About 20 years ago, I was rushed between two sales presentations in the Philadelphia area, and I didn’t have time to do my final preparation for the second meeting. On top of that, I hadn’t had lunch and had to return two phone calls. I bargained with myself, as I often do. “When I get off the Blue Route, I’ll get off the phone, turn off the radio, and focus on my meeting in complete silence.” I had about ten minutes of driving after exiting the Blue Route, and all I did was think about the prospect and my meeting. When I arrived, I felt completely prepared and more present than I usually feel after conducting a proper prep meeting.
Even before smartphones, social media, texting, podcasts and satellite radio, I was insanely busy in the car ride to my appointments. I’d either be on the phone or listening to sports radio the entire commute. Except that one midday in Eastern PA. That’s the day I learned one of the easiest techniques that lead to sales greatness:
Turn off everything for ten minutes before your appointment. I mean everything – your phone, radio, email, video app – everything. For those ten minutes, just think about your meeting. What are your contacts doing right now as you’re driving? What questions will they ask? Does it make sense to start the presentation like you always do? What is your goal?
That’s it. Have you ever heard of an easier idea? Try it. It’s not that easy, but those ten minutes of silence will make a huge impact on your performance.
