plateaus and consistently push forward. We explore how adopting a "yes mentality" can transform your territory and help you navigate market changes even when facing significant obstacles.

• Q2 brings increased seasonal disruptions to sales calendars as summer approaches
• The difference between success and stagnation is maintaining a relentless growth mindset
• "Plateauing" isn't permanent—it's a signal that you need to change your approach
• Leverage your advocates to overcome obstacles by directly asking for their help
• Mark...

Mike O'Kelly shares insights on business self-examination and the foundations of sales success. He explores the importance of regularly evaluating your sales approach and focusing on the essential elements that drive sustainable results in outside sales.

• "Dumping out your bucket" every six months to examine your business through a fresh lens
• The critical importance of building strong habits, processes, and systems as your foundation
• How content continues working for you even when you're not actively promoting it
• Speaking one-to-many rather than one-to-one is essential for scaling your business in 2025
• The quest for perfection is never-e...

Unlock the secrets to becoming an "agent of change" in sales and setting the stage for a powerful start to 2025. Transform your approach by learning how to influence client behavior and lead them to new habits or systems through your product or service. Host Mike O'Kelly divulges how mastering the art of capturing attention and creating compelling interactions can give you an edge over the competition. Explore the P3 method to vividly illustrate the future benefits of your solution and the pitfalls of maintaining the status quo, ensuring that your prospects are thoroughly persuaded by your vision.

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Unlock the secrets to dominating the final quarter of your sales year with the P3 method—your ultimate guide to maximizing past, present, and potential opportunities. Discover how mental toughness, strategic planning, and cutting-edge technology can elevate your sales game, helping you exceed your targets and uncover hidden opportunities within your existing client base. By setting ambitious personal goals, you’ll not only smash company quotas but also pave the way for a rewarding and successful career in outside sales. This episode is your ticket to mastering the art of proactive selling and transforming your sales territory into a powe...

Unlock the secrets to transforming your sales career by shifting your mindset. Discover how the power of a growth mindset can revolutionize not just your professional life, but also bring personal happiness and accomplishment. We promise that by tuning in, you'll learn how to conquer challenges with confidence and adaptability, leaving behind the shackles of doubt and inaction. Drawing from my own journey and the stories of countless sales professionals, we delve into the art of setting up successful habits, processes, and systems to smash through passivity and the blame game. This episode will get you thinking about the...

What if the key to thriving in the fast-paced world of Q4 sales is hidden in the fundamentals we've all been overlooking? Join me, Mike O'Kelly, as we explore how the chaos of personal commitments and professional demands can actually be the perfect catalyst for reassessing your sales strategies. Discover why understanding your client's buying processes can mean the difference between a missed opportunity and a closed deal, and learn the significance of service, teamwork, and concise messaging. We’ll unravel the mystery of being in the right place at the right time and how external factors often shift th...

Discover the secrets to thriving in outside sales as Mike O'Kelly returns to share his transformative journey from building a retail wellness business. Have you ever wondered how small actions like timely call notes could impact your career progression? Learn from Mike's personal stories and experiences, emphasizing the crucial balance between performance and trust. He reveals the blueprint for finishing the year on a high note and setting a solid foundation for future success, highlighting the significance of hiring not just for talent, but for the right attitude and aptitude.

Get ready to pump up your sales...

Have you ever stood at the precipice of change, heart pounding with the exhilaration of a new venture? 

That's where my journey took me as I embarked on the daunting task of launching a health and wellness franchise. It was a test of resilience and a lesson in the importance of health as we sail through the years. In this rollercoaster update, I lay bare the hurdles of early business challenges, from market shifts to real estate woes, and the profound shift from passive investment to active involvement. My gratitude runs deep for your support, and I'm e...

Strap in as I, Mike O'Kelly, take you on an exhilarating ride through my journey of surviving outside sales and mastering the Q4 sales period. Picture Q4 as the Super Bowl of sales - the stakes are high and the tension thicker. Drawing from my experience of setting up a brick and mortar business, I know the sweat and toil that's involved. But the real question is - are you equipped to seize the opportunity when your customers are ready to spend this Q4? Let's dive into the strategies that can help you leverage your resources and time to...

Ever felt like you've bitten off more than you can chew? 

Well, brace yourselves as I take you through my taxing adventure of investing in franchises, opening a new store, and enduring the challenging journey of outside sales. From the complexities of real estate to the arduous legal aspects of the franchise process, it's a wild ride that has taught me invaluable lessons. 

Peek through the keyhole as I wrestle with lease negotiations, taps into the role of an architect firm, and grapple with the SBA process. This tumultuous journey culminates in hiring a general ma...

Sometimes, life throws us curveballs that make us question everything. This episode of Surviving Outside Sales is a testament to that. I, your host, Mike O'Kelly, find myself wrestling with the imminent loss of my father, a veteran pharmaceutical sales rep who has been my greatest inspiration. As I navigate the emotional whirlwind, I hit the mic to discuss how personal challenges shape our professional lives.

While the episode is deeply personal, it is also a reminder of the importance of seizing opportunities when they come knocking. As I share anecdotes and insights from my journey in...

Imagine sustaining yourself comfortably on something less than a 250K annual income - does that sound like an impossible dream? Well, it isn't! I, Mike O'Kelly, am here to share my journey of how multiple income streams, from coaching programs to consulting, have allowed me to thrive in the outside sales landscape. I'll reveal how crucial it is to ensure that all your products and services have crossover potential, offering a more in-depth look into financial sustainability.

But that's not all folks, seizing opportunities is the key to future success. Get ready to be motivated to take...

Are your sales stagnating, or worse, flatlining? What if you could revive your sales by attracting at least 10% new customers every month? Brace yourself for an enthralling episode of Surviving Outside Sales where we reveal game-changing strategies for prospecting and market canvassing. We're spilling the beans on how to be an exemplary prospector, reducing stress about individual deals, and keeping your growth on an upward trajectory. 

But that's not all. This episode offers practical advice on how to make your presence felt in your market rather than just broadcasting your message. Learn how to fine-tune your prospecting t...

Ever felt like your job has turned into a mundane routine with no spark? Well, it's time to break free from the shackles of dissatisfaction and strike out in search of new professional horizons. Mike O'Kelly is your torchbearer on this quest, emphasizing that life is too short to be stuck in a passionless job. Our conversation today explores the signs that it's time for change, and the importance of seeking roles that excite and challenge you. 

In the latter half, we shift gears to explore the landscape of outside sales across various industries. From chemical sales t...

Ever tried to take on more than you can handle, only to find it was a mistake? 

That's what happened to me. I tried to up my game from five podcast episodes a week to seven. I took a leap of faith, thinking that pushing my boundaries would enhance my work. Guess what? It didn't. It was an unsustainable pace that left me scrambling, but it was a valuable learning curve.

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