Every day in sales we are testing to get to our outcomes. Whether deliberate or unknowing we deploy new tactics to win customers. What we often fail to realize is that inside of these tactics lies the data we need to know about what’s working. Some people are able to keep the outcomes of these micro-experiments in their heads, but many (like me) are not able to. To create continuity for yourself, start keeping a record of each small thing you experiment with.

Journalists, diarists, and anthropologists are good examples of people who are interested in the minutiae of life. Most keep heavy field notes on what they observe so they can review details, look for patterns, and eventually come to a conclusion on a perspective. In sales, your own notes don’t need to be this exhaustive, but just enough for you to learn what worked, what didn’t, and make adjustments next time.

Collect data, review your records, and be meticulous about pointing out where things went well, where they only got partway through, and where they fell apart. This requires discipline, but each week you will start to notice your changes, improvements, and when you might be falling back into a bad habit you were previously stuck in. The best part about this process is that failures become more exciting - they serve as natural, documented markers to change course.

Become the student of yourself.

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